This may be news or rumor. I have heard it but cannot verify. The U.S. is going to send a new ambassador to Lebanon, and it is a woman. She, whoever she is, is awaiting confirmation. Meanwhile, because of the tense and drastic situation in the Middle East, Ambassador David Hale is being left in Lebanon until the new ambassador is in place.
The only part of this that I am able to confirm is that David Hale, whose term has expired and who is officially ambassador to Pakistan, is still in Lebanon.
There is other evidence that the U.S. government is concerned for Lebanon. On Wednesday Secretary of State John Kerry announced a $150,000,000 grant to the Lebanese Army. This is in addition to $59,000,000 announced last week for border security.
Ambassador Hale told the Beirut Daily Star that the U.S. is “focused every day…on how we can best support Lebanon’s people and institutions to ensure that Lebanon remains stable, secure, sovereign and free from foreign entanglements.”
He also said, “America believes that the Army is the sole institution with the legitimacy and mandate to defend the country and the people.” This is, no doubt, a veiled reference to the existence within Lebanon of the Hizballah militia, which is supported by Iran and has been fighting in support of Bashar al-Asad’s regime in Syria.
I also have these tidbits from two Lebanese friends. “We hope for some good things to result from the agreement with Iran,” and “Your love for our country and us is so really encouraging….Humanly speaking, nothing seems right. Corrupted government, no president, garbage everywhere, influx of Syrian refugees….But all we can see is God at work…We are witnessing so many blessings.”
The beauty of Lebanon—her people see what is good and never lose faith.