After Graft Claims, Lebanese Army Says Competency Only Way to Join Military

Controversy erupted in Lebanon in 2017 when it emerged that a military academy cadet had bribed his way into obtaining a star on his uniform.

Days ago, Army Commander Joseph Aoun declared that competency was the “only standard followed by the military institution, especially its academy.”

He added that attempts to tarnish the army’s image will not be tolerated.

Days earlier, Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab revealed that one corruption case involved a bribe of $19 million to have a student enroll in the military academy.

This case dates back to 2017 when dozens of cadets failed their first year at the academy, leading to the arrest of several figures on suspicion they had received bribes in return for facilitating the enrollment of students.

A former officer told Asharq Al-Awsat that some bribes reached as much as $100,000. When authorities began to suspect foul play, bribers turned to offering gold instead of cash to avoid the surveillance of their bank accounts.

Asked about the motives for turning to such extremes, he explained that people in rural regions, such as Baalbek, Hermel and Akkar, dream of having their children join the military. Bribery is seen as a way to achieve this dream given the prevalence of corruption in the country.

Another former officer refuted to Asharq Al-Awsat that corruption was prevalent throughout the military, saying instead that power is abused for sectarian purposes.

“Corruption is limited to a few number of individuals,” he asserted. “The graft cases we witnessed in recent years can be attributed to a lack of transparency in various state sectors and administrations and the flagrant meddling of politicians in military affairs.”

Former military academy chief, Nizar Abdul Qader told Asharq Al-Awsat that in the past, military examinations used to be held without political meddling.

The army used to rely on competencies and grades to bring in new members. Meddling, when it happened, was aimed at preserving higher national interests, he said.

He cited the intervention of late former President Elias Sarkis and former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss to recruit two figures to the military in order to preserve the representation of regions during a critical security phase.

He also said that the brothers of military martyrs were also allowed to enroll as a sign of gratitude to their parents, but no cases of bribes or cheating were ever recorded in the academy.

Things began to change after the signing of the 1989 Taef Accord, Abdul Qader stated.

The agreement helped end Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war.

The deal, explained Abdul Qader, saw the disarmament of militias. Some members of these groups were allowed to join the military. Many of them did not meet the necessary academic standards to enter the institution, but the higher national interest demanded that they join the army.

He revealed that he was tasked with resolving the ensuing crisis. He was forced to dismiss 70 students, even though many had close connections to politicians.

Since 1958, the army, he continued, has made sure to avoid any imbalance in sectarian representation in the number of its recruits. This has, however, failed. He explained that the number of Sunni recruits is on the rise, while Christians are dwindling because their overall numbers in Lebanon are also dropping. Shiites are also decreasing because many opt to join the Hezbollah party.

The process of recruiting a cadet to the military is based on a sectarian basis, he stated. Each sect is judged separately from the other in order to maintain certain sectarian balances even though some sects may perform better than others in examinations.

“It is not fair, but in Lebanon we are forced to preserve coexistence, specifically in institutions that protect the nation,” he remarked.

Moein Abu Odeh clambered up a pile of rubble in southern Gaza, searching for clothes, shoes, anything he could sell to raise cash more than a year since Israel started its relentless bombardments.

The father-of-four delved under blocks and brushed away piles of concrete dust at the site of one airstrike in the wrecked city of Khan Younis. His plan was to sell what he found to buy flour.

"If food and drink were available, believe me, I would give (these clothes) to charity," he said. "But the struggles we are going through (mean we) have to sell our clothes to eat and drink."

Widespread shortages and months of grinding war have generated a trade in old clothing, much of it salvaged from the homes of people who have died in the conflict.

At one makeshift market, shoes, shirts, sweaters and sneakers were laid out on dusty blankets, Reuters reported.

A girl tried on a single worn-out boot, which could come in handy this winter if she can afford it in Gaza's ruined economy.

A trader got an edge on his competitors by shouting out that his wares were European.

One man laughed as he got a young boy to try on a green jacket.

"We get clothing from a man whose house was destroyed. He was digging in the concrete to get some (clothing) and we buy them like this and sell them at a good price," displaced Palestinian Louay Abdel-Rahman said.

He and his family arrived in the city from another part of Gaza with only the clothes they were wearing. So he also keeps some back for them. "The seasons have changed from summer to winter and we need clothing," he said.

In April, the UN estimated it would take 14 years to dispose of the wreckage in Gaza. The UN official overseeing the problem said the clean-up would cost at least $1.2 billion.

More than 128,000 buildings have been destroyed or severely or moderately damaged in Gaza as a result of the conflict, the UN says. Underneath all of that are seams of mangled clothes.

"All our children only have short-sleeve clothing and nobody is helping them," Saeed Doula, a father-of-seven, said. "The war is all-encompassing."

After Graft Claims, Lebanese Army Says Competency Only Way to Join Military