[Ohioan]

I believe that the original split, at the time France relinquished its mandate, to the freely elected Lebanese Government, shortly after World War II, was closer to 60/40 Christian. That small Lebanese Christian population, far less than a million, elected two leaders--whose names I cannot recall at the moment (one, I think was Chamoun)--who were widely recognized as significant statesmen, internationally, in the 1950s.

What has happened to Lebanon in the religious wars is truly a tragedy of major historic proportions. The best teacher I ever had, had cut his teeth, as it were, teaching at the American University in Beirut before the War, so I grew up very well aware of the situation in Lebanon.

[kearnyirish2]

Interesting.

Incredible how a place that was so advanced has sunk so low. At least there is some (relative) stability there now...