As Israeli air strikes decimate Lebanon, the elected government in Beirut is weak, divided, and seems powerless to control Hezbollah, whose attack on an Israeli convoy July 12 started the conflict.

Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections, pitting pro-Western political elements against a coalition led by Hezbollah, will test the country’s ability to manage political change among many factions.

The presence of idle and unemployed young people in the developing world, or so-called “youth bulge,” is emerging as a catalyst for internal violence.