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Tug of War
The Lebanese region had a bleak history under rule within the Ottoman Empire. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in WWI, the League of Nations granted the Lebanese region to France. On 26 November 1941, the French ostensibly granted Lebanon independence, but continued to exercise authority over the region. The Lebanese people held elections, formed a government and amended their constitution to void the French Mandate. The French then arrested the newly elected president, prime minister, cabinet members and others and held them forcibly at the Castle of Rashayya, east of Saida. The prisoners were eventually released on 22 November 1943. It is the anniversary of their release that has since been celebrated as Independence Day.
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Perhaps more an indicator of independence, the “National Pact” was agreed upon by the new leaders of Lebanon. The essence of this unwritten agreement was that Lebanon was neither East nor West, neither Muslim nor Christian. Lebanon existed as an ethnically and culturally diverse community, and its government, rather than choosing sides, should represent that diversity. A noble aspiration, to be sure, but as with most philosophies, difficult to implement.
Prior to the twentieth century, the Lebanese region had been a central knot in the East-West tug-of-war. With the onset of world wars and bitter negotiations, this position was merely intensified. The uneasy pangs of vulnerability within the Lebanese communities, however, were clearly instrumental in encouraging Lebanon’s identity crisis. Loyalties were fiercely divided, for instance, during the 1956 Suez War. With tensions still high, the Lebanese government not only accepted in 1958 the US “Eisenhower Doctrine,” which offered US economic and military aid to Middle Eastern countries to counteract Soviet influence in the region, but also invited in US troops to bolster a pro-Western Lebanon.
Similarly, in 1976 the Lebanese government invited in Syrian troops to help stabilise the country as it plunged into civil war. With seeming ambivalence over how to deal with the influx of Palestinian refugees, the Lebanese government subsequently formed alliances with the Israeli government—an awkward situation given Israel’s invasion and occupation of South Lebanon. Throughout the twentieth century, the Lebanese government was anything but self-reliant, anything but a balance of diversity. The Lebanese people looked not to a strong, supportive, independent nation (for there was not one), but instead to their local communities for a sense of identity and purpose. This invariably resulted in the communities’ seeking out validation from those outside Lebanon with whom they felt more affinity than they did with their neighbours. In an effort to regain political balance in Lebanon, the Taif Accord of 1989 (1) adjusted the numbers and power distribution of the National Pact and reaffirmed that “Lebanon is a sovereign, free, and independent country.” Nonetheless, civil war still persisted well into 1990; Israeli forces continued to occupy much of Southern Lebanon until 2000; Syria was felt to exceed its Taif-granted “special relationship” until its withdrawal in 2005; and Lebanon, more than ever, continued to be a central knot in the East-West tug-of-war.
At half the land size of Wales, with a total population just over half that of London, Lebanon is rather a small country to claim such long-term international fascination. There have been UN resolutions, UN peace keeping forces, and major world powers flocking to Lebanon to woo cooperation with their agenda of the day. There has been a world-wide media buzz over which world power will win the bitter custody battle. Accusations and denunciations spin about Lebanon with the roaring speed of a fleet of F-16s. With such a backdrop, is it any wonder Lebanon is struggling with its presidential election?
President Emile Lahoud’s term is expiring. Perhaps the solution to finding a consensus candidate would be to for all Lebanese Parliament members to adjourn to a hall marked “Lebanese Only,” where it would be strictly forbidden to mention any country other than Lebanon. The Taif Accord states that “The people are the source of authority.” It is a shame that we must infer that to mean the Lebanese people. For what is independence if not the control of one’s own thoughts and actions? To secure that independence is an absolute necessity if Lebanon is ever to move forward. As Lebanese Army Commander General Michel Sleiman stated, “If it is impossible for a people suffering from domestic conflicts to liberate his land and safeguard his Independence, it is impossible as well to any people who live within borders and spaces exposed to all clashes to enjoy peace, calm and stability.” (2)
Ten years ago it was stated of Lebanese independence: “we should not celebrate it, we should fight for it.”(3) It is a pity that so little progress has been made in the past ten years. Freedom from the French 64 years ago? Even now, as the Lebanese labour to solve the presidential election crisis, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, is in Beirut trying to mediate between rival Lebanese factions. His words say “it is strictly up to the Lebanese,” but his actions say “but don’t forget who is watching.” (4) Of course this pales in comparison to the great lengths the US has gone to in order to sway not only the outcome but also the very terms on which the Lebanese elections are held. We need not parade those here. The emphasis should remain on the Lebanese people and their government. To be sure, after more than a century of being submissive, it is difficult to choose a new path. But the choice is there: they can choose to enable interference or they can choose independence. With the election crisis at Independence Day, what better timing to choose the latter?
Notes: (1) http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/lebanon/taif.htm (2) http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=en&id=12613 (An appropriate quote, not a vote for his candidacy, which he has stated he doesn’t want) (3) http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/971121/1997112110.html (4) http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/19/africa/ME-POL-Lebanon-Election.php |
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Please note: · When we refer to a country we are referring to the government of that country. There will always be a mixture of people in a country: some supporting their government’s positions, some not, some just too overwhelmed by the media to be able to make a sound decision. · We aim to use primary, first-hand information whenever possible; otherwise, we will refer to information consistently reported from reputable sources. Citations are given as needed and we would encourage all readers to view original sources of information. |