Besides identity politics based on sectarian affiliations, foreign relations issues are probably the second most widespread factor that dictates the voting patterns of Lebanese society. 

Lebanese society is heavily fragmented in terms of who they consider to be the “enemies” and the “benevolent” political forces in the region and in the world. These clashes in perception are often heavily influenced by sectarian identities, ideological leanings, emotional instincts and subjective interpretations of history. 

Diplomacy is both a science and an art. There are fundamental principles behind successful diplomacy, though there is no one-size-fits-all approach. 

When it comes to diplomacy, the strategic choices of cooperation and competition with other states should ultimately be guided by the following core principles: 

• Formulate objective threat and opportunity assessments of other states and reevaluate them frequently, in order to move away from subjective criteria 
• Maintain positive relations with as many states as possible 
• Balance your relations in such a way that dependency is spread out, so that no one state can impose their will upon you 
• Do not bite the hand that feeds you unless you are willing to pay the price 
• “Enemy state” is simply a military term to keep a nation on its toes and mobilize it effectively in case of external attacks. In state relations, there are no “enemies” and “friends”, only “allies” and “rivals” 
• The sphere of international relations is one of “coopetition”. All states engage in cooperation and competition with one another. 
• Allies still tend to compete on certain issues, and rivals still find arenas to collaborate on
• The rival of your rival is your ally 
• As circumstances change, interests shift and alliances move along with them 

The sooner Lebanese society moves away from subjective one-dimensional views of history, in which everything is simplified as a battle between “good guys” and “bad guys”, the quicker we will improve our diplomatic standing with the world and move away from divisions that are tearing apart the Lebanese social fabric. 

أسس الدبلوماسية