Lebanon and the Syrian Crisis: Challenges for the EU and the US (original) (raw)

EU Response to Consequences of the Syrian Crisis on Lebanon

European Union, 2015

The influx of over a million refugees into a country of 4 million makes this a fairly unprecedented environment. It makes a government that is already hampered by the lack of a president or unifying policies vulnerable. It is somewhat misguided to view this as a typical emergency to recovery to development scenario where, after a period of stability, plans can be put in place to support the government. The lack of infrastructure, knowledge and expertise, and human and financial resources, make both the formulation of strategy to be suspect and the successful and swift implementation of any such strategy unlikely. For instance, the education programme, RACE, developed by MEHE, does not fully address issues such as the mix of remedial and psychosocial support necessary to address the complex issues faced by Syrian and Lebanese children and their teachers.

The EU's Role in Addressing Lebanon's Multiple Crises

2020

The Beirut Port blast (BPB) has revealed the fundamental failure of the Lebanese political system, but deep democratic reforms will take time and are fraught with risks. Given the US withdrawal and the extreme tensions in the region, the EU has a critical role to play in addressing the short-term humanitarian crisis, responding to the economic and financial situation, and providing a forum for civil society empowerment. If it fails to do so, the price is further geopolitical destabilization

The geopolitical impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon

Regional Science Inquiry, 2012

This paper identifies and analyses the geopolitical impact that the Syrian crisis has on Lebanon. This impact is manifested in two forms: a subsystemic one (within the Syria-Lebanon subsystem) and a systemic one (exerted from the system of the wider Middle East). The first refers to the direct repercussions that the increasing instability of the Syrian part has on the Lebanese part of the subsystem. More specifically, the impact that have some factors of the Syrian crisis-namely, increasing sectarianism and Islamic radicalism-on the internal political and religious power relations of Lebanon. The second form of impact refers to the indirect yet critical repercussions that the instability at the centre of the Middle Eastern system has on Lebanon. As a state of proxy actors through which the regional powers project power and as an integral part of the Syria-Lebanon subsystem, Lebanon is the primary point on which the systemic pressure is applied. As a result of this systemic impact, the internal politico-religious power relations of Lebanon become a micro-level representation of the regional power relations of the wider Middle Eastern system.

XLIII. The Geopolitical Impact of the Syrian Crisis on Lebanon

This paper identifies and analyses the geopolitical impact that the Syrian crisis has on Lebanon. This impact is manifested in two forms: a subsystemic one (within the Syria-Lebanon subsystem) and a systemic one (exerted from the system of the wider Middle East). The first refers to the direct repercussions that the increasing instability of the Syrian part has on the Lebanese part of the subsystem. More specifically , the impact that have some factors of the Syrian crisis –namely, increasing sectarianism and Islamic radicalism-on the internal political and religious power relations of Lebanon. The second form of impact refers to the indirect yet critical repercussions that the instability at the centre of the Middle Eastern system has on Lebanon. As a state of proxy actors through which the regional powers project power and as an integral part of the Syria-Lebanon subsystem , Lebanon is the primary point on which the systemic pressure is applied. As a result of this systemic impact, the internal politico-religious power relations of Lebanon become a micro-level representation of the regional power relations of the wider Middle Eastern system.

Prospects for Lebanon An Essay on Political Opportunities and Constraints

2010

THIS is the first in a series of papers with the general title of Prospects for Lebanon. Papers under this theme will focus on future scenarios, based on historical and recent political events, aimed at suggesting an acceptable outcome of the Lebanese conflict. Our purpose in opening this platform for the expression of different perceptions of the Lebanese crisis is to record the views of known intellectuals and politicians on the current situation. We are pleased to introduce this series with Dr Nawaf Salam's An Essay on Political Opportunities and Constraints. Dr Salam is Lecturer at the American University of Beirut. He was formerly Visiting Scholar at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, and Lecturer at the Sorbonne. His doctoral dissertation was on the 1958 crisis in Lebanon, and he has published several articles and essays in various periodicals. This essay incorporates a revised version of two lectures given at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC, and the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, in December 1984 and November 1986 respectively. While the order of publication of the papers in no way reflects the relative importance of the contributions, we are grateful to Dr Salam for allowing us to start the series with his. We are making contacts for other papers in the series and will publish them more or less in the order we receive them. We would like to emphasize that the opinions expressed in the series do not necessarily reflect views the Centre wishes to promote. It is our hope, however, that publishing this series will lead to a better understanding of the issues involved in the Lebanese crisis.