Our Benevolent Mother (lebanon & Syria Under The French Mandate)

By (author) Michel Koubrssi
What are we doing in Syria? What should we do? Prime Minister Aristide Briand once questioned, during the Senate debate on 17 December 1925. He retorts: The colonies were France's daughters, you say! A mother never sells her children. Our Benevolent Mother offers a new perspective of the French mandate from 1918 to 1943 to highlight its impact on the history and politics of the region. Its captivating event and lasting effects continue to be felt since little divergenc exists between European colonialism and the Cold War. The book validates France's primary objective to abide by the League of Nations' resolution, at least until the outbreak of the Second World War, and safeguard simultaneously her interests. Unlike many critics, underscores that the political wrangling is mainly due to the politicians' rivalry and mistrust in the mandated system, as a continuation of the feudal system. The book dissects the mandate into ten phases to depict, in each, a comprehensive picture of the interplay between internal and external factors. It provides the reader with ample evidences and information of France's humanitarian mission to develop Lebanon and Syria; however, at a certain price.