Starting afresh

While 2016 was full of surprises, in our own backyard the year’s developments simply helped reconfirm what we already know and once again exposed the extent of our vulnerability and dependence. Our region’s fate is in the hands of superpowers, influenced by any number of special interests except, of course, the best interest of local populations. The year proved human life has no value to those who will decide our fate. It proved our lot is not to make decisions, rather to wait until decisions are made for us. In Lebanon, the effects of this are becoming embarrassing. We have a president now, but it seems that we are still destined to wait for international deals to be struck that will help define our future. In the meantime, gross mismanagement in the public sector deprives us of even the most basic services (electricity, water, garbage collection and disposal). The only