Statement on the Deployment of the 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. Text:
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 reconciliation 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 |