Syria's intervention in the Lebanese civil war, 1976: a domestic conflict explanation

Abstract

Syria's intervention in the Lebanese civil war in the late spring of 1976 has usually been explained in either structural or perceptual terms. Neither kind of account does a very good job of explaining the character and timing of this military operation. But relating the intervention to changes in Syria's domestic political situation accounts for it much more satisfactorily. Specifically, Syria's ruling social coalition found itself confronted with a substantial threat to its political position in the country from small farmers, craftspeople, and workers in the north-central provinces during the first months of 1976. In response to this threat, each member of the ruling coalition adopted a program that would insure its own dominance, but only at the expense of its domestic political allies. Under these circumstances, these social forces moved into Lebanon in an attempt to secure the capital, manufactured goods, and port facilities that would enable them to suppress their domestic political opponents while maintaining their own alliance. Domestic political struggles thus provide a more plausible explanation for Syria's intervention than either of the other two arguments can.

A Foreign Policy Analysis Perspective on the Domestic Politics Turn in IR Theory

“…Much research on the foreign policies of nondemocracies would also challenge the assumption in liberalism that authoritarian leaders are unconstrained by and unaccountable to societal pressures (for example, Lawson ; Mendelson ; Hagan and Hermann ). Hagan, for example, extensively reviews historical work on state behavior in the July 1914 crisis and concludes that “domestic political pressures were…profound for Germany and Russia….Pivotal decisions by William II (approving the ‘blank check’) and Nicholas II (approving mobilization) were motivated, in part, by the fear that domestic audiences would not tolerate another backing down in a major crisis” (Hagan :20).…”

“…Much research on the foreign policies of nondemocracies would also challenge the assumption in liberalism that authoritarian leaders are unconstrained by and unaccountable to societal pressures (for example, Lawson 1984;Mendelson 1993;Hagan and Hermann 2002). Hagan, for example, extensively reviews historical work on state behavior in the July 1914 crisis and concludes that "domestic political pressures were.…”

Contested Roles and Domestic Politics: Reflections on Role Theory in Foreign Policy Analysis and IR Theory1

“…Research on the role and effects of noninstitutionalized domestic political opposition in foreign policy has focused on nondemocratic, weak states and how leaders use foreign policy to divert attention away from internal conflicts and/or enhance their legitimacy. Rather than accepting the conventional wisdom that nondemocratic leaders can ignore internal opposition, foreign policy analysts have argued that because of the lack of popular legitimacy or the historical origin of many nondemocratic states, foreign policy can be central to political power dynamics in authoritarian systems (Lawson 1984; Dawisha 1990; Hagan 1993, 2001). According to Telhami, for example, Arab states’ legitimacy has historically been tied to transnational issues and regional influence.…”

A Síria como ator na Guerra Civil Libanesa: motivações e efeitos da intervenção de uma terceira parte na resolução de conflitos

“…Alguns trabalhos destacam a dinâmica doméstica como um fator propulsor do envolvimento sírio na contenda libanesa. Seguindo essa perspectiva, Lawson (1984) propõe que a intervenção foi instrumentalizada pela coalizão dominante para conter a oposição de seus adversários. A manobra se revelava atraente, porque poderia oferecer recursos extras, que fortaleceriam a posição do governo no cenário político interno, diante de um esgotamento dos recursos domésticos.…”

“…Esse quadro evidencia a dependência de Damasco em relação à indústria de bens leves libanesa. Esta desempenhava uma função complementar na estrutura produtiva de seu vizinho, cujo parque se concentrava na fabricação de itens pesados (Lawson 1984).…”