This US Envoy Told Journalists In Lebanon To "Act Civilized" And Not Be "Animalistic," Causing Huge Outrage
Barrack’s statement sparked widespread outrage in Lebanon, with people calling it an arrogant colonial mindset.
US envoy Tom Barrack sparked outrage in Lebanon after telling Lebanese journalists at a press conference to "act civilized" and not "animalistic" during a visit in Beirut.
Barrack, who is the US ambassador to Turkey and the special envoy for Syria, is originally of Lebanese descent and was visiting Lebanon to discuss with the Lebanese government the US plan for Hezbollah to disarm.
After meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut on Tuesday, Aug. 26, Barrack told the journalists at the beginning of a press conference who had been asking questions simultaneously that the moment it starts to be “chaotic, like animalistic,” he is gone.
“Act civilized, act kind, act tolerant, because this is the problem with what's happening in the region,” Barrack said, adding, “Do you think this is economically beneficial for Morgan and I to be here, putting up with this insanity?”
Barrack’s statement sparked widespread outrage in Lebanon, with people calling it an arrogant colonial mindset.
Other people said online that his statement was not just arrogant but also racist, comparing him to a 19th-century colonial commissioner.
Lebanon’s Press Syndicate called for a boycott of Barrack’s visits unless he makes a public apology.
The Lebanese presidency said in a statement on X it regrets the comments that were made, adding that it reaffirms its full appreciation for all journalists in fulfilling their professional and national duties.
“The union considers Barrack’s comments against journalists not as a mere slip of the tongue or an individual stance, but rather as a reflection of an unacceptable superiority in dealing with the media and an implicit disdain for the essence of journalistic work,” the Union of Journalists in Lebanon said in a statement.
Barrack’s scheduled visit to southern Lebanon was then cut short as protests erupted in the area against US interference in Lebanon and Barack’s comments.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
