First Phase Flashcards
(7 cards)
Explain the Phalangist/LF motivations at outbreak of war (prior to secessionist movement)
- Blamed all Muslims as terrorists and PAN-ARABISTS, just like all Catholics as IRA/Republicans according to Loyalists.
- Do NOT WANT TO BE ABSORBED INTO PAN-ARAB STATE BECAUSE THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR CHRISTIAN DOMINANCE
- Is mostly a bourgeois / wealthy finance elite movement/population (had enjoyed unprecedented access to majority of wealth before the war -> banking, etc)
- Separate “Phoenician” identity from Arab identity -> ARE Arabs, but this develops as a kind of “native Ulster” identity thing. Overall complex though -> ARE ARABS, so DO AT TIMES SUPPORT PAN-ARABISM.
- Economic liberalism
- WANT TO PROVOKE A FIGHT WITH PALESTINIANS TO ACHIEVE THEIR FINAL EXPULSION
Briefly explain the LNM’s motivations
- Pan-Arabism (Baathists)
- Revolutionary internally -> want replacement for unequal confessionalism.
- Support for PLO cause.
- Political revolution (moderate aims honestly -> army and confessionalism reforms.)
- Palestinians sit it out, waging their own war, until at times dragged into conflict
Why do the Christians fear the PLO so much?
NOT necessarily because of sparking war w/ israel, but because they are armed and dangerous SUNNI Muslims who could (and have) radicalized the LNM/Lebanese Muslims to rise up and fight for their freedoms/political liberation/balance of power
Also, HAVE committed ugly sectarian violence against Israelis -> Just like Loyalists fearing that the IRA is a murderous pogromist group.
What about the army?
- Officer class Maronite -> paralyzed because there could be revolt from lower ranks if they move against Muslims TOO much -> usually need very specific aim and good coverage of “this is to stop ALL fighting” in order to intervene.
- Often powerless to hold ceasefires because of rapid tempo of attack -> reprisal, etc.
- thirty three ceasefires in first year of war.
Explain the Maronite Secessionist movement
- Catalyst is Bachir Gemayel coming to power of Lebanese Forces -> NEW RIGHTIST COALITION THAT INCLUDES PHALANGISTS
- Bachir is far right, CIA’s “Our Guy” in the region -> receives backing to SECEDE FROM LEBANON
- Want “doomsday” UVF/UDA scenario -> Carved out Maronite portions (Mount Lebanon, East Beirut) and ethnically cleansed of Muslims.
- Would be Israel 2.0 essentially. Israel and US both wanted it as ally in region, increase foothold. Muslims did NOT want it because Israel would have a wealthy armoured ally in the region, and Christians DID want it because they do NOT want to be swallowed up by the pan-Arabist movement and LOSE THEIR MONOPOLY OF WEALTH/POWER IN LEBANON because of confessionalism.
- Syria against it because it is pro pan-Arabism.
What were the main factors leading up to (first) Syrian intervention
Two main goals:
1. Stop Gemayel and LF from seceding from Lebanon (pro pan-Arabism, does NOT want Israel to have a regional ally)
2. Stop LNM / Jumblatt from succeeding in political revolution (believes this will result in radical pro-Palestinian state, and fair enough, because PLO would have been allowed to steer the ship to a degree / been backed by Lebanese army. Are there any other examples of this? Of one country being eradicated and then its people taking over another? Anyway, AFRAID OF ISRAELI INVASION BECAUSE OF THIS / PLO PRESENCE).
- Basically know (think) they can trust Maronites (who ARE Arabs after all) and get BACK TO SOME KIND OF STATUS QUO WITHOUT PROVOKING AN ISRAELI INVASION AND WITHOUT THERE BEING A CHRISTIAN MINI STATE
- BUT ULTIMATELY SWITCHES SIDES REPEATEDLY -> in 76/77, briefly even supports revolutionary PLO because Israel has allied itself w/ southern Christians -> only supports PLO enough to defeat this alliance.
What drove the Christians away from Syria and towards Israel?
- Assad backs Maronites initially -> 1976 invasion, 10,000 die or so. Most troops on the ground, much of country occupied by Syria
- HAD trusted Maronites because they were party in power -> thought that returning them to status quo would stabilize situation and prevent LNM revolutionary elements from rising up and keep Israel from invading
- BUT -> do NOT KICK OUT PALESTINIANS -> protected by 1969 accords (idfk man)
- Christians therefore DO NOT HAVE THEIR MAIN QUALM ADDRESSED AT TIME OF MAIN CEASEFIRE -> start organizing for secession, think PLO are terrorists that will bring about unified pan-Arab state headed by Sunni Muslims, making Christians lose their power OR simply overthrowing the Maronite executive of Lebanon/confessionalism.
- Begin constructing an airstrip, etc. Start of Parallel economy
- Begin courting Israel.
- Just like unionists then -> terrified of BOTH LOSING POWER WITHIN THEIR STATE AND BECOMMING PART OF A BROADER SECTARIAN STATE WHERE THEY WOULD LOSE POWER AND BECOME A MINORITY.
- In 76/77 Almaa Shaab, a localized Maronite group in south Lebanon, allies directly w/ Israel -> opens door for Phalangists / LF to side with it under Bachir Gemayel (radical rightist).
- Likewise, obviously, ISRAELIS WANT A CHRISTIAN BUFFER STATE(S) TO PROTECT AGAINST PLO, GET MORE WESTERN CAPITAL/ARMS, AND TO DISINTEGRATE THREAT OF UNITED ARAB STATES/ REVOLUTIONARY PLO-LED LEBANESE GOVT.
