S4 | E4 - Minister Defends Oracle Deal and Fears Over Who Controls Lebanon's Digital Future

<p>In this episode of Reel Talk, I sit down with Kamal Shehadeh to confront one of the most controversial decisions Lebanon has made in its digital future: the Memorandum of Understanding with Oracle.</p><p>At first glance, it’s framed as opportunity training 50,000 Lebanese in AI and cloud computing.But beneath the surface, a far more urgent question emerges:</p><p>What happens when a nation at war begins aligning its digital future with a company deeply embedded in global intelligence networks and closely tied to power structures that do not serve it?</p><p>WHAT WE UNCOVER IN THIS CONVERSATION:</p><p>– The government’s position: Why this deal is about talent, not data– The fear many Lebanese are voicing and why it cannot be dismissed– The truth about Larry Ellison and Oracle’s global influence</p><p>– The U.S. Cloud Act and what it means for YOUR data no matter where it’s stored– Why countries like Switzerland rejected similar partnerships</p><p>– How France tried to protect its sovereignty… and still became dependent</p><p>– Whether Lebanon is building capacity or quietly entering digital dependency</p><p>TIMESTAMPS:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">00:00</a> — Introduction &amp; Why This Conversation Matters</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=60s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">01:00</a> — The Oracle Deal Explained</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=180s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">03:00</a> — Talent vs. Control: The Government’s Argument</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=420s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">07:00</a> — “There Is No Data Transfer” — Fact or Framing?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=660s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">11:00</a> — The Lebanon–Israel Context &amp; Public Fear</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=900s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">15:00</a> — Switzerland’s Rejection of US Tech Sovereignty Risks</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=1110s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">18:30</a> — France’s Dependency Trap</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=1320s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">22:00</a> — The Cloud Act: Who Really Owns Your Data?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=1620s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">27:00</a> — Can Lebanon Actually Protect Its Digital Infrastructure?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=1860s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">31:00</a> — War, Instability &amp; The Future of Lebanon’s Tech Vision</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Pj1uOLdfE&t=2160s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">36:00</a> — Final Thoughts: Opportunity or Irreversible Risk?This is not about being for or against technology.</p><p>This is about understanding who controls it and who it ultimately serves.Watch until the end.Because this conversation affects every single Lebanese citizen whether they realize it yet or not.</p><p>If you are enjoying our podcasts please consider a small contribution of $5 a month to allow us to keep you informed:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXAtTDRrVExvbXlRUC1qNm1ndjFJYUJMVTJSd3xBQ3Jtc0tsM3I2NUpqVW1sVGRjbVFGZHBReHcxMWZYcDlNQXZsdUhfcGhoOGktTnE4NjNiZjY1dUc5N01lUDhQaEt1RHM3LVhXUDB5dGVaS2xmTWJ2VVFZb1ZoaWNnMGZMdzkxZmVWUzItNlZhalhjZmdMSXExUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fbuymeacoffee.com%2Fdaizygedeon&v=12Pj1uOLdfE" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon</a></p><p>Subscribe and turn on notifications so you DON’T miss a video:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0ZHQW5Ed3hxSHpkai12ZmJLcDN3TnR