Anyone curious about the future of Saudi Arabia and its regional and global intentions should consider the Saudi decision of halting military aid to Lebanon to better understand the Saudi approach toward the deteriorating geopolitical situation.

Saudi Arabia, which has given financial aid to Lebanon for decades and is home to thousands of Lebanese expatriates, had intended to send military weapons to Lebanon as part of a $3 billion military grant. The French weapons manufacturer ODAS provided the weapons. But in February Saudi Arabia announced that it would stop a total of $4 billion earmarked for Lebanon’s security forces, including the $3 billion arms package.

Now those weapons are coming to Saudi Arabia to further equip our military forces. The contract wasn’t canceled; the weapons are just going to the country that provided the funds. Saudi officials made the decision after the Lebanese government at a recent Arab League meeting made it clear that their interests lie with the terrorist organization, Hezbollah.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir told Agency France Presse that, “We didn’t stop the contract. It’s just going to Saudi Arabia, not to Hezbollah ... We have a situation where Lebanon’s decisions have been hijacked by Hezbollah.”

Saudi Arabia has always been behind Lebanon and has given billions of Saudi riyals in aid to the country. The Kingdom has been influential in helping end Lebanon’s civil war and has been welcoming its

expatriate population.

But Lebanon is notoriously weak. It has allowed a mediocre militia like Hezbollah run the country when it should have stood up to those thugs. Lebanese government officials know exactly what Hezbollah is, yet they allow them free rein. They accept Hezbollah’s role and accept a future with Hezbollah in the driver’s seat. In effect, they accept Hezbollah the way some countries welcome with open arms a foreign occupation force.

Lebanon has hitched its wagon to Hezbollah and the organization’s masters in Iran. Their alarmingly poor judgment at a time when Iran is meddling in Yemen and Iraq boggles the mind. Treating Saudi Arabia with contempt after accepting its handouts is like an ungrateful son asking his parents for a loan to pay the house mortgage and feed his kids when instead he gambles it away. After a while the money spigot is turned off.

There was a time, when Saudi Arabia was unrivaled in soft diplomacy that such transgressions would be forgiven because at the end of the day Lebanon’s sovereignty and its people had to be protected. Clearly, though, that is not Lebanon’s priority. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is demonstrating that the days of being a generous parent are over. Yes, soft diplomacy will remain in practice, but with a firm hand as well. Allies that flirt with the Kingdom’s enemies by playing both sides of the fence with their hat in hand asking for more will soon find themselves without the financial security they have taken for granted.