Why we founded ALPAC
We see Lebanon as critical for protecting American interests and safeguarding Christianity in the Middle East.
A strong and prosperous Lebanon purged of Islamic extremism, living at peace with its neighbors—a place where Christian communities are safe, thriving, and free. We founded ALPAC to promote this vision and educate Americans on the practical means to achieve it.
What we want
Peace
A U.S.-mediated peace deal between Lebanon and Israel.
Security
American support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as it disarms Hezbollah and restores rule of law.
Prosperity
Joint American-Lebanese development of Lebanon’s natural gas resources to revitalize the country’s economy and benefit the U.S..
Reform
Continued pressure on the Lebanese government to slash corruption, increase transparency, protect judicial indpendence, and resolve the situation of Syrian and Palestinian non-citizens.
Revival
Civic efforts to rebuild Lebanon’s shattered Christian communities from the bottom up, promoting repatriation and investment from Lebanese Christians living abroad.
Why it matters
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Located on the boundary between Europe and the Middle East, Christianity and Islam, Israel and the Arab world, Lebanon is a small country with outsized importance.
US grand strategy requires a stable Middle East, and a stable Middle East is impossible without a stable Lebanon. If the last century taught us anything, it’s that instability here means instability elsewhere.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran is only the latest foreign actor to hijack Lebanese society in service of terrorism and war.
If Lebanon falls back into Iran’s orbit, or is hijacked by others, American allies and interests will be once again in danger, dragging the U.S. back into the region.
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No amount of military power can keep Lebanon free without its Christian population, which has been the country’s cultural core for centuries.
But war and foreign occupation have disempowered Lebanon’s Christians and forced many to emigrate. Continued chaos will further weaken the Christians and undermine the state’s constitutional foundations.
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Lebanon has long been a hub for trade between east and west, north and south. But the wars of the 20th and 21st century shattered its economy and its connection to regional markets.
Normalization between Lebanon and its neighbors, combined with a reassertion of national sovereignty, can unlock a new era of economic growth that will benefit both the Middle East and the West.