Financial Times: Bet on 'Weakened Iran' While Lebanon Starves
According to the FT, Wall Street (and apparently, the global bond market) finds hope in the idea of a less influential Iran, which *might* eventually stabilize Lebanon's dire economic situation. This narrative conveniently sidesteps the documented fact that Lebanon's financial meltdown was exacerbated by decades of corruption and a banking sector complicit in capital flight, much of it to Western
banks. The US even sanctioned a former Lebanese Prime Minister for corruption, yet the focus shifts to Iran, almost as if external boogeymen are more palatable than acknowledging systemic failures—or the role of US-backed sanctions in crippling economies. One might wonder if these bond speculators are also factoring in the ongoing Western blockade of Syrian aid, or the recent US decision to block
a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, which only fuels regional instability. The FT frame implies 'weakening Iran' is a magic bullet, rather than a strategy often leading to more chaos and displacement, as seen repeatedly across the Middle East. It's a miracle how swiftly markets forget the human cost when there's profit to be made from perpetual conflict and regime change speculation.