The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) was founded in 1948/9 by Kamal Jumblatt (and is currently led by his son, Walid Jumblatt). According to one source knowledgeable on the situation in Lebanon, Mr. Badri Hamadi (contacted through the auspices of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations), the Progressive Socialist Party has a predominantly Druze base, but also includes supporters of Jumblatt from among the Sunnis or Christians found in the Chouf region. [ Badri Hamadi, 22 February 1990.] The "ethno-religious heartland" of the Druze community is the Chouf Mountain region east of Beirut. [ Henry Degenhardt, Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, London: Longman Group UK Ltd., 1988, p. 219.] A Muslim coalition called the Lebanese National Movement (comprised of Druze and other Muslims) fought the (Christian) Phalangists during the civil war of 1975/76. [ Henry Degenhardt, Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, London: Longman Group UK Ltd., 1988, p. 219.] However, according to the Minority Rights Group (Lebanon: A Conflict of Minorities), between 1975 and 1982, both the local Christians and the Druze had "consciously prevented Civil War from entering their area [the Chouf Mountains]". [ David McDowall, Lebanon: A Conflict of Minorities, (London: Minority Rights Group, Report No. 61, 1986), p. 17.] Kamal Jumblatt, the Druze leader, was assassinated by unknown gunmen on 16 March 1977. [ The Middle East and North Africa 1983-84, (London: Europa Publications Limited, 1983), p. 449.] He had been heavily involved in leading the Progressive Socialist Party fight against Christians in the preceding months.

Reports indicate that Druze forces have been supplied with weapons by Syria for many years. In the Time article from September 1983 the author observes that, "There is no question that Syria is providing arms and ammunition to the Druze." [William Smith, "Peace Keeping Gets Tough", Time, 19 September 1983, p. 39.] Jumblatt, "with powerful help from Syrian President Hafez Assad," launched the offensive to drive Christian militias out of the Chouf mountain region in 1983 as the Israelis withdrew. [ Ibid., p. 40.]
Please refer to p. 17 of the Minority Rights Group attachment. In this report, it is estimated that at least 300 victims were massacred by each side in the battle between the Druze and the Phalangists. [ Lebanon: A Conflict of Minorities, p. 17.] Although the Druze were initially opposed to the Syrian presence in Lebanon, by 1989, the Druze were openly aligned with Syrian troops.

The Druze militia has been one of the main allies of the Syrian Army during Michel Aoun's so-called "war of liberation" initiated on 8 March 1989. The PSP continues to be closely linked to the Syrian Army, as evidenced by news reports covering the Lebanese conflict. For example, in an article in the Globe and Mail dated 24 October 1989, Walid Jumblatt is called "Syria's main Lebanese ally". [ "Army Units Put on Alert After Aoun Rejects Pact", The Globe and Mail, 24 October 1989.]