...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers..., a senior U.S. official said Saturday, calling on the country's politicians to heed popular calls for change, real reform and an end to endemic corruption.
David Hale, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, said the U.S. and its allies will respond to ``systemic reforms with sustained financial support.'' He also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the Aug. 4 blast that killed nearly 180 people and maimed thousands.
He said an FBI team is arriving this weekend to take part in the probe at the invitation of Lebanese authorities.
Hale arrived in Beirut on Thursday, where he met with volunteers helping out at the site of the blast, as well as the country's top political and religious leadership.
``America calls on Lebanon's politicians to finally respond to the people's longstanding and legitimate demands and create a credible plan - accepted by the Lebanese people - for good governance, sound economic and financial reform, and an end to the endemic corruption that has stifled Lebanon's tremendous potential,'' he said.
``But as the dozens of young activists and volunteers I met so bluntly demanded, there can be no bailout,'' Hale said in a recorded message posted on the U.S. Embassy website Saturday.
Hale's comments were in line with Washington's message before the visit. But he didn't detail whether the U.S. and Western allies are ready to support a government in which Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group has clout.
After visiting the site of the blast, Hale called for the state to exercise control over its borders and ports, in a clear reference to claims Hezbollah group controls them.
``We can never go back to an era in which anything goes at the port or borders of Lebanon,'' Hale said.
Washington and its allies consider the Iran-backed group Hezbollah a terrorist organization, and have accused it of abusing government funds and undermining state authority. There was speculation in the local media that Hale would be pushing for a government that excludes the group.