Lebanon 1975-1990: Arena of International Confrontation or Source of Regional Instability?

Abstract

The Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) constitutes an example of conflict encompassing both domestic and international actors, but the assessment of its causes remains controversial. Some scholars view it as the result of domestic factors, whereas others emphasize its character of proxy war involving regional and world powers. This article revises the existing explanations for the causes of armed conflicts, assessing the extent to which they fit the Lebanese case. The Lebanese civil war was a multicausal conflict, because it was possible due to the weakness of the State, the strength of clientelism, and the attitude of the Lebanese elites, always prone to international agreements aimed at improving their position. These factors occurred within the context of a highly polarized regional environment due to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the East-West divide, in which neighbouring countries tended to use the Lebanese conflict to attain relative improvements. However, if the war began primarily as a result of endogenous factors, its extension was the consequence of foreign intervention. Therefore, the end of the conflict was possible only when the international environment became more favourable, so that Syria could impose a peace agreement based on its hegemony.