Lebanon’s gash cuts too deep for orthodox bandage

Lebanon’s gash cuts too deep for orthodox bandage

(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.)NEW YORK - Lebanon may not survive its latest crisis intact. The country was gutted before 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate ripped a hole through Beirut last week. The political class can't govern, its currency peg has snapped, and its central bank doesn't have enough dollars. French President Emmanuel Macron and the International Monetary Fund are calling for reforms. That's good in theory, but in practice probably a pipe dream.Funders, though, won't provide money without substantial reforms. The IMF said on Sunday it could work with authorities if they, among other things, restore financial sustainability, overhaul state-owned enterprises, impose capital controls, and create a better social safety net.Progress on that list requires a strong government, but long-standing