Articles Military expenditures (1990-2010): LBP 25,000 billion
The size and purpose of military spending is an issue over which politicians are divided. One group believes the substantial military spending has led to a budget deficit and a rise in public debt without really achieving security, which is normally sustained by political consensus. Another group considers the size of expenditures to be acceptable, even low, compared to other state expenditures, since it is mostly limited to the payment of salaries while spending on armament and equipment is negligible.
This study will look into the expenditures of the military and security organizations in Lebanon: the Ministry of National Defense (including the Lebanese Army), the Directorate General of Internal Security Forces (ISF), the Directorate General of General Security, the Directorate General of State Security (the article does not address the expenses of the military apparatus in the Directorate General of Customs). From 2006 to 2010, the budget laws were not ratified therefore the figures listed in the tables are those of the draft laws.
Main remarks
The classification of some of the expenditures adopted in the budget laws of 1990 through to 1996 was changed and as of 1997, a new one was implemented. For example, compensation and financial aid were now to be included in salaries and wages.
Based on the new classification, some expenditures are listed within the following provisions:
- Services including: rent and maintenance of estates, mail, advertisements and publications, insurance, car rental, wages, housekeeping and cleaning expenses.
- Consumables including: stationary, office supplies, fuel, pesticides, lab materials, plants, electricity, water and telephone lines.
- Allowances, salaries and wages including: transportation fees, health and school grants.
- Others including: secret expenditures, delegations and conferences, studies, travel and transportation in Lebanon and abroad, judicial rulings and financial settelements.
- Maintenance of technical equipment and buildings.
- Equipment including: furniture, office and technical equipment and IT equipments.
- Construction including: buildings, roads and water and electricity extensions.
The figures listed in the tables are those of the state budget laws of 1990 to 2005 and of the draft budget laws of 2006 to 2010. The numbers represent an estimate of the expenditures and are not final.
Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4 show, respectively, the expenditures of the Ministry of National Defense, the Directorate General of Internal Security Forces (excluding prisons), the Directorate General of General Security and the Directorate General of State Security.
These tables demonstrate that:
- The Lebanese Army enjoys the largest share of expenditures amounting to 67.3% of military spending, followed, in terms of size, by the ISF (25.4%), the General Security (5.3%) and State Security (1.91%).
- Salaries, wages, compensation, and health and school grants form 93% of military spending.
- Expenditure on military equipment is very low forming a mere 1% of military spending.
- During the period studied (1990-2010), army expenditures increased by 1,534%, ISF by 2,292%, General Security by 2,712% and State Security by 6,068% while budget expenditures increased by 3,172%. The numbers show that the increase in military spending was lower than the percentage of increase of the total budget expenditures and this is evident in Table 5.
Table shows a drop in the size of military spending compared to the budget’s total expenditures, from 22% in 1990 to 12.6% in 2010, forming 14.3% of total spending for that period.
