General Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), has taken the unprecedented step of publicly urging Lebanese politicians to tackle the country's grave economic crisis, warning it could lead to a collapse. "Everyone is suffering because of the political and economic situation," he told a gathering of senior officers on 8 March. "People are getting hungry and the LAF is part of the people. Soldiers are getting hungry and suffering as well. To you political leaders: where are you and what are you doing?" Serving LAF officers rarely comment publicly on politics, so Gen Aoun's speech underlined the gravity of the situation facing the military.
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