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In a news report titled "Lebanon army gets boost from Russian jets," you'd probably expect the opening paragraph to begin and maintain a focus on, say, the Lebanese army and Russian jets.

But then, you probably didn't bargain for The Associated Press.

Slightly delivering on what the headline promised, the January 21 report opens as an Israeli foreign-policy strategist might begin a lecture:

With Israel in a fragile cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza to the south, the army of this tiny country bordering Israel's north is for the first time getting some serious military muscle, including its first fighter jets in decades.

The influx of hardware begins with Russia, which is trying to increase its influence again in the Mideast.

Moscow's decision last month to provide Lebanon with 10 MiG-29 fighter jets comes at a sensitive time, with Israel just out of its second major armed confrontation in two years against neighboring militant groups. [1]

Entity count (in the order they appear): Paragraph 1 - Israel, Hamas, Gaza, this tiny country, Israel's north; Paragraph 2 - Russia, Mideast; Paragraph 3 - Moscow's decision, Lebanon, Israel, militant groups.

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