| Expenditures of the Ministry of Defense (LBP thousands) from 1990 to 2010 | Table 1 | |||||||||||
| Year | Central Administration/Military Room | Army: Equipment/ Salaries/Compensation | Military Courts | Directorate General of Administration | Office of the Inspector General | Military Council | Judicial Rulings and Financial Settlements | Total | Construction Equipment, Weapons & Ammunition along with Rehabilitation & Restoration Expenditures | Grand Total (LBP thousands) | Grand Total (USD) | |
| 1990 | 103,571 | 94,794,010 | 15,550 | 1,274,850 | 45,900 | 5,750 | 15,000 | 96,254,631 | 0 | 95,599,831 | 136,228,669 | |
| 1991 | 243,258 | 135,453,200 | 34,000 | 2,024,000 | 97,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 | 137,881,458 | 0 | 137,881,458 | 148,542,342 | |
| 1992 | 212,000 | 391,566,200 | 68,700 | 3,710,700 | 118,800 | 15,750 | 50,000 | 395,742,150 | 5,000,000 | 400,742,150 | 233,963,563 | |
| 1993 | 247,000 | 441,053,000 | 85,000 | 4,584,500 | 139,800 | 20,000 | 150,000 | 446,279,300 | 30,000,000 | 476,279,300 | 273,506,816 | |
| 1994 | 262,500 | 483,032,000 | 142,500 | 5,563,500 | 146,200 | 24,000 | 400,000 | 489,570,700 | 50,000,000 | 539,570,700 | 321,222,749 | |
| 1995 | 348,500 | 642,241,890 | 282,500 | 6,908,200 | 165,000 | 33,000 | 400,000 | 650,379,090 | 15,000,000 | 665,379,090 | 410,489,648 | |
| 1996 | 303,660 | 637,447,075 | 261,150 | 6,573,740 | 129,800 | 26,730 | 360,000 | 645,102,155 | 13,500,000 | 658,602,155 | 419,240,808 | |
| 1997 | 306,700 | 719,817,740 | 356,700 | 7,462,900 | 114,800 | 20,500 | 0 | 728,079,340 | 10,000,000 | 738,079,340 | 479,512,055 | |
| 1998 | 213,741 | 730,706,150 | 341,100 | 7,063,390 | 116,025 | 30,100 | 0 | 738,470,506 | 11,500,000 | 749,970,506 | 497,492,873 | |
| 1999 | 317,400 | 841,340,797 | 422,500 | 10,267,040 | 125,150 | 30,500 | 0 | 852,503,387 | 11,500,000 | 864,003,387 | 573,136,575 | |
| 2000 | 317,400 | 848,082,797 | 219,000 | 10,264,150 | 133,500 | 70,500 | 0 | 859,087,347 | 11,500,000 | 870,587,347 | 577,504,044 | |
| 2001 | 411,000 | 866,354,500 | 163,000 | 10,622,900 | 155,500 | 48,300 | 0 | 877,755,200 | 9,000,000 | 886,755,200 | 588,228,988 | |
| 2002 | 347,350 | 795,618,145 | 139,256 | 9,631,180 | 125,210 | 33,556 | 0 | 805,894,697 | 6,000,000 | 811,894,697 | 538,570,280 | |
| 2003 | 296,500 | 768,848,000 | 123,000 | 8,864,500 | 96,500 | 28,500 | 0 | 778,257,000 | 3,200,000 | 781,457,000 | 518,379,436 | |
| 2004 | 390,500 | 798,465,500 | 135,000 | 9,545,000 | 121,000 | 33,250 | 0 | 808,690,250 | 10,000,000 | 818,690,250 | 543,078,109 | |
| 2005 | 457,500 | 835,466,500 | 201,000 | 10,165,000 | 149,000 | 28,250 | 0 | 846,467,250 | 5,800,000 | 852,267,250 | 565,351,410 | |
| 2006 | 450,500 | 895,895,000 | 192,000 | 10,274,000 | 169,000 | 18,750 | 0 | 906,999,250 | 8,000,000 | 914,999,250 | 606,964,677 | |
| 2007 | 483,500 | 1,107,427,413 | 223,000 | 10,553,000 | 230,700 | 21,750 | 0 | 1,118,939,363 | 0 | 1,118,939,363 | 742,248,334 | |
