Desperate situations and deplorable actions need to be addressed swiftly and urgently.

That was the message delivered on 7/11, 7/12 and 7/13, 2023 by the American Lebanese Policy Institute, Political Action Committee, represented by its President, Mr. Paul ElHindi, Mr. Joseph Hage, Executive Director, and Mr. Joseph Sfeir, Treasurer.

The messages were delivered in meetings or otherwise to the following members of congress and administration officials. Sec. Anthony Blinken Sec. Janet Yellen Senator Robert Menendez Senator Marco Rubio Senator Ted Cruz Senator Michael Braun Senator Jeanne Shaheen Senator James D. Vance Rep. Darrell Issa Rep. Darin LaHoud Rep. Debbie Dingell Rep. Michael McCaul Rep. Dave Joyce Rep. Max Miller Rep. Young Kim Rep. William Steube Rep. Mark Takano.

The meetings highlighted the urgency of electing a Lebanese President, the US government continuous support of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the devastating Syrian refugee’s burden and repatriation. The PAC stressed that an independent and Sovereign Lebanon is in the best interest of the United States and all its allies in the region and abroad. The PAC also advised the Officials to press the current government and prevent the widening power vacuum including the presidency, central bank governorship, the head of the Lebanese Armed Forces along with several first and second-tier officials upcoming term limits. This vacuum will undeniably allow Hezbollah and its allies to take over what is left of Lebanon’s institutions and will further turn Lebanon into a state sponsoring and harboring terrorism, expand the 4 billion dollars illegal drug manufacturing/ trafficking industry. Fentanyl that has killed over 120,000 US citizens last year alone, and the stimulant “Captagone” is doing the same in the Middle East region. The vacuum will allow Hezbollah and its allies to increase its money laundering operations from 3.4 billion a year estimated for 2022 to a staggering 5 or billion a year of cash laundering operation through its “Charitable Organization” “Al KordAl-Hassan” who is operating a US Dollars cash operation and Cryptocurrencies. These operations are crowding out the official banking system contributing to the hyperinflation and deep devaluation of the Lebanese pound.

ALPI PAC pressed the officials on the following issues and for a rapid response to prevent further down spiraling of the Lebanese State:

1. Encourage Democratic elections of a new President of the Republic in Lebanon via open Parliamentary sessions until one sovereign candidate is elected according to the constitution. Explore Financial Sanctions Options on the parties responsible for not allowing a sovereign president from being elected, namely Hezbollah, Amal Movement, Marada Movement, their leaders and allies; open the parliament and refrain from blocking it from convening including subsequent sessions.
2. Maintain support for vital Lebanese institutions, especially the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), to prevent them from collapsing which will, first create a vacuum for Hezbollah to fill in easily, and second allow Hezbollah to benefit from the chaos to empower its grip over Lebanon and keep the Lebanese people hostages of its Iranian-backed plan, using Lebanon as a platform to destabilize the Middle East and the rest of the World with weapons and drugs.
3. Advance the prompt return of Syrian refugees from Lebanon to Syria – especially to several safe zones that haven’t witnessed any military activities in years inside regime-controlled and opposition-controlled regions in Syria. Such steps to be coordinated with Arab and International allies, in particular the allies with military presence in Syria.
4. Condition funding to UN agencies dealing with the refugees in Lebanon – in particular the UNHCR with a proper plan for a return of these refugees to their home country, with financial incentives to their relocation to Syria.
5. Politically pressure the Syrian regime to allow these refugees to return without any challenges and without using them as a bargaining chip for the Regime’s acceptance on the Arab and the World’s stages.