A History of Turmoil: a Study of Lebanon's Recent Past Up to the Failure of the Doha Agreement PDF Download

Author: Imad MELHEM
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781521327692
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 362

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Book Description
Lebanon has been torn by sectarian strife for years now. The most recent attempt to end the violence there is the Doha Agreement, into which the various factions in Lebanon entered in 2008. This agreement tried to provide greater political representation for some of the minority religions and ethnic groups in the nation. Despite high hopes for peace and stability, as many recent events have shown, the agreement has not ended the violence. We today still observe many destructive actions in and around Lebanon, such as border disputes and assassinations, again and again threatening total governmental collapse. The failure of the Doha Agreement could have been predicted. We will here examine what it is about Lebanon's unique situation that seems to preclude long-term peace and stability. Lebanon has been plagued with a tradition of sectarian violence which seems to have become culturally embedded. Because Lebanon lacks an overriding national identity, ethnic and religious groups strive against one another for control of the country, and there is no unity. We shall investigate the Lebanese tradition of sectarian violence throughout its divisive history, as well as the cultural conflicts that underlie this tradition of violence both within Lebanon and from outside forces, such as Syria (directly and through Hezbollah) and Iran. We will also consider economic and technological inequities and the lack of equal political representation. These issues all together underlie Lebanon's inability to unify into one functioning nation. Because of this disunity, the Doha Agreement has now failed, and it is likely that Lebanon's long tradition of sectarian violence will continue and perhaps worsen. Many people have given generously of their time and expertise in the realization of this study. I would like to thank some of them here. First of all, I will extend my hearty gratitude to the Mentor and Readers of my 2012 dissertation, *********Dan Cowden, **********Khalil Habib, **********Symeon Giannakos, as well as my fellow students and faculty at Salve Regina University, who have generously shared their wide range of knowledge to enhance this work. I would also like to express my thanks to those professionals in Lebanon who have contributed positively to my work, primarily at the Balamand University Library. Their assistance with my research and their aid in translating (special thanks to Ms. Susan Hannouf in this area) have been invaluable. I wish also to express my thanks for Dr. Paula Zeuge for her patient and meticulous assistance with the organization of this document. Particularly, I want to thank my family: my mother and father and my brother Jacob, for helping to make a dream come true. Any errors or inaccuracies found in this book are entirely my responsibility and not that of any of the many hands that so willingly helped make it possible. In recognition of the incredibly rapid changes and disturbing events that have been unfolding since the publication of my dissertation in early 2012.