in Lebanon: diplomatic approach

Overview Tannous Moawad

Niccolo Machiavelli was the first person who spoke about national security in 1530. National security emerged in Europe after the war between Catholics and Protestants. At the end of this war, after the Westphalia convention, the Nation State concept emerged. During the 30 years’ war in Europe, France allied against the pope of Rome at the request of Richelieu. Although France was Catholic, Richelieu said that this decision was taken to protect the French national security. It is important to use all the available energies. The entity in charge should coordinate and cooperate with different entities to deal with all the issues related to the national interest. The majority of the countries of the world have established a national security entity that included defense, foreign affairs, financial and economic dimensions, under a coordinated administrative entity. The risks are numerous. A country located in the hot zone can risk total destruction, and can risk a penetration of its available e-services (communication, transport, and banking) and an electronic war that could paralyze the whole country. The sectarian composition negatively affected the security system and lead to the creation of four entities that operate in the same field which decreases efficiency, especially in the absence of a coordinating body. These entities are the Lebanese Army Intelligence Directorate in charge of fighting ; The General Directorate of General Security that takes care of foreigners and Palestinians affairs and that is affiliated to the Ministry of Interior; The Lebanese State Security in charge of collecting information and fighting espionage; and the Information Department within the that has been activated after the assassination of late PM Rafiq Hariri with the objective of establishing a security entity under the control of Sunnis. National security is facing a big problematic due to sectarian polarization. Each entity is under the control of a specific religious community, which is very dangerous and will affect the security of the State. In order for a national security entity to see the light, I suggest to adopt the rotation principle in the presidency of the existing bodies for them not to become the property of religious communities.