How politicians stymie Lebanon

There’s a popular quip that speakers love to use at press conferences in Lebanon. An orator will typically begin by chastising the government for its lack of efficiency, then point to the several hundred railway workers the government employs despite there being no rail network in the country since the 1970s. While Lebanon’s pontificators may disagree on the exact number of railway employees (estimates range between 200 and 900), the fact that this situation has been allowed to perpetuate is emblematic of the nonchalance of the country’s politicians when it comes to implementing reform. Lebanon’s latest political debacle renders the lethargy of the country’s public figures ever more palpable. The divvying up of cabinet seats in Lebanon has always been a game for the numerous political and commercial interests of international players, who kick Lebanon around the proverbial stadium until they get what they deem is rightfully theirs. Whichever unlucky