Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dciem.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!mmt From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Responding to Terrorism Message-ID: <1613@dciem.UUCP> Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 18:42:10 EDT Article-I.D.: dciem.1613 Posted: Wed Jul 3 18:42:10 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 3-Jul-85 20:35:21 EDT References: <500@ttidcc.UUCP> <920@sdcsla.UUCP>Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 31 Summary: >Lebanon's internal troubles have been their own fault for a long time. > >Chris Shaw watmath!watmum!cdshaw or cdshaw@watmath > Before King Hussein kicked the PLO out of Jordan because they were messing up his country, Lebanon was the jewel of the Middle East, and Beirut the jewel of the Mediterranean. It was the one place in the area that had a reputation as tolerant and safe, both Western and Arab in culture and contact. For the PLO, it was another place they didn't want to be, but still a convenient base for terrorism, and terrorists don't much approve of moderates or of toleration. (Not trying to claim most Palestinians are terrorists, or even that they don't have very legitimate grievances both against the Arab nations and against Israel). When you put a large group of armed outcasts into a "nice" society, like Lebanon was, the society doesn't have much chance to survive in its original form. If Lebanon is to blame for its own troubles, it is largely because it was tolerant enough (or weak enough or shortsighted enough) to allow the PLO to set up shop there. As another point, Syria never really accepted the separation of Lebanon, and has always wanted to assert its authority (and presumably eventually extend its territory into the area). A stable Lebanese government is not in Syria's interests. -- Martin Taylor {allegra,linus,ihnp4,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt {uw-beaver,qucis,watmath}!utcsri!dciem!mmt