Quote Originally Posted by tribeguy View Post
I initially agree that it's not totally relevant - but tribalism isn't dead in Lebanon - not totally,
Agreed, but the case for/in Lebanon is particularly odd given the strong tribalism elsewhere in the ME. Because of its colonial past (and constituional present) sectarianism is a more important indicator of political alliegance than tribalism is, for instance, in Iraq or even Jordan. Hezbollah/Hizb-Allah in the mid 80s spent most of its time wresting Shi'a support away from the more secularist Amal and it remains so to this day. Indeed, unlike Yemen, where people talk more about their tribe and what it demands of them in Lebanon its their sectarian outlook that is largely overdetermined. However, that is not to say that triablism doesn't exist. As you say vestiges of it remain, obviously given the dminance of Arab culture, but in terms of Hizb-Allah the connections between clerical families in Iran (esp. Qom/Qum) and the ties those can generate (in terms of marriage alliances) tend to make greater waves within Hizb-Allah. Tribal politics tend, IMO, to be of greater concern to foriegn fighters who either transit the region or end up in the pay of local strong men. However, that said see the quote below...

"Interestingly, since the dozen men in the room are from the Baalbek area, and ten of whom are Shia (two of the hired guns are Palestinians from the nearly base of Ahmad Jibribl’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command) not one of them supports Hezbollah. “ That seems odd, Why not”? I ask.

Some of their reasons had to do will family/tribal feuds. Hezbollah arrested a couple of them for various reasons, one said. He claimed he was held 10 floors underground in Dahiyeh until his large family sent a tribal elder to Hezbollah and explained they would fight them if he was not released—he claimed he was out the next morning and explained how his order of loyalty was to God, family, tribe and then Lebanon. "

from here

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/...on-s-bekaa-val

The author is Franklin D. Lamb who is apprently doing research in South Lebnon for the Americans Concerned for Middle East Peace organisation. It might be worth emailing him for more info.