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Military Reform – 1989

Lebanon had a 42,000 strong armed force factionalized along sectarian lines and of which Gen. Michel Aoun commanded about 20,000 — mainly Christian troops. Of the remaining 22,000 soldiers in the army, most were Muslims. General Aoun was interim military government and was fired by president Elias Hrawi immediately after his election in the special session of the assembly on 25 November 1989.[fn]”Lebanon’s New President Fires Interim Military Government,” Xinhua General News Service, November 25, 1989; for different perspectives see other other sources; for example Robert Rabil, Embattled Neighbors: Syria, Israel, and Lebanon (Lynne Rienner, 2003).[/efn_note] On 28 November 1989, the government appointed Adm. Emile Lahoud as the country’s chief of armed force replacing Gen. Aoun.[fn]”Lebanon’s Cabinet Appoints New Army Commander,” Xinhua General News Service, November 28, 1989.[/efn_note] These initiatives were taken in an effort to strengthen the armed force of Lebanon. But, the Lebanese army was yet to be redeployed, which is part of the program to secure territory.