Syrian military intervention in the Jordanian and Lebanese civil war : historical context and motivations -

Abstract

This paper will examine the military intervention of Syria in the Jordanian Civil War of 1970-1 and the Lebanese Civil War of 1975-90, focusing specifically on what were the determining factors that caused the government in Damascus to act the way it did. As there is no broad agreement on a single unifying factor that dictated Syrian decision-making, a review of the literature on both conflicts is the best method for examining the sometimes complimentary, something contradictory arguments. The paper will be broken down into two main parts: one on the Jordanian Civil War and one on the Lebanese Civil War. Within these two parts, there will also be two sub-sections: one summarizing the historical setting and events of the conflict prior to Syrian intervention and one laying out the factors that led to their military involvement. In the Jordanian Civil War literature, the authors posit that the main factors motivating Syria’s decision-making were the protection the Palestinian revolution from the Jordanian regime, a desire to overthrow the Hashemite monarchy or machinations to settle a domestic political struggle through the foreign military intervention in Jordan. Meanwhile, in the case of the Lebanese Civil War, the literature argues that Syria’s actions could primarily be attributed to the need to protect its own security concerns, both domestically and regionally, along with furthering its goal to establish itself as the preeminent Arab power in the Levant.