In a flurry of diplomatic activity, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffery Feltman stopped in Beirut this week on a visit that coincided with an Iranian delegation arriving from Tehran.
A terrorist cell affiliated with Al Qaeda was uncovered in the ranks of the Lebanese Army this week, raising questions about the command of the army at a critical time in Lebanon and the region.
President Obama called on Congress last week to work with his administration to introduce reforms that would make the federal government more efficient. We asked some of our experts what they would recommend.
Congress adopted last month a Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3671) allowing the continuation of military aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Lebanese officials were warned that the U.S. Congress may discontinue military assistance if Hezbollah and its allies take over government. With the new cabinet dominated by Hezbollah, some lawmakers are moving to end all assistance, while others are offering a more nuanced approach by introducing the Hezbollah Anti Terrorism Act (HATA) legislation that would limit, but not end, U.S.
Five months of political void in Lebanon ended with the appointment of thirty new ministers led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati. In a return to the pre-Cedar Revolution era, the new line-up is comprised mainly of ministers close to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.
Lebanese outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri inaugurated his new position as "leader of the opposition" by lashing out at Hezbollah, accusing it of using its military powers as means to tip political disputes in its favor. Hariri characterized the Shiite group's arsenal as a national problem that is poisoning Lebanon.
Amid the uprisings sweeping the Middle East, efforts to form a new government in Lebanon appear to have stalled. On the surface of it, political bickering among the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition on the distribution of key ministries appears to be the cause.
After years marked by concessions and failed attempts at reaching a compromise with the Hezbollah-led coalition, the March 14 movement showed signs of rejuvenation by attempting to go back to its popular roots and original message.
