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Lebanon
Index
Lebanon's ties to communist nations have been amicable but
lacking in depth. Its relations to the West and regional states
have always been stronger. Although the Soviet Union maintained a
visible diplomatic presence in Lebanon both before and after the
1975 Civil War, it has never exerted as much influence as has the
United States or France.
Two major factors have limited the Soviet Union's influence in
Lebanon. First, socialism has had little appeal to those who have
benefited from the free-market economy. Second, the antireligious
nature of Soviet communism is repugnant to Christians and Muslims
alike.
During the 1975 Civil War, the Soviet Union kept a low profile,
although it provided some military support to its leftist allies.
When Syria intervened on the Christian side in 1976, the Soviet
Union had the difficult task of trying to maintain good relations
with Syria, its major regional ally, while at the same time
sympathizing with the cause of the Lebanese left.
Lebanon has had no lack of parties displaying leftist
orientations and Soviet influence. In addition to secular
movements, the Soviet Union has traditionally been involved with
Palestinian groups. Perhaps its greatest influence has been in the
LCP; but, as noted, the significance of this party has never been
great
(see Political Parties and Groupings
, this ch.).
* * *
On the Lebanese political system and the events that provide
the larger context of the 1975 Civil War, the following sources
arte the most useful: Michael Hudson's The Precarious
Republic, Leonard Binder's Politics in Lebanon, Michael
Suleiman's Political Parties in Lebanon, Enver M. Khoury's
The Crisis in the Lebanese System, John Entelis's
Pluralism and Party Transformation in Lebanon, Tabitha
Petran's The Struggle over Lebanon, Roger Owen's Essays
on the Crisis in Lebanon, Augustus Richard Norton's Amal and
the Shi'a, Samir Khalaf's Lebanon's Predicament, B.J.
Odeh's Lebanon: The Dynamics of Conflict, Walid Khalidi's
Conflict and Violence in Lebanon, Elie Salem Adib's
Modernization Without Revolution, Fouad Ajami's The
Vanished Imam, David C. Gordon's The Republic of
Lebanon, David Gilmour's Lebanon: The Fractured Country,
and Wade Goria's Sovereignty and Leadership in Lebanon, 1943-
1976.
For descriptions and discussions of the 1975 Civil War see
Kamal S. Salibi's Crossroads to Civil War, Itamar
Rabinovich's The War for Lebanon, 1970-1985, Marius Deeb's
The Lebanese Civil War, P. Edward Haley and Lewis Snider's
Lebanon in Crisis, and Helena Cobban's The Making of
Modern Lebanon. (For further information and complete
citations,
see
Bibliography.)
Data as of December 1987
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