, Columnist
Beirut Explosions Create a Dilemma for the World
Governments everywhere want to help the Lebanese, but the country's politicians need to recover their senses to make sure assistance is forthcoming.
Aftermath of a massive explosion in Beirut.
Photographer: Marwan Naamani/picture alliance
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More than a hundred dead, thousands injured and hundreds of thousands rendered homeless: The human toll of the massive explosions in Beirut on Tuesday demands an immediate response from the rest of the world. It is no exaggeration to say that many will die, or be permanently maimed, if succor doesn’t come quickly.
But the tragedy also puts the world’s leaders and lenders on the horns of a familiar dilemma: How to help a stricken people without empowering their shady — and sinister — rulers?