Welcome the new US ambassador to Lebanon

According to the International Herald Tribune, it appears that the US has taken the unusual step of appointing Antoine Chedid, a friend of the March 14 bloc, as the Lebanese ambassador to Washington.

This might seem a change in diplomatic etiquette, as usually it is the right of a sovereign country to decide who should be appointed to represent it.

Chedid pleases Condoleeza Rice, it appears. Whereas the actual ambassador, Farid Abboud, did not. Apparently Abboud was "too close to Syria" (not sure if this is politically or physically).

But why rest on old fashioned protocol? If the US can decide who represents Lebanon in Washington, then surely we can decide who represents the US in Beirut.

My nomination for the post is Mumia Abu Jumal. Welcome Mr Ambassador.