Publication

In May 2010, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri undertook his second visit to Damascus in less than six months, underscoring Beirut’s determination to pursue a rapprochement with Syria. While last month’s Scud missile crisis catapulted Syria and Lebanon into international headlines amidst fears of a new war, the quietly evolving ties between Lebanon and Syria could mark a shift in longstanding regional dynamics. These emerging ties reflect the challenges for Lebanon of resurgent Syrian influence—most dramatically illustrated by the Scud crisis—but also contain inherent opportunities to turn the page and establish normal state-to-state relations.