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Lebanon

Since the outbreak of civil war in Lebanon in 1975, Syria and Israel had become major players in Lebanese affairs. The civil conflict presented ripe opportunities for Syria and Israel to assert their influence and to find agents to work on their behalf. Specifically the Lebanese government's lack of legitimacy in the eyes of the people eventually caused Syria to directly intervene with a military force in 1976. Syria cited the breakdown of central authority, widespread chaos and appeals by some Lebanese leaders as justification for military intervention. Many viewed this move as Syria fulfilling its long held historic ambition to control Lebanon but also as a strategic move in its ideological opposition to Israel.

Israelis believed the Israel-Lebanon border already represented a great threat because Palestinian terrorists had easy access to Northern Israel from Southern Lebanon. The advent of Syrian troops and increasing skirmishes with Palestinians caused Israel and its Lebanese Christian allies to maintain a presence in Southern Lebanon beginning in 1982. The area of control amounted to approximately 10% of Lebanese land and served as a buffer zone for Israel from terrorist attacks. Israeli forces eventually withdrew from Southern Lebanon in May of 2000.

The withdraw of Israeli forces in 2000 has left Syria as the dominant power in Lebanon by the presence of its troops and political allies placed in high positions of power in the Lebanese government. Syrian influence has permeated all aspects of Lebanese government in the last 25 years and plays a key role in policy decisions. Syria demonstrated its power over Lebanese politics when Damascus forced the parliament to extend President Emile Lahoud's term another three years in September 2004.

Lebanese politicians have also given free reign to terrorist organizations within the country. Lebanon is host to numerous terrorist organizations that include the Lebanese Hizballah, the PIJ, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), the Abu Nidal organization (ANO), and HAMAS. These organizations are recognized as "legal resistance" groups by the Lebanese government and can freely target Israel while maintaining offices in Beirut. Syria facilitates the presence of these organizations through Lebanon while not having been directly implicated in an actual terrorist act since 1986.

Syria and its intelligence services also collaborate with the Lebanese Intelligence to maintain control and stability in Lebanon. Acts of dissidents are treated as threats to national security and met with swift treatment from Lebanese Intelligence. The General Security Service plays a large role in internal security and is believed to be mostly responsible for the mysterious disappearances of individuals in Lebanon.

Syria regards Lebanon as a critical part of its national security and still maintains a formidable presence in the country. Though the Lebanese Civil War ended in 1991, approximately 20,000 Syrian troops are still stationed in the country as a visible reminder of Syria dominance. Various military bases in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley are viewed by Syria as essential components to secure its own western borders against Israeli aggression. However, Syrian officials continue to insist that their presence is not an occupation, is only temporary and is to protect the Lebanese from Israeli attacks. Israel's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000 undermined Syria's reasoning for its troop presence but did not result in greater Lebanese autonomy.

Syria is also extremely reluctant to give up its power in Lebanon because of its control over the terrorist group Hizballah. Hizballah could not act in Lebanon without Syrian approval because Syria is the true power behind the Lebanese government. Since the 1990s, Syrian influence over Hizballah has grown because of its increasing financial contributions and it has helped the group amass thousands of rockets along the Southern Lebanon border aimed at Israel. Similarly, Hizballah operations out of Lebanon play a large role in Syrian politics with Israel. Lebanon is an active battleground against Israel because of Hizballah terrorist attacks. It is widely believed that Syria has the ability to intensify Hizballah attacks against Israel if the government so chooses.

Syria's control of Lebanon also makes it a power broker in the region and key figure to achieving peace in the Middle East. Israeli skirmishes with Hizballah on its northern border are a constant threat but negotiating with Lebanon would be of no use if a deal is not first reached with Syria. Syria is able to use Lebanon as its proxy in its greater struggle with Israel and as a political tool in negotiations especially over issues such as the territory dispute in the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights, formerly known as the Syrian Heights were officially annexed by Israel in 1981 who had occupied it since the Six-day War in 1967. Syria has always demanded return of the Golan Heights which is not internationally recognized as Israeli sovereign territory.

However, Syria's control over Hizballah is not absolute and the group still has very close ties to Iran. In fact, much of the group's ideology are concepts that developed with the advent of the Islamic Revolution in Iran led by Iman Khomeini. Some of Hizballah's ideological ideals sees no legitimacy for the existence of Israel and to establish a government in Lebanon based on the model in Iran.