There were 500 guests at the black-tiedinner at the Monarch Hotel on March16 honoring great Lebanese-Americans.Coincidentally, 500 is the number ofpeople who inhabit the small village inLebanon where Selwa “Lucky”Roosevelt and Ralph Nader’s families arefrom. Political polar opposites Rooseveltand Nader were each given the PhilipHabib Award for Distinguished PublicService, while actress Marlo Thomas (inabsentia, husband Phil Donahueaccepted for her) and furniture designerSam Maloof were given LifetimeAchievement awards by the AmericanTask Force for Lebanon (ATFL.)

The nonsectarian, nonpartisan,non-profit is comprised of prominentLebanese Americans who have distinguishedthemselves in the fields ofpolitics, business, law, medicine, thearts and the sciences.

The organization’s unifying goal is towork towards reestablishing a secure,stable, independent, and sovereignLebanon with full control over all itsterritory. While working towards thisgoal, the ATFL states that among otherthings, they advocate: the departure ofall non-Lebanese forces from Lebaneseterritory; the disarmament of all remainingmilitia on Lebanese soil; the reestablishmentof the historical military relationshipbetween the U.S. and Lebanon;the increase of foreign assistance toLebanon above current levels; and abidingby a general policy of non-interferencein Lebanon’s internal affairs.

Queen Noor of Jordan attended, asdid Lebanese Ambassador FaridAbboud, Syrian Ambassador RostomAl-Zoubi, Egyptian Ambassador NabilFahmy and Moroccan AmbassadorAbdallah El-Maaroufi, Sen. BobGraham, Rep. John Dingell, formerSen. Charles Percy, former DefenseSecretary William Cohen and his wifeJanet Langhart Cohen.