Lebanon Between the Hammer of Foreign Interference and the Anvil of Political Subservience and Corruption
By: Zeinab Y. Baydoun
Tags: News, Politics, Lebanon, Middle East, United States

Lebanon is the gateway to the Middle East, bordered by Syria to the east and north and Israel to the south. It was the beacon of the East and a mixture of sects and religions that coexisted together in a homeland that embraced all people, citizens, tourists and refugees. Due to Lebanon’s geopolitical location, outside powers have found it very easy to apply influence on it, and especially due to Lebanon’s demographic and sectarian divisions. Clashing foreign powers often have their allies in Lebanon, resulting in frequent split governments and regular civil conflicts. Lebanon’s greatest challenge, therefore, is to keep access to its trade routes while balancing its own divisions, which are manipulated by outside powers. Whereas, the civil war that lasted 25 years was the major conflict that has arisen from these conditions, nowadays, Lebanon is struggling from a socio-economic and political crisis along a divided population. After discovering that Lebanon’s offshore is rich in oil and gas reserves, the country’s future started facing many challenges amid its current crisis, between its ambitious neighbors’ economic interests and geopolitical stakes of its corrupt officials.

After the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in 2005, the country had radically transformed politically, economically and socially, and perhaps more than anything else, the people’s way of thinking. Since then Lebanon had passed through several political conflicts and some civil and security disputes.

In 2006, a war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah, which led to Iran’s expansion in the region, and Hezbollah entering as a major player in Lebanese politics and a key participant in all state’s decisions and institutions. The party entered the Syrian war afterwards and participated on the side of the Assad regime and contributed in drawing a new map of the Middle East by extending its authority and Iran’s influence in Lebanon and the region. Countries hostile to the Assad regime tried to dissuade the party from further integrating into the war in Syria through security clashes and terrorist bombings in the party’s areas of influence and killing people of its environment to provoke them against Hezbollah, but all that made the party stronger militarily, politically and gained more popularity especially after fighting and clearing ISIS.

Foreign countries exerted greater pressure on Lebanon by placing the party on the global terrorism list and starting a series of sanctions. The United States imposed sanctions on Iran and symbols in Hezbollah and its institutions to undermine it. It did not succeed in weakening them, so it shifted to striking its incubating environment by including wealthy Shiite expats especially those working in Africa on the sanctions list. The US sanctions also hit Lebanese banks to create a shake-up in Lebanese society by paralyzing the strongest productive sector in the country.

The Gulf states retaliated against Lebanon because of the party’s intervention in Syria, and their indignation increased when the party and its beneficiary Iran supported the Houthis in Yemen, who are fighting their war against Saudi Arabia and the UAE whom are supported by the US. The Gulf states were helping Lebanon in its crises, and Lebanon was attracting Arab investors until all this stopped, and Lebanon started suffering from one crisis after another.

All these events took place without a direct US intervention in Lebanon until the October Revolution started. The US sanctions, along with the rampant corruption in all state’s facilities, and in addition to the clash with Iran, all made Lebanon an arena for direct foreign and regional interference, which is re-shaping the country’s politics and socio-economy.

Lebanon is suffering from the biggest financial crisis since its inception, accompanied by a political crisis, a totally impotent government, and finally the knockout blow to the country, “the port explosion.” In a corrupt and impotent state that can’t manage any crises, with selfish rulers that didn’t make any act of responsibility or work on any reforms, however they only protected their involved employees with total neglect towards the state or its citizens.

After the explosion, foreign countries entered, along with their military and civil societies, to play a major role in healing the wounds of the Lebanese and finding a foothold for them in Lebanon for their political interests and regional agendas. France, the so called “affectionate mother” of the Lebanese Christians, thus seeking to protect the Christian presence in the East and to restore its role that it had lost on the Lebanese scene. Turkey, whose president Erdogan is trying to proclaim himself as the new Ottoman emperor, has also involved himself to transfer his conflict with France, from Libya, Greece, and Armenia to Lebanon. Turkey began feeding some Sunnis in Tripoli, Beirut and other cities in order to create a radical situation inside the country hostile to France. Iran that was always present through Hezbollah, is now interfering directly, like other countries. Russia is also taking their role in Lebanon as part of their regional strategy to control over Syria. The United States also entered to be the main player to undermine the influence of Iran and Hezbollah in the region to cease the threat on Israel’s security and to restructure the Middle East and its newly discovered natural resources.

The United States is present again through sanctions, but this time by listing Lebanese politicians with accusations of corruption and links to Hezbollah, all of which to lure those behind these politicians to implement American demands. It used to use the carrot and stick method previously, but today, it started using a small and a large stick, depending on the arising situation. The US administration had also sought to sign normalization agreements between some Arab countries and Israel to destabilize Iran’s arm in the region. Therefore, each country is working upon their own interests and plans.

All these events and interferences have placed Lebanon on a transitional track that will shape its future politically, socially and economically. In Lebanon’s present transition, new political and socio-economic issues continue to emerge, calling for close investigations and serious actions. While great progress from the Lebanese people is being made for a better country, the government and many others in adverse situations are also left stranded and helpless. The need for the development of an adequate social and economic systems along with a new public policy has never been so urgent.

Therefore, I believe that the Lebanese people should take off the cloak of sectarian and political subordination in order to advance their country and achieve change. Foreign countries intervene in Lebanon to attain their interests under the guise of helping the Lebanese people, but the disagreements between them won’t benefit Lebanon or its people, but rather divide it further and cause a major rift that could lead the country to division or civil war.

The Lebanese youth said their word in the October Revolution, and they had the dream of the republic and the embracing nation for all of his children, but unfortunately, corruption and foreign interference made their dreams lash to become the first travel ticket to any country that secures for them the simplest living necessities, safety and stability.

As Nelson Mandela says, “Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do”. Therefore, I believe, that the Lebanese people shouldn’t give up and should benefit from all the circumstances because through persistence despite obstacles our passion is a promising approach that enables us to remain dedicated to our goals in order to achieve success and excellence.