By Eric S. Margolis
April 23, 2026
Once upon a time there was a magical little country named Lebanon. It was created by French imperialists out of the post-World War 1 wreckage of the Ottoman Empire as a mountainous stronghold for Levantine Maronite and Orthodox Christians.
Imperial Russia sought to assert its influence as defender of Lebanon's Christians. The British and French thwarted Russia's efforts and created two new states, Syria and Jordan.