| 2008 | 488,500 | 1,135,520,000 | 172,500 | 10,526,000 | 199,200 | 30,250 | 0 | 1,146,936,450 | 0 | 1,146,936,450 | 760,820,199 | |
| 2009 | 493,500 | 1,357,754,000 | 200,500 | 12,138,000 | 203,000 | 35,500 | 0 | 1,370,824,500 | 0 | 1,370,824,500 | 909,336,318 | |
| 2010 | 536,500 | 1,554,674,000 | 211,500 | 13,485,000 | 226,500 | 36,500 | 0 | 1,569,170,000 | 0 | 1,569,170,000 | 1,040,908,789 | |
| Total | 7,231,080 | 16,081,557,917 | 3,989,456 | 171,501,550 | 3,007,585 | 601,436 | 1,395,000 | 16,269,284,024 | 200,000,000 | 16,468,629,224 | 10,924,463,830 | |
| Expenditures of the Internal Security Forces (LBP thousands) from 1990 to 2010
| Table 2
| ||||||||||
| Year
| Consumables
| Services
| Allowances, Salaries & Wages
| Transfers
| Others
| Equipment
| Construction
| Maintenance
| Grand Total (LBP thousands)
| Grand Total USD
| |
| 1990
| 764,450
| 807,000
| 24,335,550
| 201,250
| 24,564
| 3,950,000
| 296,650
| Merged with Equipment
| 30,379,464
| 43,290,390
| |
| 1991
| 1,066,000
| 1,050,000
| 24,384,453
| 905,000
| 55,154
| 6,200,000
| 1,500,000
| Merged with Equipment
| 35,160,607
| 37,879,197
| |
| 1992
| 2,940,000
| 1,483,000
| 100,626,100
| 212,000
| 90,504
| 7,400,000
| 1,500,000
| Merged with Equipment
| 114,251,604
| 66,703,022
| |
| 1993
| 5,668,000
| 2,470,000
| 139,654,100
| 337,000
| 95,500
| 7,195,000
| 2,500,000
| Merged with Equipment
| 157,919,600
| 90,686,467
| |
| 1994
| 7,351,000
| 1,870,000
| 136,456,100
| 737,000
| 315,500
| 15,000,000
| 1,000,000
| Merged with Equipment
| 162,729,600
| 96,877,850
| |
| 1995
| 6,565,000
| 3,210,000
| 196,233,060
| 727,000
| 308,000
| 21,000,000
| 5,500,000
| Merged with Equipment
| 233,543,060
| 144,078,781
| |
| 1996
| 13,436,700
| 1,388,309
| 192,747,460
| 651,600
| 1,735,800
| 8,875,000
| 5,950,000
| 1,320,000
| 226,104,869
| 143,929,666
| |
| 1997
| 10,650,000
| 1,307,000
| 225,289,500
| 161,000
| 760,000
| 6,425,000
| 5,600,000
| 2,650,000
| 252,842,500
| 164,265,574
| |
| 1998
| 12,407,500
| 1,504,900
| 216,461,500
| 150,000
| 885,500
| 5,407,000
| 3,655,000
| 1,855,000
| 242,326,400
| 160,747,197
| |
| 1999
| 11,886,000
| 1,366,000
| 241,612,000
| 160,000
| 886,000
| 4,385,000
| 3,235,000
| 1,785,000
| 265,315,000
| 175,996,683
| |
| 2000
| 12,688,500
| 1,452,500
| 243,529,000
| 160,000
| 893,000
| 4,060,000
| 4,235,000
| 3,070,000
| 270,088,000
| 179,162,852
| |
| 2001
| 18,753,500
| 1,806,000
| 251,579,780
| 160,000
| 1,634,000
| 14,150,000
| 10,400,000
| 3,140,000
| 301,623,280
| 200,081,778
| |
| 2002
| 15,999,350
| 1,581,363
| 244,940,660
| 160,000
| 1,779,250
| 4,313,750
| 8,585,938
| 2,266,313
| 279,626,624
| 185,490,298
| |
| 2003
| 14,367,000
| 1,564,000
| 252,439,340
| 150,000
| 1,550,000
| 3,397,000
| 6,540,000
| 2,232,000
| 282,239,340
| 187,223,443
| |
| 2004
| 21,668,500
| 1,649,000
| 258,395,000
| 150,000
| 1,160,000
| 7,500,000
| 5,065,000
| 3,507,000
| 299,094,500
| 198,404,312
| |
| 2005
| 30,538,000
| 1,754,000
| 270,926,500
| 150,000
| 1,175,000
| 8,650,000
| 4,065,000
| 4,157,000
