US Caesar Act could bleed Lebanon for years to come – By Timour Azhari (Al Jazeera) / June 19 2020
Analysts say sanctions against Assad regime will worsen Lebanon’s economic crisis by fuelling illicit trade with Syria.
Beirut, Lebanon – Strike up a conversation about the general situation in Lebanon today and at some point, in an exasperated voice, the phrase will be uttered: “How much more can this country take?”
Lebanon has been beset by disruptions and bad decisions that have spawned a political crisis, widespread social unrest and plunged its economy deeper into crisis.
While many of Lebanon’s plagues are rooted in years of financial mismanagement and a culture of corruption among the country’s elites, some are beyond Beirut’s control – like the coronavirus pandemic and the war next door in Syria.
Now, a new set of wide-ranging United States sanctions threaten to add to Lebanon’s troubles. Analysts warn that the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act could foster greater political instability and conflict in Lebanon over the divisive issue of ties with Syria and Iran-backed Hezbollah’s outsized role in the country.
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