Senior Lebanese officials who met recently with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Hale have assessed, to the Lebanese daily Al-Safir, that a change of the U.S.'s attitude towards the Middle East is expected, particularly regarding Lebanon and Syria.
The officials said that today the U.S. tends to favor renewing relations with Syria, recognizing it as a major player in the region, and to also favor intensifying direct contacts with it.
With regard to Lebanon, the U.S. has completed the failure to disarm Hizbullah, and has decided to tackle the issue of terrorism in the country, and thus are arming the Lebanese military and forming contacts with groups and elements in Lebanon.
Source: Al-Safir, Lebanon, October 6, 2008
