Sorting Out Lebanon

Extract

Much of the recent commentary on Lebanon has focused on its internal conflicts, giving the impression that these are primarily responsible for the current state of affairs and that only by dealing with them can the Lebanon crisis be resolved. One detects particularly in the media, but also in the statements of many analysts, the notion that Lebanon and the Lebanese are metaphysically or psychologically destined to chaos and disintegration. The implication, in other words, is that Lebanon is by its very nature a problem state.