US Policy toward Lebanon

There is an undeclared new shift in US policy toward Lebanon. This policy started under Bush and continues under Obama. The policy is this: boycott of the Shi`ites in Lebanon. All US dignitaries in Lebanon now strictly boycott all meetings with Shi`ite officials. Of course, I am not talking about Hizbullah as they never met with them, although a Hizbullah minister, Trad Hamadi, did visit Washington, DC and met with US officials in the Bush administration. But American officials used to meet with Nabih Birri and now they meet only with Druze, Sunni, and Christian officials only. Another smart twist to US Middle East policy. Why bother and meet with representatives of the single largest sect in Lebanon? Really. I mean, Sen. Kerry yesterday refused to meet with the Foreign Minister of Lebanon, just becasue he is Shi`ite (and the man is neither a member of Hizbullah nor of Amal).