Lebanon: Why Is It Important To U.S. Interests?

Lebanon, one of the few democracies and among the smallest countries in the Middle East, lies on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Bounded by much-larger Syria on the east and Israel to the south, it has experienced internal unrest for perhaps fifty years, as dissident social and cultural groups within the country ? Islamic Muslims and Maronite Christians being the largest factions, although the terrorist organization Hezbollah has also made its presence felt ? have refused to assimilate, and continue to vie for power. No strong man of the stature of a dictatorial Joseph Broz Tito in Yugoslavia has ever emerged to control them. That’s not a bad thing, because although dictators can and do control internal warring factions, they often suppress civil liberties in the process.

LATEST CRISIS

The latest crisis was precipitated by the assassination of well-liked Industry Minister Pierre Gemayal, 34, a member of the Phalange Party, shortly after he called upon Syria to withdraw its occupation troops from Lebanese territory and cease meddling in its affairs. His was the most recent in a string of political killings: former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005, anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir in June 2005, ex-Communist leader George Hawi in June 2005, and anti-Syrian Member of Parliament Gebran Teuni in December of that year. Since Gemayal’s death occurred shortly after his request for an end to Syrian influence, naturally that country is suspected of having had a hand in it. The Beirut government’s call for an international tribunal to investigate Syria’s possible role in Lebanon’s cycle of political murders has been seconded by President Bush, who has asked for “a full investigation to identify those people and forces behind the killings.” In characteristically slow fashion, the UN Security Council approved plans in December 2006 for a special international tribunal to try those accused of killing Hariri in February 2005. Although coming twenty-two months after the fact, this should please the Europeans, who strongly believe that they can talk their enemies to death instead of taking action.

HEZBOLLAH FURTHER COMPLICATES MATTERS

The situation has been further complicated by the terrorist organization Hezbollah, which has inserted itself into the southern reaches of this tiny nation, between Beirut and its common border with Israel. Attempting to appease Hezbollah ? shades of Neville Chamberlain’s handling of Adolph Hitler’s National Socialist (NAZI) Party in 1938 ? the government permitted candidates from that group to stand for Parliament; akin to letting the fox into the henhouse. Several were elected. Together, pro-Syrian and Hezbollah factions in Parliament have been able to exert enough influence to keep Lebanon’s fledgling army from marching to dislodge the much more heavily armed Hezbollah interlopers. The take-over of Lebanese ground by Hezbollah’s militia ? a sort of nation within a nation endeavor ? from which it launched frequent rocket attacks against Israel, was what prompted Israel to cross Lebanon’s border to attack Hezbollah. That move was only partially successful.

RESIGNATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS

To complicate matters further, after Gemayal’s death, Hezbollah and pro-Syrian members of Parliament resigned, seeking to bring about yet another crisis for the elected Lebanese government. For the past two weeks, with the aid of some ill-informed citizens, Hezbollah has staged massive street demonstrations to force the government to resign. This is reminiscent of the Communist tactic in the United States back in the 1030s and 1940s, after they successfully infiltrated and took control of the Labor Movement.

THE FUTURE

Today, three stark scenarios face the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora: civil war between pro-Syrian Hezbollah followers and the rest of the country, a coup d’etat which would place Hezbollah in power with Syrian backing, or the current government successfully moving to overcome Hezbollah. For the latter to happen, Lebanon’s outgunned army will need to be bolstered with more modern weapons and possibly advisers from America. That move would almost certainly be opposed by Democrats here. But if the Lebanese people’s efforts to defend their democracy against Syrian and Iranian attempts to foment instability and violence are to succeed, it’s worth the effort. And it needs to be done soon.