| 321,415,500
| 213,210,945
| |
| 2006
| 33,840,000
| 1,603,000
| 347,777,958
| 75,000
| 4,335,000
| 1,500,000
| 25,000
| 3,460,000
| 392,615,958
| 260,441,763
| |
| 2007
| 44,623,000
| 1,771,000
| 433,719,368
| 75,000
| 4,510,000
| 5,750,000
| 9,090,000
| 4,190,000
| 503,728,368
| 334,148,171
| |
| 2008
| 55,443,000
| 2,485,000
| 402,929,832
| 600,000
| 4,770,000
| 10,500,000
| 20,590,000
| 6,380,000
| 503,697,832
| 334,127,915
| |
| 2009
| 68,446,300
| 2,241,000
| 518,203,432
| 600,000
| 4,780,000
| 19,100,000
| 15,090,000
| 7,630,000
| 636,090,732
| 421,950,734
| |
| 2010
| 75,296,300
| 2,822,000
| 558,610,312
| 600,000
| 8,780,000
| 27,274,000
| 43,121,000
| 8,680,000
| 725,183,612
| 481,050,489
| |
| Total
| 464,398,100
| 37,185,072
| 5,280,851,005
| 7,121,850
| 40,522,772
| 192,031,750
| 157,543,588
| 56,322,313
| 6,235,976,450
| 4,119,747,528
| |
| Expenditures of the General Security (LBP thousands) from 1990 to 2010
| Table 3
| ||||||||||
| Year
| Consumables / Equipment
| Services/ Administration/Equipment
| Allowances & Salaries
| Various Administrative Expenditures
| Constructions under way
| Maintenance
| Compensation/Aid/Rewards
| Contributions & Aid/ Other Expenditures | Grand Total (LBP thousands) | Grand Total USD
| |
| 1990
| --
| 214,600
| 4,059,715
| 253,850
| 4,000
| 10,000
| 101,050
| 57,150
| 4,700,365
| 6,697,967
| |
| 1991
| --
| 683,000
| 4,448,200
| 943,050
| 150,000
| 40,000
| 205,100
| 480,000
| 6,949,350
| 7,486,668
| |
| 1992
| --
| 614,000
| 20,287,700
| 1,609,000
| --
| 75,000
| 425,000
| 711,500
| 23,722,200
| 13,849,630
| |
| 1993
| --
| 1,460,000
| 21,462,000
| 2,211,000
| 10,000
| 150,000
| 1,065,000
| 1,837,000
| 28,195,000
| 16,191,182
| |
| 1994
| --
| 2,810,000
| 26,175,000
| 2,892,000
| 10,000
| 180,000
| 1,250,000
| 3,050,000
| 36,367,000
| 21,650,374
| |
| 1995
| --
| 3,560,000
| 37,451,000
| 3,632,000
| --
| 200,000
| 2,275,000
| 4,560,000
| 51,678,000
| 31,881,501
| |
| 1996
| 1,009,000
| 1,904,600
| 36,983,000
| 2,849,800
| --
| 162,500
| 2,275,000
| 7,281,500
| 52,465,400
| 33,397,456
| |
| 1997
| 4,851,000
| 1,237,000
| 50,197,700
| 1,050,000
| --
| 975,000
| --
| --
| 58,310,700
| 37,883,032
| |
| 1998
| 4,594,100
| 1,159,000
| 49,316,000
| 871,500
| --
| 787,500
| --
| --
| 56,728,100
| 37,630,580
| |
| 1999
| 2,892,500
| 1,745,000
| 52,614,000
| 899,000
| --
| 1,277,000
| --
| --
| 59,427,500
| 39,421,227
| |
| 2000
| 4,490,000
| 1,880,000
| 54,104,000
| 1,005,000
| --
| 1,050,000
| --
| --
| 62,529,000
| 41,478,607
| |
| 2001
| 6,190,000
| 2,145,000
| 59,550,000
| 1,765,000
| 2,000,000
| 1,150,000
| --
| --
| 72,800,000
| 48,291,874
| |
| 2002
| 4,215,901
| 1,871,713
| 58,149,750
| 1,574,250
| --
| 926,501
| --
| --
| 66,738,115
| 44,270,723
| |
| 2003
| 3,926,000
| 1,710,000
| 57,160,000
| 1,411,000
| --
| 930,000
| --
| --
| 65,137,000
| 43,208,624
| |
| 2004
| 5,561,000
| 1,900,000
| 61,161,000
| 1,245,000
| --
| 1,260,000
| --
| --
| 71,127,000
| 47,182,090
| |
| 2005
| 12,219,000
| 1,522,000
