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Underreported: Lebanon’s New President, Michel Suleiman

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Lebanon’s new President, Michel Suleiman, has just taken office after a 6-month presidential void. We find out more about why President Suleiman has become a symbol of unity, and whether he can help heal the country's deep divisions. Dr. Fawaz Gerges is an author, Mideast scholar and Beirut native who holds the Christian A. Johnson Chair in International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College. His new article for Dissent magazine is "Hezbollah and the Future of Lebanon."


Comments

  • [1] Sally from soho May 29, 2008 - 01:24PM

    How on Earth is Lebanon ever supposed to stand on it's own when Israel can bomb it at any time? The US blindly endorsed the last bombing and it turned out to be based on lies. Olmert is widely hated for misusing the military.

    Not to mention Israel is stealing water from their. I am disgusted the US government is involved with the destruction of Lebanon only to have to rebuild it later.


  • [2] Chris O from New York City May 29, 2008 - 01:32PM

    I heard the BBC report that a major bridge was bombed and destroyed by US built and equipped Israeli warplanes. Then the US was funding the Lebanese rebuilding of the bridge. Is there not something wrong with this picture? Perhaps we should rebuild our own bridges before being knee deep in these overseas wars where we fund the destruction and rebuilding of bridges 10,000 miles away.


  • [3] Chris O from New York City May 29, 2008 - 01:36PM

    Our policies help and embolden Hezbollah. If Israel was not so obnoxious, not so hated in Lebanon, this would steal a lot of thunder from Hezbollah. Instead, Israel bombs the country to smithereens in 2006 and the US fully supported this. Hezbollah achieved a tactical and strategic victory here and that is not what we, or Israel, want. When will out asinine policies achieve our goals, instead of thwarting them? Maybe after the next election here, maybe.


  • [4] Sally from soho May 29, 2008 - 01:36PM

    Chris 0 we probably built that bridge in the first place. Lebanon was actually getting back on it's feet until that recent war with Israel.

    It's CRAZY.


  • [5] Chris O from New York City May 29, 2008 - 01:37PM

    I guess I should have said: when will we stop having asinine policies that thwart our very own goals and start having sensible policies to achieve them?


  • [6] Chris O from New York City May 29, 2008 - 01:46PM

    In many ways, McCain is decent. But not on foreign policy. The people of Lebanon must be intrigued by Barack Hussein Obama. Yet it is this support and interest the rest of the world has for Obama that will harm him here at home.


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