The Future of US Policy Toward Lebanon: Conversations with Sen. Tim Kaine and Amb. David Hale

The Middle East Institute is thrilled to host Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ambassador David Hale for two one-on-one discussions of its inaugural Lebanon policy conference. Senator Kaine serves on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He has been at the forefront of bipartisan efforts to introduce resolutions in support of the people of Lebanon. Up until April, Ambassador Hale served as the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. He was the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon from 2013 to 2015. He has recently returned from an official trip to Beirut where he met with senior Lebanese officials to discuss the political impasse and deteriorating economic conditions.
Which themes and issues should the United States prioritize in its approach to the Lebanon file? Where does Lebanon fall within the United States’ broader Middle East strategy?