| 63,911,000
| 1,301,000
| --
| 1,405,000
| --
| --
| 80,358,000
| 53,305,473
| |
| 2006
| 8,752,000
| 1,647,000
| 66,263,000
| 1,301,000
| 1,500,000
| 1,495,000
| --
| --
| 80,958,000
| 53,703,483
| |
| 2007
| 11,413,000
| 1,912,000
| 69,886,000
| 1,266,000
| --
| 1,550,000
| --
| --
| 86,027,000
| 57,066,003
| |
| 2008
| 12,497,000
| 4,062,000
| 71,276,000
| 1,621,000
| --
| 1,590,000
| --
| --
| 91,046,000
| 60,395,357
| |
| 2009
| 14,666,000
| 3,380,000
| 92,249,000
| 1,326,000
| --
| 2,060,000
| --
| --
| 113,681,000
| 75,410,282
| |
| 2010
| 17,510,000
| 2,960,000
| 108,353,500
| 1,296,000
| --
| 2,115,000
| --
| --
| 132,234,500
| 87,717,745
| |
| Total
| 114,786,501
| 40,376,913
| 1,065,057,565
| 32,322,450
| 3,674,000
| 19,388,501
| 7,596,150
| 17,977,150
| 1,301,179,230
| 863,137,134
| |
| Expenditures of the Directorate General of State Security (LBP thousands) from 1990 to 2010
| Table 4
| ||||||||||||
| Year
| Consumer Products/ Equipment
| Consumer Services/ Administration
| Allowances & Salaries
| Administrative & Miscellaneous Expenditures
| Constructions under way
| Maintenance
| Compensation/Aid/Rewards
| Publicity & External Relations
| Contributions & Aid/ Other Expenditures | Equipment
| Grand Total (LBP thousands)
| Grand Total USD
| |
| 1990
| --
| 33,750
| 340,500
| 115,550
| --
| 13,500
| 30,000
| 2,500
| 19,000
| 100,000
| 654,800
| 933,083
| |
| 1991
| --
| 70,500
| 572,000
| 431,000
| --
| 16,000
| 49,000
| 3,000
| 76,000
| 900,000
| 2,117,500
| 2,281,223
| |
| 1992
| 1,461,000
| --
| 4,500,000
| 992,000
| 100,000
| 65,000
| 548,000
| 7,000
| 255,000
| --
| 7,928,000
| 4,628,570
| |
| 1993
| 173,000
| --
| 5,844,000
| 1,128,500
| 150,000
| 70,000
| 653,000
| 12,000
| 281,000
| 1,300,000
| 9,611,500
| 5,519,473
| |
| 1994
| 1,504,000
| --
| 6,935,000
| 1,304,000
| 200,000
| 80,000
| 763,000
| 12,000
| 308,500
| --
| 11,106,500
| 6,612,035
| |
| 1995
| 457,000
| --
| 13,778,437
| 1,529,000
| 200,000
| 120,000
| 1,314,500
| 12,000
| 694,000
| 2,000,000
| 20,104,937
| 12,403,258
| |
| 1996
| 1,922,300
| 448,300
| 12,926,900
| 4,453,900
| --
| 158,937
| 1,314,500
| 12,000
| 1,000,000
| 1,540,000
| 23,776,837
| 15,135,420
| |
| 1997
| 1,280,650
| 555,492
| 13,933,910
| --
| --
| 295,000
| --
| --
| 4,520,000
| 1,170,500
| 21,755,552
| 14,134,049
| |
| 1998
| 1,727,300
| 561,100
| 17,688,940
| 924,000
| 35,000
| 178,500
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 21,114,840
| 14,006,527
| |
| 1999
| 1,841,000
| 581,500
| 20,560,600
| 546,500
| 25,000
| 192,500
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 23,747,100
| 15,752,637
| |
| 2000
| 2,286,500
| 616,000
| 20,865,600
| 556,500
| 25,000
| 297,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 24,646,600
| 16,349,320
| |
| 2001
| 2,597,250
| 586,500
| 21,280,000
| 870,000
| 704,000
| 305,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 26,342,750
| 17,474,461
| |
| 2002
| 1,495,150
| 486,700
| 21,108,000
| 799,250
| --
| 214,200
