American Task Force for Lebanon Discusses Conflict What was originally planned as a simple fundraiser for Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.) by the American Task Force for Lebanon took on a very different tone and sense of urgency shortly after fighting between Israeli and Hezbollah forces erupted in Lebanon, plunging the country into violence and a spiral of chaos that continues to this day as diplomats from around the world struggle to come up with a solution—let alone terms for a ceasefire—to the crisis. The fundraiser brought together a small but high-profile group of Americans of Lebanese descent to the home of investor Peter J. Tanous and his wife Ann to discuss how to both help Lebanon and to support Boustany—one of four members in the House with Lebanese heritage. In addition to prominent guests such as the ambassadors of Egypt, Jordan and the Arab League, the fundraiser also featured Farid Abboud, Lebanon’s former ambassador in Washington. “Former,” however, doesn’t accurately convey Abboud’s strange diplomatic status in Washington. After having served as ambassador here for more than seven years, Abboud was abruptly recalled in mid-July after a controversial CNN interview in which he placed the blame for the current Middle East crisis squarely on Israel. During the appearance, he also remarked, “We have our prisoners, they have prisoners. An exchange would be appropriate, and I think it will resolve the problem,” referring to Hezbollah’s kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers and its subsequent demands for a prisoner swap. The comments quickly angered Beirut, which denied it had any knowledge of the captured soldiers and disavowed Abboud’s apparent support for Hezbollah, but Abboud maintained that he was only calling for negotiations and expressing the views of some Lebanese. His situation remained murky as he stayed on in Washington and said he had not technically received notification to return. He met with representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in his capacity as ambassador as recently as July 26, although the official head of the Lebanese Embassy now is the chargé d’affaires, Carla Jazzar, who was profiled in a Washington Post article today. Despite the ambiguity surrounding his posting, Abboud was very clear about his opinions when spoke out about the violence that has ravaged his nation at the American Task Force gathering. “Our country, Lebanon, is being smashed to be pieces,” he said. “It’s much more than disproportionate,” he added of the Israeli response, referring to the heavy Lebanese civilian death toll and air strikes that have obliterated much of the country’s infrastructure and economy. And although he appreciated U.S. offers of humanitarian assistance, he cautioned that “all of this is small drops. At the end of the day, it’s up to us Lebanese,” vowing that like the aftermath of its devastating civil war, the country’s citizens will pull together to rebuild. “We will manage, and it will be done quite quickly.” In addition, he pressed the United States for a “more balanced” foreign policy toward the Middle East, also making a slight jab at Boustany by noting that “our congressmen remain our congressmen even when we disagree with them.” That disagreement stems from Boustany’s vote in favor of a House resolution overwhelmingly supporting Israel’s right to defend itself militarily. Only eight members voted against the non-binding resolution, including Lebanese-American Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), who argued it put too many demands on a weak Lebanese government and offered scant condemnation of the killing of Lebanese civilians. Boustany’s stance drew the ire of some in the Lebanese-American community, but he defended his devotion to Lebanon, insisting he would press the Bush administration and Congress for a fairer approach to Lebanon. “We’ve had a failure of policy. Lebanon time and time again has been victimized by violence,” he said. “The president mentioned the Cedar Revolution in his State of the Union, but what has been done to bolster this nascent democracy—not much in my opinion.” As to his decision to support the House Resolution, Boustany said he tried to get his message across that the resolution was “a slap in the face to the legitimate Lebanese government,” reminding the task force audience that he is still a new member of Congress and relatively new to the political scene. That answer did not seem to satisfy Helen Thomas, a staple of the White House press corps, who slammed Boustany for what she called a lack of courage and compassion. Boustany, a former heart surgeon, respectfully acknowledged the criticism, reiterating that “until you start doing it, you don’t know what it’s like.” Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Fahmy ended the terse discussion with some praise for the new congressman, saying that despite political disagreements, Boustany is a person who takes the time to listen to all sides. “He makes up his own mind at the end of the day.” Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.), right, is pictured with Lebanese businessman Fouad M. Makhzoumi at his Capitol Hill office. The American Task Force for Lebanon held a recent fundraiser for Boustany, who is the grandson of Lebanese immigrants. photo: Office of Charles Boustany Jr.

