As Lebanon unravels along ethnic and sectarian lines, the United States appears confused about how to confront Hezbollah, as well as other Iranian proxies. Can Hezbollah be disarmed? Is it possible to secure Lebanon’s independence from Syrian and Iranian influence? As U.S. policy vacillates between engagement and confrontation, what guiding principles should the United States employ in dealing with groups like Hezbollah or Hamas? And if such principles exist, would they have helped avert the present state of unrest in Lebanon?

This event will discuss the power struggles unfolding in Lebanon and examine the broader policy options available to the United States to cement stability there and elsewhere in the region. Robert Malley, director of the International Crisis Group’s Middle East and North Africa Program; Hassan Mneimneh, director at the Iraq Memory Foundation; Lee Smith, visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute; and AEI’s Danielle Pletka will address these and other questions and debate the pros and cons of U.S. engagement in Lebanon. AEI’s Michael Rubin will moderate.