“American Vice President flies to Beirut and meets Suleiman, Saniora, and Berri… and March 14 (Hariri) group…..” al-Manar (Hezbullah TV) News

“Hezbullah: high-level American interest in Lebanon raises strong suspicions, and represents detailed interference in Lebanese elections…” Hebullah commentary (al-Manar TV)

Joe Biden is a friendly guy. He almost always seems cheerful: one can tell he is an American anywhere in the world (European leaders are rarely cheerful in public, and not that often in private).

I could see that his smile, with all the bells and whistles of the great American dentistry, could infect even grim folks in other places. But his smiling presence looked like an anomaly in Beirut, where men tend to be grim in public, like in almost all the Middle East.

I am not sure what is behind this insistence on being grim and studiously scowling in public among Arab men, but I have my own “native” idea. It is probably the fear of not being taken seriously, which comes from not taking oneself seriously, which probably comes from some deep but covert suspicion of inadequacy…….. (I am not a psychologist, psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, or a shrink).

Following in the footsteps of Secretary Clinton, VP Biden paid a visit to Lebanon whre he met with the President (Neutral), the Prime Minister (Hariri-March 14), and Speaker Berri (Amal, Hezbullah ally). This feverish chain of high profile visits underlines the importance of the Lebanese June elections for the United States policy in the Middle East. Other than that, it is not clear what purpose it serves. It is unlikely to sway the elections either way.

Biden did say something that might be prophetic (Prophet Joe Biden?). He said that ”I did not come to support any party….the United States will provide aid to Lebanon baed on the policies of the future government…”.

This almost seems more like a conciliatory move toward whoever “wins” the June elction. Another sign is that Biden met the Speaker (opposition) in the presence of Foreign Miniater Saloukh (Hezbullah-Amal-Aoun alliance). Secretary Clinton would not meet her counterpart a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps the electoral picture was not as clear then as it is now.

PS: they did not say if Biden will visit the Shrine of Hariri- Secretary Clinton did.

Cheers

mhg