American Teenagers Reach Out to Orphans in Azerbaijan A talented group of teenagers from New York put together a dazzling show to help young children halfway across the world. On Aug. 8, the United Kids of America song and dance troupe performed “Step By Step, Child By Child” at the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater in an effort to raise money for orphanages in Azerbaijan. The musical performance was organized by Karen O’Brien-DeBakey with help from her husband, George DeBakey, director of business development at E.J. Krause & Associates, with inspiration coming from their adopted 3-year-old daughter from Azerbaijan, Aysel. Proceeds from the benefit—which the DeBakeys hope will top $20,000—will go directly to provide milk, fruit, diapers, recreational equipment and other assistance to orphanages in and around Baku, Azerbaijan. The cast of United Kids of America, which is composed of nearly 40 singers and dancers from Upstate New York, spent six months rehearsing for their Kennedy Center appearance. The group also raised $18,000 to cover its own production, travel, lodging and food expenses so that all of the donations from the event could go straight to the Azeri orphans. Anne E. Derse, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, praised the United Kids of America, which she said “represents the best of American volunteerism,” for making the lives of young orphans “a little brighter.” “Good relations between countries do not always depend on good relations between governments,” she added, stressing the importance of social diplomacy and “people-to-people ties.” That sentiment was echoed by Hafiz Pashayev—who recently returned to Azerbaijan following his retirement as Azerbaijan’s ambassador in Washington after 13 years (see July 13 Diplomatic Pouch)—in a letter he wrote to commend the group for promoting U.S.-Azeri relations. Guest performer Jeffrey Werbock kicked off the show by playing traditional Azerbaijani mugham music on the kamancha, a spiked fiddle instrument, which was followed by a heart-pounding array of music and dance numbers ranging from “New York, New York” to “Dancing in the Streets” that showcased not only the American teenagers’ creativity, but their generosity as well. Former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno L. Harnish III poses with the teenagers in the United Kids of America song and dance troupe following the group’s performance at the Kennedy Center to benefit orphanages in Azerbaijan. Front page: George DeBakey, left, talks with U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne E. Derse prior to the United Kids of America performance to benefit orphanages in Azerbaijan.

Chronicling Congressional Ups and Downs Political intrigue, bureaucratic backstabbing, romantic turbulence—it’s the way Hollywood loves to portray life in the nation’s capital, and “The Hill,” is hoping to capitalize on D.C.’s political drama with its own reality-show twist set in the office of Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.). The new Sundance Channel documentary series—which runs in six half-hour episodes that premiere Aug. 23—chronicles the personal and professional lives of the congressman and his staff. Let’s face it though, congressional hearings, press releases, reporter interviews and the other aspects of daily government business, even at its highest echelons, aren’t exactly the stuff of an edge-of-your-seat Hollywood thriller, and the series might not appeal to the narrow attention spans of viewers who watch, say, “American Idol” or “The Bachelor.” Nevertheless, “The Hill” does offer a fascinating slice of life in the U.S. Congress that should be of interest to anyone who regularly follows the news or who, for that matter, is just curious about what it’s like to be inside the House—the House of Representatives that is. It’s especially interesting to watch major news events from the past year unfold with the hindsight that we possess now—namely the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and Social Security. And Wexler’s position as a key member of the House International Relations and Judiciary committees puts him in the middle of politically charged issues such as Supreme Court Justice nominees and Sudan’s Darfur crisis—not to mention ensuring that there are no “hanging chads” and that ballot counting goes off smoothly in his Florida home district during the 2004 presidential election. With fast-paced editing and fairly candid access, director Ivy Meeropol (a former Beltway insider who served as a congressional speechwriter and legislative aide), follows Wexler’s staff as they navigate through the major headlines of the day. The series focuses on a cast of sometimes colorful characters: Eric Johnson; the chief of staff and political prodigy who has a son with his gay partner; Halie Soifer, the legislative assistant with a passion for foreign policy and disdain for Republicans; Jonathan Katz, the somewhat staid legislative director; Lale Mamaux, the strong-willed and at times overbearing communications director; and of course the congressman himself. In addition to offering a glimpse at the backstage prepping and office wrangling that takes place in Wexler’s office, “The Hill” reveals the youth-driven culture that dominates much of Capitol Hill. Even though it’s the members who ultimately call the shots, it may also come as a surprise to outsiders to see just how much the driven 20- and 30-something staffers run the show behind the scenes. It’s an environment Wexler himself fits into well. Charismatic, frank and sensible, Wexler steps in with his own political savvy just as you may have had your fill of the bickering among his younger staff. And Wexler is clearly no amateur when it comes to the camera and engaging the media. He created a small uproar of his own when he recently appeared on Comedy Central’s satiric “Colbert Report,” where he was cajoled into saying that he enjoyed cocaine “because it’s a fun thing to do.” Satire aside, regardless whether you agree with his politics or his jokes, Wexler and his staff are fun in and of themselves to watch. And here’s a hint at what you’ll see in the first episode—if you got a kick out of President Bush uttering an expletive at the G8 Summit, you should definitely tune in to hear a bit of congressional cursing. (Left to right) Jonathan Katz, legislative director; Lale Mamaux, press secretary; Eric Johnson, chief of staff; Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) and Haile Soifer, legislative assistant for foreign affairs as featured in Ivy Meeropol’s “The Hill.” photos: Sundance Channel

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