A private dinner was held Monday evening by Lebanese MP Ragy el-Saad and businessman Tarek Ghali at a Beirut restaurant in honor of U.S. Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. More than fifty diplomatic, political, and media figures attended the event.
During the dinner, both Morgan Ortagus and Lindsey Graham expressed their clear support for Lebanese state institutions, while calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
“Hezbollah Does Not Represent the Lebanese People”
For Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. position is unequivocal: “Naim Kassem and Hezbollah do not represent the Lebanese people, but foreign forces. They represent Iran, not the Lebanese.” According to her, Lebanon can only move toward stability by freeing itself from the influence of external actors and by strengthening its own institutions.
The U.S. goal is to bolster the authority of the Lebanese state, particularly the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). “We, the United States, seek to strengthen the Lebanese state, its institutions, the Lebanese Armed Forces, the government, and all public structures,” she stated, adding that this vision is shared by Lebanese political figures such as President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and even Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.
“We want the same thing they do: a strong and sovereign Lebanon. We do not want a Lebanon under the control of anyone other than its state and its people.”
Supporting the Disarmament Process
According to Ortagus, the next critical step will be the presentation of a disarmament plan by the army commander to the Council of Ministers. Once approved, this plan could mark a turning point in the restoration of the Lebanese state’s authority.
“We, the United States, will do everything we can to support the Lebanese state and the Lebanese Armed Forces, both in developing this plan and, above all, in implementing it.”
This support aims to help Lebanon fully recover its sovereignty: “The United States stands with Lebanon to help its army and its government restore state authority over institutions and reclaim its sovereignty.”
Lindsey Graham: “Preserve your Pluralism, Disarm Hezbollah”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a consistent observer of the Lebanese political scene, warned about Hezbollah’s negative impact on the country’s future: “Hezbollah remains an armed entity, a brake on growth and regional integration.”
Aware of the challenges Lebanon faces, Graham urged the Lebanese people to make a strategic choice: “You are facing difficult decisions that must be made quickly. So my advice to my friends in Lebanon is this: choose wisely.”
He also emphasized one of modern Lebanon’s pillars: its diversity. “One of your assets is that Lebanon remains a place where much of Christianity can flourish, freely practice its faith, do business, and live in peace. That is not the case elsewhere in the Middle East.”
Graham sees Hezbollah’s disarmament as key to restoring stability and unlocking the country’s long-term potential: “If you make that choice, I believe many doors will open before you.”
But he is clear: the decision lies with the Lebanese people. “It’s the Lebanese people who must decide on Hezbollah’s disarmament, not me. I don’t live here. […] But if Hezbollah continues to act today as an armed militia, it will pose a threat to the entire region.”
A Clear Message: The State or the Militias
The American message is direct: only the authority of the Lebanese state can secure the country’s future. Any sustainable coexistence with an armed militia—regardless of who it is—weakens national cohesion and isolates Lebanon on the international stage.
For both Morgan Ortagus and Lindsey Graham, the path to sovereignty lies in strengthening national institutions, supporting the army, and launching a courageous political process to disarm Hezbollah.
The ball is now in Lebanon’s court.
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