Statement on the Deployment of
Marines in Lebanon
(February 7, 1984)
Ever since the Syrian sponsored attack on the U.S.
military camps in Beirut in October 1983, killing 241 marines, the Reagan
administration has come under massive Congressional pressure to withdraw
the marines from Beirut. President Reagan resisted initially the demands,
fearing that U.S. withdrawal would be "the end of Lebanon"
and a major victory for Syria.
But in early February he relented and in the following statement he
asked the. Secretary of Defense to present him with a plan for the redeployment
of the marines from land to ships anchored off shore. The redeployment
was completed by the end of February. Syria now exerted greater pressure on the Lebanese President to abrogate the
Agreement with Israel.
The bloodshed we have witnessed in Lebanon over the
last several days only demonstrates once again the length to which the
forces of violence and intimidation are prepared to go to prevent a
peaceful reconcilliation process from taking place. If a moderate government
is overthrown because it had the courage to turn in the direction of
peace, what hope can there be that other moderates in the region will
risk committing themselves to a similar course?
Yielding to violence and terrorism today may seem to
provide temporary relief, but such a course is sure to lead to a more
dangerous and less manageable future crisis. Even before the latest
outbreak of violence we had been considering ways of reconcentrating
our forces and the nature of our support in order to take the initiative
away from the terrorists.
Far from deterring us from this course, recent events
only confirm the importance of the decisive new steps I want to outline
for you now.
Thus, after consultation with our M.N.F. partners and
President Gemayel and at his request, we are prepared to do the following:
First to enhance the safety of American and other M.N.F.
personnel in Lebanon, I have authorized U.S. naval forces, under the
existing mandate of the M.N.F., to provide naval gunfire and air support
against any units firing into greater Beirut from parts of Lebanon controlled
by Syria as well as against any units directly attacking American or
M.N.F. personnel and facilities. Those who conduct these attacks will
no longer have sanctuary from which to bombard Beirut at will. We will
stand firm to deter those who seek to influence Lebanon's future by
intimidation.
Second, when the Government of Lebanon is able to reconstitute
itself into a broadly based representative government, we will vigorously
accelerate the training, equipping and support of the Lebanese armed
forces on whom the primary responsibility rests for maintaining stability
in Lebanon. We will speed up delivery of equipment, we will improve
the flow of information to help counter hostile bombardments and we
will intensify training in counterterrorism to help the Lebanese confront
the terrorist threat that poses such danger to Lebanon, to Americans
in Lebanon and, indeed, to peace in the Middle East.
Third, in conjunction with these steps, I have asked
Secretary of Defense Weinberger to present to me a plan for redeployment
of the Marines from Beirut airport to their ships offshore. This redeployment
will begin shortly and proceed in stages. U.S. military personnel will
remain on the ground in Lebanon for training and equipping the Lebanese
Army and protecting the remaining personnel. These are traditional functions
that U.S. personnel perform in many friendly countries. Our naval and
Marine forces offshore will stand ready, as before, to provide support
for the protection of American and other M.N.F. personnel in Lebanon
and thereby help assure security in the Beirut area as I have described.
These measures, I believe, will strengthen our ability
to do the job we set out to do and to sustain our efforts over the long
term. They are consistent with the compromise joint resolution worked
out last October with the Congress with respect to our participation
in the multinational force.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |