United States Committee for a Free Lebanon rallies 24 top-notch Lebanese American and American financiers, lobbyists and political gurus toward the "Lebanon Study Project".
The United States Committee for a Free Lebanon called on January 4 for a new generation of business and political leaders to set the stage for a new US foreign policy toward Lebanon. Since Lebanon's independence in 1943, American policy has been predicated upon the understanding that Lebanese national interests are necessarily subordinate to those of its larger neighbors, Syria and Israel. However, speaking at a private gathering of Wall Street Financiers and foreign policy makers in New York City yesterday, USCFL President Ziad Abdelnour openly challenged the conventional belief that This "strategy of indifference" has accommodated American interests in The region over the last 50 years and enumerated the dire implications of maintaining this status quo. During the meeting, Mr. Abdelnour announced plans to publish a study Report co-sponsored by USCFL and the Middle East Forum. The objective, According to Mr. Abdelnour, will be "to bridge the gap between US Interests and Lebanese needs" and "propose a clear, coherent American Policy toward Lebanon for the next decade." USCFL officials say that the study will deal with three main topics:
The final product will be a booklet of approximately 50-60 pages to be Published no later than the first quarter of 1999 and widely distributed To around 2,000 opinion makers nationwide; including the White House, Congress and foreign embassies. USCFL also plans to launch a major Publicity campaign targeting over 500 highly influential media outlets Throughout the US to make known the study group's findings.
The 24 individuals chosen to lead the "Lebanon Study Project " include:
Ziad Abdelnour is a New York based international investment banker and Financier and President of the United States Committee for a Free Lebanon; a coalition of Americans of all faiths, established for the Purpose of educating the public as to Lebanon's strategic and moral Significance as an ally of the United States and an outpost of Western Values in the Middle East.
Elliott Abrams is former Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs, now President of the Ethics & Public Policy Center.
Graeme Bannerman is Founder and President of the international consulting firm Bannerman & Associates, Inc. previously; he served as the staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Angelo Codevilla is professor at Boston University and a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies in Washington.
Raymond Debbane is President of the Invus Group, an international Investment Company specializing in the acquisition of food related Businesses. A graduate of Stanford Business School, Mr. Debbane is one Of the leading Lebanese American financiers in New York City.
Mary Jane Deeb is professor at Georgetown University and editor of the Middle East Journal.
Paula Dobriansky is senior international affairs and trade advisor at the law firm of Hunton & Williams. She served as associate director for Policy and programs at the U.S Information Agency, as deputy assistant Secretary of state for human rights and humanitarian affairs, and as Director of European and soviet affairs at the National Security Council. She was also a foreign policy advisor for the Dole for President campaign.
Leon Edney is a retired four star admiral who currently teaches at the US Naval Academy.
Nabil El Hage is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jeepers, Inc. An owner and operator of indoor family them parks. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Mr. El Hage is one of the leading Lebanese American Company operators in Boston and one of the savviest private equity Investors in the country, having been involved previously with Advent International, Inc., one of the largest global private equity fund Managers in the world.
Eliot Engel (D-NY) is member of the Commerce Committee at the U.S House Of Representatives.
Douglas Feith is a founding member of the law firm Feith and Zell, P.C. During the Reagan Administration, he served as deputy assistant Secretary of defense for negotiations policy and on the National Security Council staff.
Frank Gaffney is former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy and former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, now Director of The Center for Security Policy.
Benjamin Gilman (R-NY) is the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee.
Richard Hellman is the Founder and President of CIPAC, the Christians' Israel Public Action Campaign, the only U.S Christian organization Registered to lobby Congress on laws and policies related to Israel and To advocate a strong U.S-Israel partnership. He has held major Government posts, including Counsel to the U.S Senate, has testified Before Congressional Committees, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is an attorney at law emphasizing environmental, energy And natural resource law, policy and institutions, and intergovernmental And international relations.
Jesse Helms (R-SC) is the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Jeane Kirkpatrick is senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. She also served as the permanent U.S. representative to the United Nations during the Reagan administration.
Habib Malik is a 1995-visiting fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a founding member of the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights, an independent, non-governmental organization in Lebanon.
Daniel Nassif is the current Executive Director of the American Lebanese Institute and a political activist with over 20 years of experience Dealing with the Washington political establishment.
Richard Perle is former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, now Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
Daniel Pipes is editor of the Middle East Quarterly and adjunct scholar At the Washington Institute. Among his many published works is Syria Beyond the Peace Process (The Washington Institute, 1996).
Steven Rothman (D-NJ) is member of the House 1992s International Relations and Judiciary Committees.
Robert Satloff is executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the preeminent political think tank in the nation 92s Capital. In 1992-1993, he served on President elect Clinton 92s National Security Transition Team, focusing on the Arab-Israeli process.
Donn Starry is the principal designer of the post-Vietnam US Army Structure. After the Yom Kippur War, he became the leading architect of Doctrine for mobile warfare embedded in the Army 92s Air-Land Battle Doctrine. He is also an author, lecturer and advisor to government and Industry in several countries on matters relating to mounted combat Operations and other military problems.
John Sununu,
Jr.(R-NH) is member of the House1992s Budget, Government Reform and Oversight and
Small Business Committees.
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