Armed and Rusted?

Lebanese Policewomen – مجموعة نساء الدرك اللبناني © Assafir السفير

This picture has been circulating my facebook newsfeed and twitter since yesterday, and regardless of all the positive and negative captions/comments that have circulated with it, a different thought comes to mind:

Why does the Lebanese police always walk around with an automatic rifle in hand and ready to kill! I have never seen police this alert in any other country… Ironically, the police never interfere when civilians rampage the streets with burning tires, guns etc. because the army does.
Really the main thing they do is pick up “illegal” motorcycles, send them to the yards and then split the loot among themselves. Or, hit on girls. Or, bully public transport drivers (because some “leader” is passing or their friend). Or, fine you for not a finding a parking spot! Or, chatter at the cross roads in their sexy raybans and boots! (eh wallaw!) And as my fellow blogger once called them, the Militia of the Government.

So, Where do we go with this? Why do they need to be on stand by with guns they never use?