By Nick Arama
Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped to act as a mediator in talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
If they get Lebanon more on board with holding Hezbollah in check, that could incapacitate another avenue of Iranian terror and an organization involved in killing at least hundreds of Americans. As Rubio said, it was about putting a “permanent end to 20 or 30 years of Hezbollah’s influence,” and the damage they’ve caused. He helped to get them to meet for the first time in decades.
If they can pull that off—neutralizing Iran as a threat or even turning it from an adversary into a partner—they will have accomplished something extraordinary, potentially reshaping the Middle East toward peace and a more favorable relationship with the United States.
The Lebanese government understands that they’re being attacked because of Hezbollah. In March, they finally took a big step against Hezbollah.