How Should the U.S. Respond to the Lebanon Protests?

American Thinker.com ^ | November 11, 2019 | John Hajjar

[Kaslin]

I returned to the U.S. from Lebanon less than one month before the October protests began in Beirut and started spreading throughout its cities and towns, shaking the foundations of a regime that spent 30 years mired in corruption and backing Hezb’allah. During my field trip to my ancestral land, mandated by the American Mideast Coalition for Democracy (AMCD), I met with students, politicians, journalists, former military, religious leaders and civil society activists. I also met with ordinary people in different places. The three major issues of discontent among all people I met were:

1. Frustration with the economic and financial situation, crumbling under the heavy corruption eroding most of Lebanon’s institutions, both public and private;
2. Fear from the constant domination of Hezb’allah and its peace-through-intimidation of their partisans and those opposed to their domination; and,
3. Loss of trust in the ruling political, economic, and clerical establishment of the country.

The Protests: “All means All”

On October 18, tens of thousands of Lebanese filled the public squares in Beirut in anti-government demonstrations accusing the leaders of “stealing the people’s money,” and of abandoning the poor to their fate. At first, the demands were socioeconomic, but then the protests got larger and the official goal became bringing down the entire system: the Saad Hariri cabinet, Michel Aoun’s Presidency, and Nabih Berri’s Parliament -- all accused of being behind the mass corruption that the country has been suffering under for decades.

[Vigilanteman]

Yep. Lebanon was originally carved out of the Levant States as a safe haven country for Christian and Druze Muslims. The Druze are one of the few genuinely moderate and tolerant brands of Islam. As such, they are considered apostate by mainstream Muslims.

Lebanon was considered the jewel of the Middle East when the Druze were the other 20%.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kaslin. Sanctions on Iran undermine their worldwide terror campaign, and much of that is located in Lebanon and Syria.

[Eleutheria5]

Everything is America’s business. Comes with being a super duper power. But that doesn’t mean throwing soldiers and tanks at it. Trump, I think, has a better way, and I’m all for it.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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