View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives A"Dangerous"Sideshow" ! The$US$and$the$Lebanese$Civil$War$ 197581976$ ! Geir!Bergersen!Huse! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Master’s!Thesis!in!History!! Department!of!Archaeology,!Conservation,!and!History!(IAKH)! UNIVERSITY!OF!OSLO! Fall!2014! ! ! ! ii ! ! A!Dangerous!Sideshow! ! The$US$and$the$Lebanese$Civil$War$ 197581976$ ! Geir!Bergersen!Huse! ! ! ! ! Master’s!Thesis!in!History!! Department!of!Archaeology,!Conservation,!and!History!(IAKH)! UNIVERSITY!OF!OSLO! Fall!2014! iii Copyright: Geir Bergersen Huse 2014 A Dangerous Sideshow. The US and the Lebanese Civil War, 1975-1976. Geir Bergersen Huse The phrase “a dangerous sideshow” is taken from: Gerges, Fawaz A. ”Lebanon” in: Sayigh, Yezid and Shlaim, Avi (eds.). The Cold War and the Middle East. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997: 94 http://www.duo.uio.no Preface The process of writing this thesis has been rewarding and educational, even if it has been painful at times. I have learned a lot about Lebanon, the US and myself. Most of all, the process has been fun. I would like to thank numerous people, though I will probably forget to mention even half of them. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Hilde Henriksen Waage. She has helped me more than anyone, with her seemingly endless knowledge and capacity. Hilde is also one of the most patient, supportive and hard working people I have ever met. I would like to thank Sarah, who shown remarkable patience and has given me unconditional support. Speaking of unconditional, I would like to thank my family as well. Especially my mother and father, whose emotional and financial support I will be hard pressed to return. Great thanks go to Mocca and the rest of the Forsudd family. I would like to thank all my friends, who must have forgotten what I look like by now. Amy and Lars have been of immense help, sacrificing their own spare time to read, reread and proofread. Their feedback has been invaluable. Thanks to Madelen and Sarah, who also volunteered to read. The other students at Hilde’s seminars have also provided much appreciated insights and contributions. I am forever grateful to all my fellow history students. You made these past years memorable, not to mention lots of fun. I would like to think the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor and everyone there. The staff was fantastic, guiding me through the immense jungle of sources. I am immensely grateful to Alice, who was great company and gave me a place to stay during my weeks in Ann Arbor. My thanks go out to Annie and RJ, who also stayed at Alice’s. Alice and RJ were the best friends anyone could ask for and treated me like we had known each other forever. They showed me around Ann Arbor, took me to Detroit and taught me to appreciate American football. I hope I will get a chance to return to Ann Arbor one day. Lastly, I would like to thank the US Border Agent who let me into the US. When I told him why was going to Ann Arbor, he almost denied me entry. He could not comprehend why anyone would want to study Gerald R. Ford. v Preface'................................................................................................................................................'v! Chapter'1:'Introduction'.................................................................................................................'1! The'Making'of'US'Policy'Toward'the'Middle'East'..........................................................................'2! US'Interests'in'the'Middle'East'.............................................................................................................'2! Domestic'Pressure'and'Foreign'Policy'..............................................................................................'4! The'Individuals:'Ford'and'Kissinger'..................................................................................................'5! Primary'Sources'........................................................................................................................................'7! Literature'....................................................................................................................................................'9! Chapter'2:'Origins'of'the'Lebanese'Civil'War'.....................................................................'13! Osman'Rule'...............................................................................................................................................'13! The'French'Mandate'..............................................................................................................................'14! The'National'pact'and'Independence'..............................................................................................'15! The'1958'Crisis'........................................................................................................................................'15! The'Palestinians'......................................................................................................................................'17! The'Cairo'Agreement'and'the'Palestinian'StateSWithinSaSState'............................................'19! Black'September'–'Palestinian'Expulsion'from'Jordan'.............................................................'20! Discontent'and'Civil'Unrest'.................................................................................................................'22! Sectarian'Violence'..................................................................................................................................'23! Chapter'3:'The'Civil'War'begins'..............................................................................................'27! StepSbySStep.'Kissinger’s'Diplomacy'................................................................................................'27! January'Violence'.....................................................................................................................................'29! The'Sidon'Shooting'.................................................................................................................................'31! The'March'Shuttle'...................................................................................................................................'32! Civil'War'.....................................................................................................................................................'33! Government'Breakdown'......................................................................................................................'34! The'Karami'Government'and'the'July'CeaseSFire'........................................................................'35! Abduction'..................................................................................................................................................'36! Renewed'Fighting'...................................................................................................................................'38! Sinai'II'.........................................................................................................................................................'39! Rumored'Interventions'........................................................................................................................'40! Developing'a'US'Policy'Toward'Lebanon'.......................................................................................'42! Implementing'US'Policy'........................................................................................................................'48! Chapter'4:'Syria’s'Changing'Alignment'.................................................................................'51! The'Collapse'of'the'National'Dialogue'Committee'......................................................................'52! The'FrangiehSKarami'Accord'.............................................................................................................'55! Syria’s'Changing'Alignment'.................................................................................................................'55! Black'Saturday'.........................................................................................................................................'57! Partition:'A'Christian'Lebanon'...........................................................................................................'58! Preventing'Intervention'.......................................................................................................................'59! US'Mediation'.............................................................................................................................................'61! Limiting'the'Flow'of'Arms'....................................................................................................................'65! Soviet'Involvement'.................................................................................................................................'65! MaroniteSSyrian'Rapprochement'and'the'January'CeaseSFire'...............................................'66! The'Constitutional'Document'.............................................................................................................'67! The'ArafatSAssad'Breakup'...................................................................................................................'69!