David Schenker, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, responded to current assistant Barbara Leaf's remarks regarding the possibility of Lebanon facing sanctions if the election of a president is obstructed. He expressed support for the election of Army Chief Joseph Aoun because he has not been involved in shedding blood in Lebanon. Schenker stated, "Hezbollah is trying to force the Christian community to accept Franjieh as president, and there must be a cost for those who obstruct the political process in Lebanon, including sanctions." He continued, "America wants someone to cooperate with constructively, with the interests of Lebanon in mind."
Regarding what was reported by "Axios," Schenker observed in an interview with "Al Hadath" that it makes sense for the U.S. to push the negotiation process, as they believe it to be the safest way to resolve the "nuclear deal" crisis without getting involved in conflicts and wars. He said, "When I read the article, I noticed that the Biden administration is seeking to return to a nuclear deal with Iran, driven by the fact that there is no better option, and they do not want military confrontation. However, on the other hand, it is embarrassing to talk to a regime that kills protesters." He affirmed that diplomacy is the best option for negotiating with Iran, despite the horror of it selling arms and drones to the Russians to kill citizens in Ukraine.
