REPEATEDLY over the fire.
Two thousand extra US • Wal lics have been despatched to the Mediterranean, while an American aircraft carrier has bombarded Druze militias the Chouf mountains. Thẹ scene is being set for intervention in force by the Western armies.
There not the slightest doubt that any Western intervention will be to defend the Phalangists the right wing Christian militias against their left wing and nationalist Muslim oppolicils.
The crisis has been the its forward al llly ed on thus military vacuum. Lebanese army, the Phalangists, the Druze militias the Shi'ite Muslim militia, void.
that they the waiven the last century, the BETWEEN THING DRUZE ANDLAT past week, British, American and French soldiers of the international Lebanese Christians have looked to the Western imperialist powers for support. venerally the wealthiest section of the community, the Maronite Christians have fought to their position against the more populous Druze and Muslims.
the Socialist Their been the mountains - battles ing.
The conflict between the two communities in the early 1970s was complicated by the arrival in the main fighting forces of thẹ Liberation Organisation, driven out of Jordan by King Hussein in 1970. They became the aile LNe Lebanese left.
In the civil war which developed in 1975-6, the LEBANESE ARMY UNDER DRUZE ATTACK PALESTINIANS r SUCHARDO CHRISTIAN TOWN A Women mourning after Palestinians and Lebanese left came close to overrunning the Phalangists, but were stopped by the Syrian the so-called alilly 'Arab peace keeping force' The Svrians had no love of the Phalangists, but were equally opposed hationalist and Palestinian leftistpresence on their borders.
Syrian-policed stalemate between the two forces was broken by last year's Seeking to deal a permanent blow to the Palestinians, the Israelis moved into West Beirut to defeat the nationalist left wing guerillas as well.
Temporarily the Maronite Christians saw the israels as their allles After all, the Israelis were battering their most bitter foes. With Israeli support the Phalangist leader, Bashir Gemayel, was: installed as President.
But all the evidence is that the Israelis were play. ing a double game. At one Dacking strong centralised by the interest. maintain Israeli dominance region the but Israeli of coplabic, number casualties occupation was . sustainin reality become the Israeli project 1olowing their withdrawal to the Awali river.
The problem is that what's temporarily good for Israel is not necessarily what's best for the United States. Reagan and company still seem wedded to the idea of a Lebanon dominated the Phalangists. Victories by the Jumblatt milițias would probably allow the return of many more Palestinian fighters, and in their minds contribute to the further destabilisation of the region That's where the marines come in.
The peace keeping force has one brief, not to 'keep the peace' but to defend and support the central Lebanese government. This government is now in reality Phalangist government. Is wot runs only in East Beirut and the ding the city To establish itself na
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*peace keeping' force in Lebanon have come under fire. The US soldiers, at least, have returned that