ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the view that by probing into the persistent character of those three basic elements one can better understand the destabilizing consequences of the interplay between internal divisions and external dislocations and, consequently, the changing form and magnitude of collective strife. This chapter shows the complexities of Lebanon's insurgencies and why no resolution has been reached. The internal disparities in Lebanon are generally a byproduct of deep cultural cleavages inherent in sharp communal, confessional and other primordial and fragmented loyalties. This chapter explains how in some cases external interventions were imposed upon local communities, and sometimes local communities sought out external forces for their own purposes and power enhancement. Regional and great power rivalries had destabilizing consequences for turmoil in Lebanon. Unlike other foreign-brokered covenants, the war-weary Lebanese received the news of yet another peace treaty with uncharacteristic exuberance.
