Lebanon was once known as the ‘Switzerland of the East’ because post the Lebanese Civil War, the country had calm and prosperity excelling in tourism, commerce, agriculture and banking. Lebanon was a major center of Christianity under Roman Empire rule.
Today, Christians in Lebanon are called Maronites. Christians, Muslims and Druze including some Greek Orthodox make up separate enclaves to co-exist. 40% of the country is Christian, 55% is Muslim and the rest is Druze or Greek Orthodox.
This visit is on and off and maybe on again. The meeting is scheduled the same day as the open impeachment inquiry hearings begin.
President Erdogan is angry with the United States due to Congress moving legislation to apply sanctions that would affect Turkey as a result of the invasion into Syria.
Under the Iran deal, Iran agreed to redesign, convert and limit its nuclear facilities.
Particular focus was put on Iran’s uranium-enrichment capabilities, putting serious limitations on uranium-enrichment facilities in Iran – Natanz and Fordow. Among other resolutions, Iran also agreed to allow inspection of all its nuclear facilities and the IAEA inspectors will be able to request visits to military sites. However, it doesn’t guarantee them access to military sites.
2011: Hillary Clinton declared that Bashir al Assad was a reformer.
Primer:
Rami Makhlouf: Wealthy, powerful cousin of Syria’s president
Makhlouf, 45, is Syria’s richest man and a member of what was described during U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearings as a powerful “mafia” that also includes Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad, Makhklouf’s cousin. Before his country plunged into civil war, Makhlouf was allegedly worth $5 billion thanks to his control of monopolies and semi-monopolies in the air travel, telecommunications, real estate, oil and construction sectors. Makhlouf is on U.S. sanctions lists and is a known beneficiary of corruption.
The case actually began in 2013/2014. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a fund for educational scholarships in foreign countries. Social media being so full of international intersections along with having the whole political correct agenda of employing foreign citizens to enhance global integration, Twitter in this case brought on their own problem.
Twitter fired an engineer after the company was tipped off by intelligence officials that he may have been groomed by the Saudi government.