| On April 26, 2005, Syria, after 29 years of continuous occupancy, finally withdrew all its troops from Lebanon. Syria failed up to that point, to observe several international laws and doctrines of international law by maintaining its troops in Lebanese territory. The purpose of the following study is therefore two-fold.; First and foremost it is an analysis of the dynamics involved in the compliance of a nation with international law. Second, this study analyzes what influences countries like Syria to comply with international law. Several theories of compliance with international law are herein analyzed. The theories of compliance mentioned in the study are the rationalistic instrumentalist theory, the legitimacy theory, and the constructivist theory. Although these theories may explain the compliance with international law of western states, these theories may not reflect international law observance of Middle Eastern nations. For that reason, this study will determine whether these theories apply to Syrian non-compliance. |
