As long as these cities remain in enemy hands, the seacoast (Lebanon and Israel) will not be secure.  But this isn't a story taken from today's age; so writes Hilaire Belloc in his book The Crusades: The World's Debate, regarding the Holy Lands of Palestine.  It is curious to contemplate this perspective when considering more recent events.

The Crusades: Strategy

The Crusaders were concerned solely with the cities along the sea – Antioch, Tripoli, and Beirut, as examples – and, of course, the gem of Jerusalem.  They were so intent on these that they neglected and otherwise did not properly secure the cities inland – Aleppo, Homs, Damascus.  Had they done so, they would have divided the Moslem world; had they done so, Belloc believes they would have held the Christian Holy Lands – well, setting aside the fact that the invading lords intermarried (Christian Armenians were a popular choice) and otherwise accepted many of the local customs.