 July 19th, 2005 Future for Lebanon Lebanon's Divisive Sectarian
Past: Pre-Civil War  Lebanon proclaimed its independence from
France in 1941 and held general elections in 1943. Although
French authorities were initially resistant to Lebanese
sovereignty, exiling several prominent Lebanese politicians to
the Castle of Rashayya (forty miles east of Sidon), Lebanon’s
Muslim and Christian leaders united and, with international
support, pressured France into releasing the prisoners on
November 22, 1943 — henceforth known as Independence Day (French
troops finally withdrew in 1946). Meanwhile, a fragile balance
of power was forged via an unwritten agreement known as the
National Pact. The pact states that Lebanon is an independent
Arab nation with ties to the West that also cooperates with
other Arab states, and that public offices should be distributed
equally between the country’s recognized religious sects.
Specifically, the president of the republic should be a Maronite
Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Mu