Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (left pic) with President Trump in the Oval Office today. Aoun is assertive, brave, and not afraid to put the interests of Lebanon ahead of those of the Palestinians, Iranians, or others. He is bent on restoring sovereignty by disarming Hezbollah, recovering territory from Israel, and signing a peace treaty.
The last charismatic, assertive, strong Lebanese leader was Rafic Hariri (right pic), with President Bush in the Oval Office in 2004. After the UN certified that Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 425, Hariri worked to convince Hezbollah to surrender its arms to the state (given there was no more need for “resistance”). Hezbollah refused and, per a UN Tribunal, killed Hariri in 2005.
Lebanon did not get an inspiring and confident leader until Aoun was elected in 2024. Whether Aoun finishes the job and puts Lebanon on the track toward peace and prosperity remains to be seen. He will be remembered for a long time if he succeeds.