In a poll conducted by Gallup International, the majority of Lebanese people said they are willing to fight for Lebanon.
The global survey of 64 countries polled were asked the following question:
Are you willing to fight for your country?
66% of the Lebanese who were asked said that would fight for their country.
The MENA region has the highest willingness to fight with an average of 83%.
Jean-Marc Leger, President of WIN/Gallup International Association, said the following: “One hundred years on from the start of the First Great War we find that 61% of the world’s citizens are willing to fight for their country. However, the true story is in the regional comparison and in a time of such turmoil in the Middle East it is noticeable that willingness to fight is highest in the MENA region.”
The Japanese (11%) are the least likely of 64 countries to be willing to fight for their country and the Germans are very similar with 13%. Moroccans and people from Fiji are the most likely to fight for their country out of the 64 countries. Both topped the list and matched at 94%.
Interestingly, Lebanon and Israel both matched at 66% willingness to fight for their countries.
A majority (52%) of women surveyed across the globe said they would be willing to fight (vs. 67%) among men. Those aged 18-34 years (66%) are the most willing.
In June of 2016, the small Christian village of Al Qaa near the border of Syria received a series of suicide bombings executed by Daesh. As a response, the local residents armed themselves and organised to defend the village – alongside the Lebanese Army.
A total of eight suicide bombings killed five people and wounded more than 30 in Al Qaa, in just under 2 days. It made quite the story internationally with almost every major news media covering it. This was new to them, especially seeing women and elderly carry military-grade weapons.
