BEIRUT — In a country where foreign patronage often decides political fortunes, Lebanon’s ruling class has long looked toward Riyadh for blessing and support. But for nearly a decade, many of its most prominent politicians and businessmen were not speaking to Saudi Arabia at all. They were speaking to a car mechanic from Akkar. Akkar is Lebanon’s northernmost governorate, bordering Syria to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Its administrative capital is Halba, located about 30 km northeast of Tripoli and roughly 112 km from Beirut. The man, Mustafa Al-Husayan — a blacksmith from the northern borderlands … Continue reading The Fake Saudi Prince Who Shaped Lebanon’s Politics