The prime minister is busy in a series of consultations with political leaders past and present. The careful attention to etiquette and rank in the ordering of these meetings should not disguise the radical nature of the reform program nor of the urgent upheaval required if Lebanon is to avoid economic calamity. Some have welcomed the proposals. Others preferred to condemn them out of hand in the newspapers before even meeting the prime minister. Such is the nature of politics, everywhere.
Heat is often more plentiful than light.
The country needs leadership especially at such a crucial time and it is important that there is close consultation between the prime minister, the president and the house speaker. The Faqra enclave and the Baabda lunch were both positive examples of such consultation at work. In broad terms, there are no alternatives to privatization and to reducing the number of state employees. The pressure of time comes from the economics, not from Hariri and not even from the World Bank. Even within such a pressing time frame, there is always room for improvement.