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In Sending Aid, Arab Nations Bypass Lebanon's Politicians

Dale Gavlak

   AMMAN, JORDAN - Arab nations are offering Lebanon financial and in-kind
   support following the destruction of Beirut's commercial center,
   businesses, offices, and port in last week's devastating explosion.

   Mideast analysts say there is some hope that the humanitarian
   assistance they offer, circumventing the government, will help to
   weaken the ruling elite that has maintained a system of patronage and
   financial mismanagement for decades since the end of the 1975-1990
   civil war.

   Arab states including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates
   and others have sent tons of food and medicine, medical equipment and
   teams, as well as field hospitals to help the Lebanese people badly
   affected by the explosion that killed scores of people and left
   hundreds of thousand others homeless.

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