BEIRUT—Lebanon’s political and security landscape has long been defined by a paradox: the nation’s true defenders often operate outside formal institutions, while the official state struggles to assert authority, maintain sovereignty, or protect its people.
In this delicate balancing act, foreign powers wield enormous influence, often filling the gaps left by a hesitant government.
Into this arena steps Thomas Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and Lebanon, whose interventions highlight the growing intersection of diplomacy, pressure politics, and regional maneuvering.
Barrack’s actions exemplify how external actors shape Lebanon’s internal security and strategic choices, especially in relation to Hezbollah, Israel, and U.S. objectives in West Asia.
Hezbollah has repeatedly turned aspiration into reality. In 2000, it forced the withdrawal of occupation forces without negotiation or guarantees, reshaping the regional balance.
For the next 18 years, it maintained a deterrent equation that made large-scale conflict with Israel a dangerous gamble.
Its protection extended across land and sea—preventing enemy entrenchment in border villages, shielding southern communities from becoming a second Gaza, and instituting a “warning-before-strike” doctrine that safeguarded civilian neighborhoods.
Maritime rights were secured through credible deterrence rather than diplomacy, while internally, the resistance neutralized terrorist threats and stabilized the country amid regional chaos.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has often undermined these gains. In the aftermath of the conflict, authorities failed to restore border control, neglected reconstruction in destroyed towns, did not facilitate the return of displaced families, and allowed military equipment to be dismantled under foreign pressure.
Trusted by President Trump, Barrack leverages his extensive Persian Gulf, Turkish, and regional connections to advance U.S. objectives, particularly curtailing Hezbollah’s influence and limiting Iran’s regional role.
Barrack’s recent mission to Baghdad and communications with Lebanese authorities illustrate how American diplomacy, backed by regional allies, seeks to shape internal governance, military alignment, and security decisions.
In Lebanon, these dynamics intersect with diplomacy and negotiation. Former ambassador Simon Karam was appointed to lead Lebanon’s delegation in the “mechanism” talks with Israel, a controversial move defended by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as Lebanon’s only viable path.
Speaker Nabih Berri limits Karam’s role to securing Israeli compliance. Meanwhile, Israeli officials largely ignore the mechanism, preparing for potential escalation with Hezbollah.
Domestic actors, like Samir Geagea, push for confrontation and enforcement of UN Resolution 1701, while U.S.-linked campaigns amplify pressure on Lebanese institutions, echoing historical efforts to restructure the army toward normalization with Israel.
Lebanon stands at a crossroads: one path rooted in real power, sacrifice, and sovereignty—the other defined by hesitation, dependency, and the illusion that foreign approval can replace national strength.
Thomas Barrack’s strategic interventions underscore the high stakes of this divide, revealing who truly builds Lebanon’s future and who risks dismantling it.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
