As Lebanon endures a series of crises that have burdened its people and eroded their hope of emerging from them with the current political class, the United States continues, as usual, to intervene in the internal affairs of this afflicted country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo published a photo of Jibran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement, on his Twitter account with the label "Sanctioned," as part of a series of tweets where Pompeo discussed America's "support" for the Lebanese people. Pompeo commented on the photo, stating: "It's not just words; we have imposed sanctions on former Lebanese Foreign Minister Jibran Bassil for his involvement in corrupt practices." Pompeo also reiterated by sharing a link to the decision issued by the U.S. State Department regarding the sanctions on Jibran Bassil. High-ranking diplomatic circles in the U.S. interpreted Pompeo's comments as "an official recognition that the sanctions on Jibran Bassil are distinctly political, imposed by the United States to pressure him to change his overall policy, refrain from calling for the return of displaced persons, as well as to alter his position against resettlement."
