The Many Interpretations of Morgan Ortagus’ Missile
©@MorganOrtagus/X

Morgan Ortagus landed in Lebanon like a missile. One must set aside the sexist remarks that were little more than admiration of her beauty, and the crude jokes along the lines of “do as you please, beautiful”—the kind of comments we thought belonged to a bygone era, only to realize that they remain deeply ingrained in the Lebanese mindset.

The controversy over the Star of David ring worn by Ortagus exposed the extent of ignorance in Lebanon and the failure to distinguish between Judaism, a monotheistic faith, and Zionism, the political movement that supports Israel.

One must also set aside the imaginary victories claimed by the pro-resistance camp and its supporters, including comments claiming that House Speaker Nabih Berri insisted on offering his guest yellow and green candies (colors of Hezbollah and Amal flags).

While these trivialities consumed Lebanon for hours, the most significant moment of Ortagus’ visit was the photo in which she held a missile, standing next to a Lebanese army officer.

The symbolism in this image is almost surreal. Ortagus holding an Iranian-made missile alongside a Lebanese army officer implies that Hezbollah’s arsenal is in her hands, and that the Lebanese army is the party that receives it. It also clearly denotes the new US policy in the region, as outlined by President Donald Trump in his recent speech during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House.

The symbolism of the missile surpasses all of Ortagus’ meetings during her visit. Indeed, it carries no diplomatic rhetoric, but is a silent yet powerful message implying that the trajectory of missiles has changed.

Iran’s presence in Lebanon is now in the hands of the United States, and Hezbollah is under the control of the Lebanese army. This image and its message shifted the narrative, from Ortagus being “a missile” in the sexist sense, to the “missile” being a powerful message in Ortagus’ visit.

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