Foundation for Defense of Democracies

In many ways, Lebanon has never recovered from its 15 year civil war. Hezbollah is, for now, the most powerful force, both a well-armed Shia militia and a political party. Lebanon’s political structure, overseen by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, has remained surprisingly stable throughout the two-year Arab Spring, but the war in neighboring Syria appears to be reopening sectarian division and precipitating new violence.

In many ways, Lebanon has never recovered from its 15 year civil war. Hezbollah is, for now, the most powerful force, both a well-armed Shia militia and a political party. Lebanon’s political structure, overseen by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, has remained surprisingly stable throughout the two-year Arab Spring, but the war in neighboring Syria appears to be reopening sectarian division and precipitating new violence. Hezbollah troops have been directly involved in the Syrian civil war defending the Assad regime.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies Research Fellow Tony Badran studies, analyzes and writes on the politics of the Levant for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Now, and other publications.