POMED Notes: “Lebanon and the Arab Spring A Congressional View of Lebanon’s Role Amidst Historic Change in the Region”
On Tuesday, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) held a panel entitled, “Lebanon and the Arab Spring: A Congressional View of Lebanon’s Roles Amidst Historic Change in the Region.” USIP President Richard Solomon gave introductory remarks. Mona Yacoubian, Senior Program Officer for the Middle East and Director of the Lebanon Working Group, moderated the panel. Congressman Charles Boustany (R-LA), the son of Lebanese immigrants, offered his perspective on how Lebanon is fairing in the midst of the ‘Arab Spring.”
For full notes, continue below. For pdf version, click here.
Charles Boustany began by relating the subtle influence of his Lebanese father on his sense of cultural heritage. He then discussed his two visits to Lebanon. The first, in August of 2006, was in the immediate wake of the war with Israel. On a stop to Israel immediately after, he conveyed a message from Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora that Israel’s continued embargo on Lebanon would lead to its collapse. Though Israeli government officials told him that such a measure would not be possible for another six months, the embargo was lifted by the time he returned to the United States. The next visit, in September of 2009, coincided with the establishment of the unity government that ended a long political stalemate and signaled a new generation of leadership.
Boustany said the Arab Spring must be analyzed in terms of its causes: U.S. military-to-military, intelligence and diplomatic relations with each country, the commonalities among opposition groups and U.S. national interests. He conceded that he is not sure whether the U.S. has direct interests in Lebanon. However, he argued that the country offers the most accessible regional window to the West because it has “cultural commonalities;” it serves as an arena for proxies of parties the U.S. is more concerned with (e.g. Hezbollah, the Syrian-Iranian alliance, the Palestinians); and because the U.S. needs to “roll back” Hezbollah. He articulated three goals for U.S. in Lebanon: 1) cultivating it into a free, capable and friendly democracy; 2) imposing U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701; and 3) containing Iran, Hezbollah and nuclear weapons proliferation.
Boustany then detailed policy positions the U.S. should adopt toward Lebanon. Since 2005, the U.S. has given $800 million dollars in aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which he described as “relatively free of sectarianism.” He said this aid must be continued, monitored and benchmarked. Benchmarks should include: greater coordination between the LAF the U.N Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF); disarming the Palestinian camps; and deployment at the Syrian border. The third would require greater weapons assistance. He called for increasing the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, which provides advanced training for officers. The program had 70 participants in 2011. Other measures Boustany called for include: ensuring that Hezbollah does not take credit for USAID programs; opening back channels with Hezbollah, and tapping Lebanese American Shi’a to this end; increased education exchange; and pursuing a free-trade agreement. Boustany recognized the economic logic against the last proposal but argued for aligning incentives and recognizing economic policy as a component of foreign policy. Boustany also cited the work of the House Democracy Partnership, a statutory entity with year-long programs in fourteen countries including those in research, public finance and governance. Lebanese MPs have benefited from its programs he said. During questioning he noted the work of the U.S.-Lebanese Friendship Caucus, which he founded along with Representative Darrel Issa (R-CA) and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (R-IL) (then a Congressman). The group seeks to inform other members of congress on Lebanese issues. Boustany concluded his remarks by calling for building Lebanese civil society.
