Le relazioni tra Siria e Libano nel sistema geopolitico vicino-orientale prima e dopo le rivolte arabe

The relationships between Syria and Lebanon have been historically marked by a deep asymmetry. From the French Mandate, regional and international events have shaped the life of the two countries of the Mashreq, underlining the steady presence of Syria over Lebanese affairs. Pushed by the need of accreditation as a regional power, Syria has elaborated, over the years, a clear and precise strategy towards Lebanon, by using the Pan-Arab narrative but also economic, identititarian and political incentives. Consequently, the paper argues, in the frame of a Westphalian narrative, that Lebanon has been used by Syria as a tool for domestic, regional and international accreditation. This hypothesis will be tested through the analysis of the relationships between the two countries from the 1970s until the more recent events of the Arab uprisings.