Jeffrey Feltman

The new French ambassador in Lebanon (who I am told is rather right-wing), spoke in Arabic to the press in Beirut today in comprehensible full sentences. I just watched him on New TV. In his entire service in Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman only spoke one Arabic word--kid you not--: "Shukran" (for "thank you", and he managed to corrupt its pronunciation). I have not heard the current US ambassador in Lebanon speak one Arabic word.