The Multinational Force in Lebanon (also MNF) was an international peacekeeping force created in 1982 and sent to Lebanon to oversee the withdrawal of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. The participants included contingents of United States Marines, French paratroopers, Italian soldiers, and British soldiers. link titleThe word international can mean: Between nations or encompassing several nations. ... Norwegian Blue Helmet during the Siege of Sarajevo, 1992 - 1993, photo by Mikhail Evstafiev. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with an intent to destroy Israel. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ...

Background

Americans had previously been involved in Lebanese affairs, during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. In that intervention, 14,000 Americans were sent to Lebanon by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to quell the opposition to President Camille Chamoun and neighboring countries. The operation was considered a success. Lebanese Muslims pushed the government to join the newly created United Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria), while Christians wanted to keep Lebanon aligned with Western Powers. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American soldier and politician. ... Camille Chamoun Camille Chamoun (April 3, 1900 - August 7, 1987) was President of Lebanon from 1952 to 1958, and served his country in numerous other capacities throughout his adult life. ...

In 1975, the Lebanese Civil War began. Further instability was caused in 1982 by the invasion of Lebanon by Israel, which claimed to be targeting the Palestinian Liberation Organization based there. As the capital of Beirut was besieged by the Israelis, U.S. Ambassador Philip Habib negotiated with the warring parties for an end to the fighting and for the establishment of a peacekeeping force in Beirut. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) had its origin in the conflicts and political compromises of Lebanons colonial period and was exacerbated by the nations changing demographic trends, Christian and Muslim inter-religious strife, and proximity to Syria and Israel. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1982 Lebanon War, also known as the 1982 Invasion of Lebanon or Operation Peace of the Galilee (מבצע שלום הגליל Mivtza Shlom HaGalil in Hebrew), began June 6, 1982, when the Israel Defense Force invaded southern Lebanon. ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with an intent to destroy Israel. ... Central Beirut (2004) Beirut (Arabic: , transliterated BayrÅ«t - the French name, Beyrouth, was also commonly used in English in the past) is the capital, largest city and chief seaport of Lebanon. ... Philip Charles Habib (February 25, 1920–May 25, 1992) was an American career diplomat known for work in Vietnam and the Middle East. ...

In August, the siege intensified, but Habib was successful in getting the PLO to decide to withdraw from Beirut to Tripoli. The MNF was established the same month with contributions from the U.S., France, Italy, and later the United Kingdom. Tripoli (Arabic طرابلس Trablus, academically transliterated Ṭarābulus) is the second-largest city in Lebanon. ...

Initial landing

The French troops landed in Beirut on August 21, with the U.S. troops arriving four days later on August 25 and the Italians August 26. This initial force consisted of 800 Americans, 400 French, and 800 Italian troops. The PLO withdrew from Beirut to Tunisia on August 30; the Marines and the other foreign troops later withdrew to ships in the Mediterranean Sea. August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... August 26 is the 238th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (239th in leap years). ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... Satellite image The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ...

Increased involvement

Despite the withdrawal of the PLO from Beirut, the MNF's mission was far from over. On September 14, Lebanese President Bachir Gemayel was assassinated. Then, from September 16-18, hundreds of Palestinians were murdered by Lebanese Christians in the Sabra and Shatila massacres. This incident prompted U.S. President Ronald Reagan to organize a new MNF with France and Italy. On September 29, this new force entered Beirut, with about 1,200 Marines. Their mission was to help the new Lebanese government and army with stability. September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... Bachir Gemayel Bachir Gemayel, first name also spelt Bashir (Arabic: بشير الجميل), (November 10, 1947 - September 14, 1982) was a Lebanese military commander, politician and president elect. ... September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Sabra and Shatila massacre (or Sabra and Chatila massacre) was carried out in September 1982 by Lebanese Maronite Christian militias in then-Israeli-occupied Beirut, Lebanon. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ...

This new force consisted of 1,400 Marines (later increased to 1,800) of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Division. The Battalion Landing Team's headquarters was based at Beirut International Airport. France's contingent of 1,500 Foreign Legion paratroopers were based in West Beirut, and 1,400 Italian troops were based in the area between West Beirut and the airport. In February 1983, British troops would join the MNF. Terminal Overview Beirut International Airport is an airport located in Beirut, Lebanon. ... A foreign legion is a military force originally established by a monarch, consisting of foreigners who are not normally subjects of the king. ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the winter of 1982-1983, the MNF was successful in its mission. Though officially neutral, the force was responsible for preventing attacks from various Lebanese factions and the Israeli Army. However, the MNF increasingly came under fire from factions of the Lebanese Civil War. Some things which can be neutral are: Neutral country, in politics, a country takes no side in a conflict. ...

On April 18, 1983, the U.S. embassy in West Beirut was bombed, killing 63 people. This blast was a clear sign of opposition to the MNF. April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ... The April 18, 1983, suicide bombing of the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon was the deadliest attack on a US displomatic mission to that time, and is seen by some as marking the beginning of anti-US attacks by Islamic groups. ...

