Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Just a week after the August 4 Beirut port explosion the Trump administration is about to ramp up a “maximum economic pressure” campaign on Lebanon targeting Hezbollah and its allies.
With the country reeling in the wake of the deadly blast – its worst disaster going back to the destruction and death of the 2006 war – Washington is attempting to “drive a wedge between Hezbollah and its allies as part of a broader effort to contain the Shiite force backed by Tehran,” as The Wall Street Journal writes.
Just days ago France’s Emmanuel Macron personally urged Trump to “reinvest” in Lebanon instead of a sanctions campaign, apparently to no avail.
And now on Wednesday, WSJ breaks the following:
President Trump has used sanctions as a central tool in his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Now some in his administration want to see the White House turn the screws in Lebanon.
Specifically the new punitive measures are being described as “anticorruption sanctions against prominent Lebanese politicians and businessmen.” One US official described to WSJ that it’s clearly ‘maximum pressure’ aimed at Lebanon, but ultimately targeting Tehran’s proxies.
The Trump administration hopes to “shape” any future government away from Hezbollah’s influence, or even its allies. Of course, this comes at the worst possible time for the devastated country, also given estimates of at least three billion dollars in damage to hard-hit Beirut districts closest to the impact of last Tuesday’s massive explosion.
As many observers have noted, Hezbollah is deeply involved and embedded in the Lebanese political system, with elected members of parliament, close ties with banks, and even hospitals and public services in various parts of the country, particularly the south.
Lebanon has generously hosted refugees for many years.
The explosion last week has devastated the capital, and thousands of people have lost their homes.
We stand with Lebanon and the people of #Beirut. pic.twitter.com/FCuUWhzkRz
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) August 11, 2020
This also comes at a time of severe economic woes, a banking sector in crisis, plunging currency, and after the entire government including the prime minister stepped down amid popular anger and protest over authorities negligently allowing over 2,500 tons of ammonium nitrate to languish at Beirut’s port for years, paving the way for Lebanon’s third government in less than a year.
Don’t allow terrorists in your country and the US wont enforce maximum pressure. Lebanon needs a civil war anyways. They have to kick the Shia’s out !!!
Exactly!
HUSH you little attention seeking TWAT!
usa has its own civil war to deal with ?
The Americunt shithole is imploding and that is why the scared shitless Zionist cowards are trying their best to get the moron lardass Americunts losers to get involved in a swan song war. The only outcome will be Chinese involvement in Lebanon too as they are looking to rebuild the port and Lebanese economy.
You’re a stupid silly cunt. Hezbollah is what keeps Lebanon together, you gonna have to join the Zioterrorist Jew invader scum in occupied Palestine in starting a war to kick anyone out of Lebanon.
Stupid Jew CUNT, Shia are 80% of the population dumbass moron ROFLMAO!
“Shia are 80% of the population” – A good joke. It is estimated that Lebanon has 54% Muslims. Half Shia and half Sunnis.
Shia population is 40% sunni 30% and others are cristian and druze.. check the proper info.
What I wrote are the common estimates, the last census was done about 90 years ago.
Meshuggenah, is your brain in your tuchus? Khizbullah is Lebanese people. Where should they go? Palestine or New York?
Fuck off genocide advocate.
Stop meddling in other countries you paranoid motherfucker!
keep yours wet dreams alive.
Lebanon needs to be sanctions like Iran and even worse, kick them out of the SWIFT system till they remove the terrorists from their land.
Get a job at McDonalds stupid PUNK LOL
Goodluck disarming Hezballah ?
Just more proof that it doesn’t matter who the US president is, not that any more was needed. The global Ziocorporate terrorist regime of the US will always proceed the same way, Trump or Biden or Bush or Clinton, when it comes to establishing and maintaining the “new world order” they’re after. Same goes for the filth from UK/France/etc.
The FACT is the Lebanon is now a key partner in the Axis of Resistance and the Zionist cowardly cunts are shit scared and trying every desperate act, but IT IS TOO LATE!
Lebanon is Hezbollah and we are all Hezbollah now.
The United States will impose sanctions on Hezbollah supporters. As most Lebanese want. https://twitter.com/HAbdolhossein/status/1292208609682759684
Go on applause some more. Cheer on the suffering of all lebanese for your foolish made up political goals!
Your as much an animal as ISIS , you know that right?
Your proclamations are worthless.
Let the lebanese be lebanese, you liberal interventionnists are making a mess everywhere. Its not your country get the fuck out!!
Pepperidge Farms remembers your crimes in Iraq, in Libya, in Syria and now in Lebanon.
You’re not coherent. The Mullahs regime and its militias are the enemies of the United States. By the choice of the Mullahs regime. So it is natural that the United States will act against its enemies. Trump prefers economic rather than military confrontation. Do you prefer war?
Did you see our peace deal with the UAE?
I know you don’t like Netanyahu, but the guy is a genius. He threatens to annex territories, which in practice he is unable to because no state will support it, not even Trump. Then he backs away from the annexation in exchange for a peace agreement with the most important Arab state today.
Well genius or not, it’s a good deal for both countries that should have happened long time ago. Bibi will be removed eventually, the countries will remain friends and we will solve the Palestinan issue once and for all. As long as Bibi in power there will be no peace, and I do support giving them their own country and get deperated from them for good.
Peace is always better than war. The Gulf states, like other Arab / Muslim countries, have no real rivalry with Israel. I believe that soon there will also be peace between Israel and free Iran.
Go to your “safe place” *Free ape. “Peace is always better than war.” If you believe the word of satanic cunt then you fuking moron. “The Gulf states, like other Arab / Muslim countries, have no real rivalry with Israel.” Correct yourself bud, THE WAHHABI SUNNIS STATES don’t have a rivalry with them. 2006 I wonder what happened…the so call peace fuker try to be funny and got shit on. By you putting “Free” Iran wouldn’t change anything and Nazi Germany believed to be unstoppable…how that went. This zion cunt don’t even try to hide killing civilians and helping terrorists A.K.A Wahhabi Sunnis. If you are a Wahhabi Sunni then YES Israel is your bestfriend…they were… Don’t fuking talk about “Peace” you fuking ape. You fuking know they are not after it, and you the most fuking ape I have talk to if you believe it only Iran and Israel BS. Israel is nothing on it own no matter what…wouldn’t US and EU aids they fuking suck IMF like Greece and fail.
only cowards will support Zionist bcuz of its threat . but threal ressitanse will never bow thier head doesnt matter what happen. Shia will always be a knife on the head of zionist crminal.
Try us.
You obviously prefer war. Economic war is war nonetheless dumbass.
Iran is not the ennemy of the people of the united states, never has and never will be.
Its the USA leadership that has a beef with Iran. We can spend an eternity to argue why. Long story short, I stand with the people of Palestine, even if i go against the will of my country’s leadership, I dont give a crap, they dont represent me anyways, the politicians are nothing but patronnage hoars for big business.
So you chirping Iran day in day, you are helping big business, you are not helping everyday Irani people from say…Shiraz.
Nor are you helping Joe in Arkansas. Matter of fact, its a waste of precious money that would be better spent fixing roads, bridges, hospitals and schools.
Your cheap verbatim excuses dont work with me.
It seems when you reply to me, all you do is pick a peice of paper out of a hat, and write whatever nonsense is printed on that.
You’re right there’s no point in answering you. You won’t understand anyway.
“The United States will impose sanctions on Hezbollah supporters.” Hahahaha LMFAO you know how stupid you sound.
Is there any country in the world who is not sanctioned in some or another way by US? If we get rid of the bully, the rest will be a lot easier to talk with yes??