The US Government Does Not know that There are Shi`ites in Lebanon (and that they are the single largest group in the country). After Bush's invitation to the Maronite Patriarch, in order to speak to "all the Lebanese" according to Bush who must have been told that the Maronite sect speaks for "all Lebanese," a US Democratic congressional delegation was in Lebanon yesterday, headed by none other than the House Minority Leader (Nancy Pelosi--a "lucky" recepient of pro-Israeli PACs money). Like Bush, she has been a great supporter of Lebanon's "sovereignty" and "independence" for FOUR long...weeks. Yet, the delegation met with the Christian-Druze opposition coalition, and then with the Hariri family, and that was it. Somebody must have later alerted them that there are Shi`ites in Lebanon because they later said that they would have a rushed, last-minute meeting with a former Shi`ite minister, Yasin Jabir, whose influence among Shi`ites is comparable to Ralph Nader's influence in the Republican Party. Now you get to see the details of the brilliance of US Middle East policy. But when you know that the top Middle East "expert" at the White House is Elliott Abrams you understand. Have a cold beverage, NOW.