The 1961 coup attempt against Chehab

Prior to 1961, there had been no real coup conspiracies in Lebanon. Lebanon was not a praetorian society like Egypt, Syria, or even Iraq, countries that had experienced coup after coup. The Lebanese officers were thus not operating in an environment where military intervention was common practice or a ‘conditioned reflex, an action embarked upon with a minimum of conscious reflection.’ ¹ They had built a flawless reputation as guardians of the state, and were respected by the population at large. ²