Richard Quest Blasts Lebanese Politicians

Here’s what the famous CNN anchor told Patrick Galey on why Lebanon is not much more prosperous than it is:

you always get the feeling this would be a great place if it wasn’t for the politicians. If you look at what this place has got, it’s got the Med, it’s got the buildings, it’s got the resources, it’s got a comfortable, nice way of life — gross domestic product per capita $14,000 — it’s not poor, at its middle level it’s not destitute. So you ask yourself: What the hell? Can’t they just bloody well sort this damn thing out once and for all?

This sounds like a common position for American foreign celebrities. Kevin Spacey said pretty much the same thing back in February.

It’s interesting that they don’t bring up Hezbollah (a party that their own government considers to be a terrorist group) and prefer to lump them together with other Lebanese politicians. I’m not saying Lebanese politicians are angels, but one would assume that ballistic missiles are not exactly invitation cards to foreign investors.

I guess some PR person tells the likes of Spacey and Quest that if they single out Hezbollah, half the Lebanese will stop watching their movies and shows and start referring to them as zionists.