Tom Barrack’s comments at a Beirut press conference have sparked widespread outrage.
US ambassador to Türkiye and special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, addressing journalists at the presidential palace in Beirut, stated that their “animalistic” behavior underscores the fundamental issues plaguing the region.
The remarks, made at a Tuesday press conference following discussions with President Joseph Aoun, have been strongly criticized by media organizations, political figures, and the Lebanese presidency.
“The moment this starts becoming chaotic, like animalistic, we’re gone,” Barrack told reporters amidst a barrage of questions during a crowded briefing. “Act civilized, act kind, act tolerant, because this is the problem with what’s happening in the region,” he added.
Several prominent reporters have directly criticized the envoy. Veteran correspondent Hala Jaber accused Barrack of acting “like a nineteenth-century colonial commissioner,” while journalist Ali Hashem described his words as indicative of “the level of arrogance displayed by US officials in Lebanon.” Ibrahim Musawi, a Hezbollah lawmaker and head of parliament’s media committee, denounced the statement as a “blatant insult” and called on the government to summon and admonish the American ambassador.
Barrack was leading a congressional delegation, including Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, as part of Washington’s effort to pressure Hezbollah to disarm. As of Wednesday, the US Embassy in Beirut has not issued a public statement regarding the controversy.
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