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 24,103,300
| 15,988,922
| |
| 2003
| 1,488,500
| 524,000
| 20,800,000
| 712,000
| --
| 195,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 23,719,500
| 15,734,328
| |
| 2004
| 1,994,000
| 524,000
| 21,537,000
| 744,000
| 2,000,000
| 200,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 26,999,000
| 17,909,784
| |
| 2005
| 3,060,000
| 464,000
| 22,733,000
| 774,000
| 2,500,000
| 225,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 29,756,000
| 19,738,640
| |
| 2006
| 3,367,000
| 506,000
| 24,549,000
| 784,000
| 1,800,000
| 230,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 31,236,000
| 20,720,398
| |
| 2007
| 4,276,000
| 494,000
| 26,499,000
| 794,000
| --
| 205,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 32,268,000
| 21,404,975
| |
| 2008
| 4,344,000
| 524,000
| 26,361,000
| 773,000
| --
| 175,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 32,177,000
| 21,344,610
| |
| 2009
| 5,567,000
| 519,000
| 30,365,000
| 773,000
| --
| 175,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 37,399,000
| 24,808,624
| |
| 2010
| 5,672,000
| 582,000
| 33,256,000
| 773,000
| --
| 180,000
| --
| --
| --
| --
| 40,463,000
| 26,841,128
| |
| Total
| 46,513,650
| 8,076,842
| 366,433,887
| 19,777,200
| 7,739,000
| 3,590,637
| 4,672,000
| 60,500
| 7,153,500
| 7,010,500
| 471,027,716
| 312,456,196
| |
Note: in 1990 and 1991, the budget of the Directorate General of State Security was included within the budget of the Ministry of National Defense and not within the Prime Ministry’s budget. It became included in the latter as of 1992.
| Evolution of Military Expenditures compared to Total Budget Expenditures | Table 5 | ||
| Year | Total Budget Expenditures (LBP thousands) | Size of Military Spending (LBP thousands) | % of Military Spending/ Budget Expenditures |
| 1990 | 597,000,000 | 131,334,460 | 22.0% |
| 1991 | 1,036,000,000 | 182,108,915 | 17.6% |
| 1992 | 1,654,000,000 | 546,643,954 | 33.1% |
| 1993 | 3,400,000,000 | 672,005,400 | 19.8% |
| 1994 | 4,106,200,000 | 749,773,800 | 18.3% |
| 1995 | 5,630,000,000 | 970,705,087 | 17.2% |
| 1996 | 6,458,000,000 | 960,949,261 | 14.9% |
| 1997 | 6,433,000,000 | 1,070,988,092 | 16.6% |
| 1998 | 7,320,000,000 | 1,070,139,846 | 14.6% |
| 1999 | 8,395,000,000 | 1,212,492,987 | 14.4% |
| 2000 | 8,590,000,000 | 1,227,850,947 | 14.3% |
| 2001 | 9,900,000,000 | 1,287,521,230 | 13.0% |
| 2002 | 9,375,000,000 | 1,182,362,736 | 12.6% |
| 2003 | 8,600,000,000 | 1,152,552,840 | 13.4% |
| 2004 | 9,400,000,000 | 1,215,910,750 | 12.9% |
| 2005 | 10,000,000,000 | 1,283,796,750 | 12.8% |
| 2006 | 11,195,000,000 | 1,419,809,208 | 12.7% |
| 2007 | 11,840,000,000 | 1,740,962,731 | 14.7% |
| 2008 | 11,475,000,000 | 1,773,857,282 | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 16,304,000,000 | 2,157,995,232 | 13.2% |
| 2010 | 19,537,600,000 | 2,467,051,112 | 12.6% |
| Total | 171,245,800,000 | 24,476,812,620 | 14.3% |
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