Lebanon is holding its breath. Just days before her announced visit to Beirut, U.S. special envoy Morgan Ortagus made a shocking statement, urging the Lebanese to follow the example of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa — she didn’t elaborate further.The region is in a fragile phase, the news cycle is accelerating, and Lebanese leaders feel a growing urgency to act. Behind the scenes, talk is swirling once again of a return to ‘Saudi-Syria influence’ over Lebanon.This dynamic took shape most clearly during the July 2010 whirlwind visit to Beirut by then Saudi King Abdullah and then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It was a visit that put Lebanon under a form of joint tutelage until the outbreak of the war in Syria.And now, the defining events of recent weeks, including the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince...
Lebanon is holding its breath. Just days before her announced visit to Beirut, U.S. special envoy Morgan Ortagus made a shocking statement, urging the Lebanese to follow the example of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa — she didn’t elaborate further.The region is in a fragile phase, the news cycle is accelerating, and Lebanese leaders feel a growing urgency to act. Behind the scenes, talk is swirling once again of a return to ‘Saudi-Syria influence’ over Lebanon.This dynamic took shape most clearly during the July 2010 whirlwind visit to Beirut by then Saudi King Abdullah and then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It was a visit that put Lebanon under a form of joint tutelage until the outbreak of the war in Syria.And now, the defining events of recent weeks, including the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown...
