When US envoy Thomas Barrack visited Lebanon last month, his trip made headlines – but not for reasons the White House might have hoped.

Barrack calling Lebanese reporters “animalistic” sparked widespread outrage and dominated headlines for days. Yet it wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising episode of the trip.

In Beirut , Barrack floated a plan for an economic zone in southern Lebanon, which he claimed would bring money into local communities. New Feature

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In true Donald Trump -era fashion, the proposal reflected a basic miscalculation: that deeply rooted political grievances can be dealt with through financial means.

First discussed with Israeli officials in Paris, the plan envisions an industrial buffer zone aimed at preventing Hez

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