Ziad Rahbani…

These days, it feels like everyone I know is leaving Lebanon–ex-pat and Lebanese friends alike. Whenever I ask why they’re leaving–the answer is always the same: “Lebanon is hopeless.” This week, Ziad Rahbani, one of Lebanon’s most talented playwrights and musicians (and son of legendary singer Fairouz) announced that he too will be leaving Lebanon. According to Rahbani, who is moving to Russia at the end of this month, there is little future for those living in Lebanon–a remarkable statement coming from a man who lived through Lebanon’s civil war and made a career out of satirizing Lebanese politics.