By Edward Gabriel, opinion contributor – modified slightly – The article represents opinion of the author-
Lebanon is a country of 4.5 million people hosting 1.5 million Syrian
refugees—the equivalent, percentage-wise, of all of Canada and half of
Mexico flowing into the U.S. in about four years. In meetings I had last
week in Beirut, the country’s Minister of Refugees told me that Lebanon
is the “sandbag” against a rising flood that keeps this problem from
overflowing to Europe and the West. And after speaking with President
Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and other top government
officials, I fear that Lebanon may not be able to cope much longer.
The
Lebanese have borne direct and indirect costs of nearly $20 billion as a
result of the Syrian refugee crisis, in a country with an annual GDP of
$48 billion. Half the refugee children are not in school (which are
plagued by overcrowding), power shortages produce less than half the
needed electricity, only one-third of households have access to clean
water, and the environmental damage from lack of sewage treatment is a
disaster. Meanwhile,
the country needs to protect its borders from al Qaeda and ISIS, a
daily threat to the country and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Fortunately,
America has shown its trust in and support of the LAF, supplying more
than 90 percent of its equipment, logistical support, and training. In
return, the LAF have refused to accept military hardware from Russia and
Iran, preferring its privileged relationship with the U.S. In our
discussions with the new Commander of the LAF, General Joseph Aoun, who
is visiting the U.S. this week, it was strikingly apparent that the U.S.
has a real partner and collaborator in the wider fight against
terrorism in the region.
