International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability Vol.7, No.1, pp. 49-65, January 2019 ___Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) THE EDUCATION OF MILITARY GEOGRAPHY: BETWEEN MILITARY SCIENCES AND HUMAN SCIENCES (THE CASE OF THE LEBANESE MILITARY FACULTY) Ghada Salem Lebanese University ABSTRACT: The concept of military geography has evolved to enclose subjects that have a military intelligence extent, particularly that today’s military forces’ role is more oriented towards Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW). This should be taken into consideration in the curricula of military academies in order to train officers in the most efficient way. In Lebanon, the Military Faculty has updated its curricula in 2012 to conform to the missions expected from the Lebanese military forces. This article aims at analyzing the way military geographies were integrated into the curricula of the Lebanese Military Faculty, a way that seems to scatter its materials between Military and Human Sciences. KEYWORDS: Military Geography, Military Geographies, Military Intelligence, Curricula, Lebanese Military Faculty. INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that geographical information represents an important element in the military conflicts. Actually, military operations are of a geographical nature because they take place somewhere on a site. This place has distinct natural characteristics in terms of topography, climate, water, air, soil, etc. as well as prevailing social and cultural systems. The importance of knowing these characteristics has led to the emergence of military geography, a sub- discipline of geography that focuses on “applying the tools and techniques of geographical inquiry (both physical and human) to assist in the pursuit of military objectives” (Rech et al., 2015). This sub-discipline has been integrated into the curricula of military studies in many countries, mainly Europeans and North Americans. Teaching military geography theories and techniques for junior and senior officers is considered important whether the country is subject to threats or not. This is because military geography knowledge is basic for defending a place, protecting it or maintaining its stability. Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country which its location made it a frontline with a hot zone – Palestine occupied by “Israeli” since 1948 - has been a theatre for many armed conflict. This, coupled to geopolitical ambitions of some countries in the Middle East region and to internal social and political tensions, dragged Lebanon in 1975 into an unrest period that lasted for about 15 years, and in 1982 into a period of invasion by “Israel” and occupation of the majority of South Lebanon district (liberated in 2000). Recently, the repercussions of the Syrian crisis and the infiltration of ISIS and Al-Nusra Front terrorists to some parts of the Lebanese borders with Syria have put the country in peril. Furthermore, the huge numbers of Syrian refugees that entered its territory and the extremely bad conditions in which they live expose Lebanon to inner dangers. All these circumstances impose that Lebanon strengthens its military forces and be ready for any potential attack whether internal or external. 49 Print ISSN: 2053-2199 (Print), Online ISSN: 2053-2202(Online) International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability Vol.7, No.1, pp. 49-65, January 2019 ___Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) Or, strengthening the Lebanese security forces requires the training of officers in a way to enable them take informed and efficient decisions in any crisis. Therefore, military geography should be a fundamental course in the curricula of the Lebanese Military Faculty, which recruits every year student officers from all over Lebanon and offers them a post-tertiary education in the military field. This article studies the importance accorded to the education of military geography at the Lebanese Military Faculty. At a time when Lebanon is prone to internal dissidences and external invasions, it’s important for the Military Faculty to revisit its curricula and enhance the disciplines that have a military intelligence extent, primary military geography which has witnessed a huge theoretical evolution and has been reshaped into military geographies. Research Problematic The emergence of Lebanon as a political entity goes back to the French mandate, more precisely to the year 1920 when the General Gouraud proclaimed the establishment of a state called “Greater Lebanon” which became six years later the Lebanese Republic. Actually, after World War I, France was awarded a mandate for Syria and Lebanon, a geographically integrated territory which were under the Ottoman dominance. The French mandate split this territory into two separate political entities but with some common administrative institutions like the Bank of Syria and Lebanon, and most importantly for our subject the Military School. This School was established in Damascus in 1921 and its mission was to form military officers for the two entities as a step from the process of preparing them to be independent. In 1932, the School was moved to Homs, a city located on the west of Syria. The Military School enrolled and graduated students each year during October. Candidates were supposed to satisfy a set of conditions, i.e. being Lebanese or Syrian, being between 18 and 25 years old, having a complementary studies certificate, and passing successfully the entrance exam. After completing the three years study period, students were declared officers by a decree and were assigned either a platoon commander certificate in one of the four specialties (artillery, infantry, cavalry or engineering), or a certificate of competence for the rank of lieutenant. Then, they were disseminated in the various units of the army. The School staff was composed of the commander who was a French officer, his assistant who could be either a Lebanese or a Syrian officer, and a team of trainers who were French, Lebanese and Syrians. As for the Military School curricula, there is no information about the disciplines that were taught at that time, particularly that Lebanon established its own Military School in 1946 after three years of getting its independence so no documents are available from the mandate period. Still, we can assume that the curricula were to a large extent restricted to military studies as all trainers were military officers. Today, the Lebanese Military School is located at Fayyadieh in Baabda disctrict. It recruits only male Lebanese student officers who hold a Lebanese Baccalaureate and fit for military service. The process of recruitment is extremely hard and therefore only highly qualified students can successfully pass its four phases: the IQ test, the physical fitness test, the medical test and the scientific test. The first year of study is common to all students and is based on the Military School. At the end of this year, brilliant students are selected to join either the Navy School located at the naval base of Jounieh or the Air Force School located at the airbase of Rayak. Remaining students continue their education at the Military School, and upon 50 Print ISSN: 2053-2199 (Print), Online ISSN: 2053-2202(Online) International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability Vol.7, No.1, pp. 49-65, January 2019 ___Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) graduation they can join one of the Lebanese military forces, i.e. the Lebanese Army, the Internal Security, the General Security, the State Security and the Lebanese Customs. In 2011, the Military School became “The Military Faculty” as per the Law 163 of 17 August 2011. According to this Law, the naval and air military schools are affiliated to the Military Faculty which is administered by a council called the Military Faculty Council. The most important responsibility of this council is to propose the basic study and training materials in accordance with the expected missions of the Lebanese army (Clause a, article 8, Law 163). This has resulted in the set-up of new curricula in 2012 for general sciences taught at the Faculty. Here, it’s important to point out that the educational system at the Military Faculty classifies teaching materials into two categories: general sciences and military sciences. The Law 163 indicates that instructors of general sciences at the Military Faculty must be professors at the Lebanese University (article 12) and that graduate students are granted a Bachelor degree in military sciences (article 10). The law emphasizes on the cooperation between the Military Faculty and the Lebanese University when it comes to general sciences article 12). This stipulates that the curricula of general sciences ,ح and هـ article 8 – clauses) should match that accredited by the faculties of the Lebanese University so graduate officers who wish to continue their studies can validate their general sciences courses. At present, Geography is considered among the general sciences’ portfolio at the Lebanese Military Faculty. It is taught in the three years of education. For the first year, 20 hours are assigned to a course entitled “Geography”, for the second year 20 hours as well are dedicated to the “Geography of the Arab World”, while for the third year, 22 hours are given to the “Geography of Lebanon”. A comparison with the old curriculum of Geography (before August 2011 when the Military Faculty was named “the Military School”) reveals that the number of hours accorded to its teaching were 29, 26 and 22 hours for the first, second and third year respectively. This drop in the time dedicated to Geography at the first and second year, coupled to the new design of the course materials raise many interrogations about the teaching objectives assigned to it in the reformed Faculty’s curricula. This curricula was supposed to meet the “expected missions of the Lebanese army”, be compatible with the one taught at the Lebanese University, and of course be meaningful to military students.