The Israeli Army agreed on May 17, 1983 to eventually withdraw from Beirut. In August 1983, U.S. Marine forces fought with members of Shiite Muslim and Druze Christian militias. Several Marines were killed and others wounded. In response, the U.S. warships USS Virginia and USS John Rodgers shelled Shiite and Druze positions near Beirut. May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... This article appears to contradict itself. ... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ... A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. ... The fifth USS Virginia (CGN-38) was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, the lead ship of her class. ... USS John Rodgers (DD-983), a Spruance-class destroyer, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the three generations of the Rodgers family who served in the Navy. ...

Barracks bombing

Main article: 1983 Beirut barracks bombing The mushroom cloud after the attack. ...

The MNF was given a devastating blow on October 23, when truck bombs driven by suicide bombers hit the U.S. Marine and French Paratrooper barracks in Beirut, killing 241 American and 58 French soldiers. With this incident, the MNF suffered its greatest number of casualties and drew calls to withdraw from Lebanon. Still, President Reagan said the Marines would stay. October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ... A suicide bombing is a bomb attack on people or property, committed by a person who knows the explosion will cause his or her own death in addition to the attacks primary purpose (see suicide, suicide weapons). ...

Responsibility for the two barracks blasts has not been definitely determined. The U.S. blames Hezbollah and Iran for the blasts. The Hezbollah flag Hezbollah (Arabic ‮حزب الله‬, meaning Party of God, for other designations or alternative spellings, see name part of this article) is a political and military party in Lebanon founded in 1982 to fight Israel in southern Lebanon. ...

Later confrontations and withdrawal

French warplanes struck the Bekka Valley in November, hitting Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions. They claimed this was in response to the barracks bombing. At this time, tensions rose between Syria and the United States as anti-aircraft batteries were fired at U.S. planes as they patrolled over Lebanon. This culminated in the first direct U.S. military involvement in Lebanon on December 4. After being fired upon by Syrian missiles, U.S. aircraft targeted Syrian missile batteries in the mountains east of Beirut. In the process, Syrian surface to air missiles shot down two American planes: an A-6 Intruder and an A-7 Corsair. The pilot of the A-7 was rescued, but one of the A-6 pilots was killed and the other captured by the Syrians. Béqaa is a region in Lebanon with a population of 750,000 inhabitants. ... Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (Persian سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی - Sepah Pasdaran Enghaleb Islam-e), often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian name Sepah, tranlated to English as Pasdaran, is a military organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. ... The Grumman A-6 Intruder is a US attack aircraft. ... The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II was a light attack aircraft based on the F-8 Crusader. ...

On the same day, eight U.S. Marines were killed by shells from Syrian-backed militias at the airport observation post.

In response to more Syrian fire, the battleship USS New Jersey fired on Lebanon on December 14 and 15. Meanwhile, Yasir Arafat and his PLO left Tripoli on December 20 on five Greek ships bound for Tunisia. The MNF was targeted again by bombs on December 21, with a truck bomb killing a French soldier and 14 Lebanese outside a French military base and a bomb killing four at a Western bar. The second United States Navy New Jersey (BB-62), known as Big J, is an Iowa-class battleship that was in service from 1943 to 1991, one of the longest-serving battleships of the 20th century. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Yasser Arafat Yasser Arafat (August 4 or August 24, 1929 – November 11, 2004), born Muhammad `Abd ar-Rauf al-Qudwa al-Husayni (Arabic محمد عبد الرؤوف القدوة الحسيني) and also known as Abu `Ammar (ابو عمّار), was co-founder and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (1969–2004... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

The U.S. Navy flyer captured by the Syrians, Lt. Robert Goodman, was released January 3, 1984, after negotiations with Reverend Jesse Jackson. At the same time, U.S. President Ronald Reagan was pressured for a troop withdrawal from Lebanon by Congress. These calls were increased after the Lebanese PM and his cabinet resigned February 5. Shiite and Druze militiamen began fighting outside Beirut on February 6 and threw the capital into chaos. Reagan ordered the 1,700 Marines to begin withdrawing on February 7. January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This page is about the year 1984. ... Jesse Jackson The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. ... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

The Italians had pulled out on February 20; the Marines followed on February 26. The last French troops left on March 31. February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining, as the final day of March. ...

Casualties

The United States lost 265 soldiers in Lebanon, all but nine in hostile incidents, and all but 24 in the barracks bombing. 159 were wounded. France lost 89 soldiers (58 of them in the barracks bombing) and had 110 wounded. One Italian soldier was killed during the mission.

See also

• UNIFIL

UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) was created in 1978 by the United Nations to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area. ...

External links

• Lebanon: 1982-1984
• US Multinational Force - Lebanon
• Marines in Lebanon
• Multinational Force