Did Syria end the civil war in Lebanon?
The end of the Lebanese Civil War was due to three main factors. Firstly, the presence of the army of a neighboring Arab state (rather than a foreign power, such as the US marines) did a lot to reduce violence. While previously, the Lebanese government was merely one of the warring sects in Lebanon, Syria managed to act as a kind of disinterested party- keeping peace by providing a stable government acceptable to all sects. Secondly, Hezbollah’s crushing defeat of the Israeli occupational forces instilled a kind of national pride, giving Lebanon the first feelings of unity it had experienced since the beginning of the civil war. This, combined with Hezbollah acting as the unofficial government and army of Southern Lebanon, helped end the civil war. Lastly, after decades of non-stop violence the Lebanese simply got tired of fighting. Perhaps the greatest factor in the eventually creation of Lebanese peace.
