Lebanon: 'Perceptions' the enemy, cash the solution
The Age/LA Times
The Bush Administration is scrambling to assemble a plan to help rebuild Lebanon, hoping that by competing with Hezbollah for the public's favour it can undo the damage the war has inflicted on its image and goals for the Middle East region.
Administration officials fear that unless they move quickly to demonstrate US commitment, the Lebanese will turn more fully to the militant group, which has begun rolling out an ambitious reconstruction program that US officials believe is bankrolled by Iran.
US officials also believe that the Administration must restore its influence to keep a newly assertive Syria from undermining US-supported reformers in Lebanon.
A major rebuilding investment would put the US in the position of subsidising both the Israeli munitions that caused the damage and the reconstruction work that will repair it.
... "They know we're in a race against time to turn around these perceptions...We're coming in when there's a sense that we stood by the destruction of Lebanon by an ally, with US weapons, and didn't complain. So we may be too late." Read more
db: Life can be so unfair - there you are, standing by as your ally destroys Lebanon with US made weapons - and not complaining - only to be fingered later, unjustly, by 'perceptions'.
The Bush Administration is scrambling to assemble a plan to help rebuild Lebanon, hoping that by competing with Hezbollah for the public's favour it can undo the damage the war has inflicted on its image and goals for the Middle East region.
Administration officials fear that unless they move quickly to demonstrate US commitment, the Lebanese will turn more fully to the militant group, which has begun rolling out an ambitious reconstruction program that US officials believe is bankrolled by Iran.
US officials also believe that the Administration must restore its influence to keep a newly assertive Syria from undermining US-supported reformers in Lebanon.
A major rebuilding investment would put the US in the position of subsidising both the Israeli munitions that caused the damage and the reconstruction work that will repair it.
... "They know we're in a race against time to turn around these perceptions...We're coming in when there's a sense that we stood by the destruction of Lebanon by an ally, with US weapons, and didn't complain. So we may be too late." Read more
db: Life can be so unfair - there you are, standing by as your ally destroys Lebanon with US made weapons - and not complaining - only to be fingered later, unjustly, by 'perceptions'.
posted by exoplanet at 7:31 PM
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