US to ‘beef up’ Lebanese army

US President George Bush has pledged to "beef up" the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah fighters and weaken Iranian and Syrian influence in the area. Bush, who arrives in Israel today for its 60th anniversary celebrations, attacked Hezbollah and its supporters for "destabilising the country and turning against the Lebanese people". To underline US support, Washington has sent back a destroyer, the USS Cole, to patrol the Lebanese coast.