Multinational Force In Lebanon

BACKGROUND

Americans had previously been involved in Lebanese affairs, during the 1958 Lebanon Crisis . In that intervention, 14,000 Americans were sent to Lebanon by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to quell the opposition to President Camille Chamoun and neighboring countries. The operation was considered a success.

In 1975 , the Lebanese Civil War began. Further instability was caused in 1982 by the Invasion Of Lebanon by Israel , which claimed to be targeting the Palestinian Liberation Organization based there. As the capital of Beirut was besieged by the Israelis, U.S. Ambassador Philip Habib negotiated with the warring parties for an end to the fighting and for the establishment of a peacekeeping force in Beirut.

In August, the siege intensified, but Habib was successful in getting the PLO to decide to withdraw from Beirut to Tripoli . The MNF was established the same month with contributions from the U.S., France, Italy, and later the United Kingdom.

INITIAL LANDING

The French troops landed in Beirut on August 21 , with the U.S. troops arriving four days later on August 25 and the Italians August 26 . This initial force consisted of 800 Americans, 400 French, and 800 Italian troops. The PLO withdrew from Beirut to Tunisia on August 30 ; the Marines and the other foreign troops later withdrew to ships in the Mediterranean Sea .

INCREASED INVOLVEMENT

Despite the withdrawal of the PLO from Beirut, the MNF's mission was far from over. On September 14 , Lebanese President Bachir Gemayel was assassinated. Then, from September 16 - 18 , hundreds of Palestinian s were murdered by Lebanese Christian s in the Sabra And Shatila Massacres . This incident prompted U.S. President Ronald Reagan to organize a new MNF with France and Italy. On September 29 , this new force entered Beirut, with about 1,200 Marines. Their mission was to help the new Lebanese government and army with stability.

This new force consisted of 1,400 Marines (later increased to 1,800) of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Division . The Battalion Landing Team's headquarters was based at Beirut International Airport . France's contingent of 1,500 Foreign Legion Paratrooper s were based in West Beirut, and 1,400 Italian troops were based in the area between West Beirut and the airport. In February 1983 , British troops would join the MNF.

During the winter of 1982-1983, the MNF was successful in its mission. Though officially Neutral , the force was responsible for preventing attacks from various Lebanese factions and the Israeli Army. However, the MNF increasingly came under fire from factions of the Lebanese Civil War.

On April 18 , 1983 , the U.S. Embassy in West Beirut Was Bombed , killing 63 people. This blast was a clear sign of opposition to the MNF.

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Multinational Force In Lebanon