Ralph Lee Abraham: “Unfortunately, AID currently is not pursuing such a policy in Lebanon. The agency has established three strategic…”

“Unfortunately, AID currently is not pursuing such a policy in Lebanon. The agency has established three strategic objectives for the country: expanded economic opportunity, increased effectiveness of democratic institutions, and improved environmental practices. Each of these objectives certainly deserves special attention and are quite important, thus I have no complaint about them as such. But, strengthening the American educational presence in the country should also be an objective. In fact, it should be the primary objective. The American educational institutions can help achieve these other three objectives, and many more, if their core educational and research activities are enhanced. ... it seems to have missed the essential point that these institutions themselves need revitalization after fifteen years of war in Lebanon, and that this cannot be accomplished without supporting the rebuilding of weakened institutional structures.”