US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack has warned that the Hezbollah terror group still has a large supply of rockets and missiles, as well as massive manpower.
Speaking at a conference in Bahrain, Barrack said that the terror group has 40,000 terrorists, as well as 15,000-20,000 rockets and missiles.
Barrack also said that Lebanon is “a failed state and “has no central bank, its banking system has collapsed. There is no electricity; people depend on private generators. Even water and education are provided by private suppliers. The state is Hezbollah, which in the south provides water and education.”
He also noted that Gulf states are willing to invest up to $10 billion in southern Lebanon, if Hezbollah disarms and the country distances itself from Iranian influence.
Barrack also said that the attempt to force Hezbollah to disarm may ignite internal discord in Lebanon, and thus must be done carefully. He suggested that instead of force, incentives could be offered, but stressed that the status quo cannot continue.
However, he stressed that the Gulf states will not agree to invest in Lebanon so long as Hezbollah holds weapons. If the terror group disarmed, most of the investments would be focused on southern Lebanon, including an industrial zone and a tourist site on the Lebanon-Israel border.
