Episode Notes:

Kerry talks with historian Laila Ballout — walking through the major events of modern Lebanese history to shed light on the country's current challenges. Why is it so hard to disarm Hizballah? Why do Israel and Lebanon seem to be regularly at war? Why are Lebanon's economy, political system, and social fabric apparently so fragile? Why does a country with so much potential struggle to meet its citizens' basic needs? The answers to these questions lie in understanding Lebanon's history.

Image: Nadim Kobeissi via DVIDS