How Iran Engineered Lebanon’s Collapse https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/politics-current-affairs/2022/12/how-iran-engineered-lebanons-collapse/

December 15, 2022 | Hanin Ghaddar
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For the past few years, Lebanon has been spiraling into fiscal, political, and economic crisis, while such basic institutions as the national electrical company and the civil service are crumbling. Hanin Ghaddar explains that, while rampant corruption and political deadlock are part of the problem, ultimate responsible lies with the Islamic Republic and its local proxy, Hizballah:

Corruption and a weak state apparatus are the core of Hizballah’s policy. Reforming certain sectors, electing a president, or forming another government that looks a little better than the last are all important steps; . . . nevertheless, the clash is not between two Lebanese political parties. It is a clash between a kidnapper and a hostage.

It is as a hostage that Iran views Lebanon—there’s no need to have a socioeconomic policy for Lebanon, or for Iraq or Syria for that matter. On the contrary, a prosperous Lebanon means a stronger state, and that’s not in the interest of Iran or Hizballah—a hostage needs to stay weak and frightened. What matters is how to maintain and strengthen Iran’s grip on these countries, whether their citizens stay, leave, or die trying. In this context, the institutional tools that Lebanon is using to show the world that it is still functioning as a democracy have been rendered worthless by Hizballah’s arms, or threat of armed force.

The West—and France and the U.S. in particular—have expressed a willingness to help the country get back on its feet, but, Ghaddar stresses, any successful plan must involve enforcing strict sanctions on Hizballah and its local allies. And then there is the problem posed by Hizballah’s massive stockpiles of weapons themselves:

No one can really target this arsenal without a war. Israel has been taking care of Iran’s weapons factories and facilities in Syria, but the ones in Lebanon have been stored underground since 2006. Some expired, but many still constitute a serious risk in the next war with Israel. There are two ways of dealing with these: either targeted attacks by Israel that would destroy weapons without killing civilians, or exposing the weapons facilities built under civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals. The Lebanese people have no idea what’s under their homes and land, and they certainly do not want to risk anything anymore.

Read more on Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iran-occupies-lebanon-proxy-lebanese-still-have-agency