Lebanon: Protests Put the Government in a Tight Spot

Protests in Lebanon prompted members of the Christian Lebanese Forces, who made up a small portion of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's ruling coalition, to depart the government on Oct. 18. But over the weekend, most of the remaining members of the Lebanese Cabinet beat a self-imposed deadline by agreeing on a reform plan designed to mollify public anger by putting the country's fiscal situation back on track. The proposal, however, hasn't satisfied the demands of many Lebanese protesters, who want wider-ranging reforms, including the resignation of the government, that address deeply seated systemic corruption. ...