Quotes

from this book on the US intervention in 1958 and 1982. The first is interesting, but the second is as relevant today as it was then ...

Gemayel to Shultz: We want to reach an agreement with Israel, but we want an agreement that results in withdrawals. In other words, an agreement with Israel should be acceptable to Syria. Otherwise, the Syrian army will not withdraw - which means that the Israeli army will not withdraw. We shall then have an agreement - but also complete occupation. We shall have paid the political prie for an agreement with Israel, endangering our Internal unity and our Arab ties, without regaining our land. We cannot sign any agreement that is so expensive politically yet does nothing towards restoring our sovereignty.

According to the author, it was pressure that forced Gemayel to sign the agreement. The following quote supports that:

Lebanese diplomat to author: We signed the agreement because we chose the American option. By that i mean, we chose to have peace with Israel without calling it peace, and at the same time to remain a member of the arab family. we thought that because the US has committed itself to the goal of liberating Lebanon from all foreign forces, this would be done. This statement is repeated on many occasions by American leaders and more specifically by President Reagan during President Gemayel's visit to the White House. Our mistake in Lebanon was that we had great expectation from the US, disregarding the limitation of a superpower in world affairs. The option we opted for was a mirage - nothing else I think.

posted by Lazarus, 5:18 PM