Violence in Beirut serves as a warning to the US and Lebanon

Hezbollah and its political allies have intensified Lebanon’s political crisis and paralyzed the new government by trying to push the cabinet to dismiss Tarek Bitar, the judge in charge of investigating the 2020 Beirut blast.

Last week, on October 14, clashes erupted in Lebanon’s capital city over the probe into the explosion of Beirut’s port, with deadly shootings taking place at a demonstration organized by Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement. The incidents were described in reports as being reminiscent of moments from the bloody 1975-90 Lebanese Civil War.

Steven Howard joins The Greek Current to discuss this latest incident, what’s at stake for Lebanon, and look at what steps Washington can take to support the country. Howard is the Director of Policy and Outreach for the American Task Force on Lebanon, a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent.