Lebanon Remains at the Heart of Syrian Straits

In September 2003, the U.S. Congress approved what has been known as the “Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act”, a bill that aimed mainly at penalizing what the United States saw as Syrian support for terrorism and ending Syria's presence in Lebanon.

Today, in September 2013, the U.S. Congress is debating President Barack Obama’s push for a military response to what he says was Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons against his own people last month on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.

Throughout the 10-year interval, manifold crises have shaken Lebanon given that it’s the country that is impacted the most by its neighbor’s political developments.

Back in 2003, Lebanon was still under foreign tutelage as political “ready-made recipes” were constantly concocted by the Syrian army. Then, the Lebanese opposition forces, including General Michel Aoun who testified before a US Congressional subcommittee, exerted strenuous efforts to motivate the U.S. towards approving the above mentioned act.

Similarly to the 2003 Syria Accountability Act, Lebanon is perceived once again at the heart of the draft resolution on Syria strike that the Congress is currently mulling. Unsurprisingly, this was expected given that Lebanon is incapable of curbing the Syrian spillover amid Hezbollah’s direct military involvement and the continuous border violations as Lebanese regions continue to endure Syrian shelling.

In 2003, the U.S. Act aimed at reigning in the Syrian regime from supporting terrorism and ending its support for Hezbollah. In 2013, the U.S. diplomatic rhetoric has reached an unprecedented level amid calls for toppling Assad who is seen by the Americans as a dreadful plague that threatens the civilians, neighboring countries and the U.S. national security.

As all eyes will be on the Congress Syria vote on September 9, the Lebanese are getting a different, fearful taste while expecting what the neighboring shivering will bring them.

Following the approval of the 2003 Act, the 1559 UN Resolution saw the light of day, striking a painful blow at Syria which lost its leverage and presence in Lebanon.

Today, while the 2013 Act is wending its way through the Congress, we wonder whether there will be another UN resolution and what Syria will lose this time.