Lebanon has exempted young Lebanese men from compulsory military service if they have lived abroad for more than five years, said the BBC.online on Monday.
Despite passing a bill to this effect in parliament this week, legislators are not sure if the new decision will indeed have the effect they are hoping for - to stop young Lebanese from emigrating, said the news service.
Young Lebanese men who are evading mandatory military service will now be able to come home for holidays this summer without being caught, a Lebanese official told the news service.
Inside Lebanon, many young men have already got deferrals by remaining registered in universities.
While the government is ready to make their rules more lenient, the BBC said that it is not ready to consider the alternative of civil service or scrapping the 12-month draft altogether – Albawaba.com
