On Sun, 23 Jun 2002, Brad DeLong wrote:
> No. The one that Sharon had planned. The one in which the IDF provides
> heavy weapons, artillery, and air support while Gemayel's militia goes
> house-to-house through Beirut killing everyone who might belong to the
> PLO...
First question: how did he stop that? Israel provided the heavy weapons, artillery and air support -- i.e., everything Sharon promised. It was the Maronites who never went in. The prevailing impression given at the time is that they never intended to -- they intended for the Israelis to do it, and the Israelis intended for them to do it. (Which is a good description of most of their alliance. And a good description of the prime warlord strategy since Sun Tzu.) What does Habib say different that presents him as the stopper? Does he say he was controlling Bashir in June??
Two: if Habib knew for a fact such a massacre was planned by these two parties in June, why on earth did he do nothing to safeguard this population after having negotiated the removal of their only armed protectors? And how can he walk away feeling guiltless?
And Three, just BTW: Does Habib believe the Israelis killed Bashir Gameyal -- thereby literally blowing all his plans to hell within a month of their being made? And all possibility of peace. Because if so, calling Sharon a hindrance would be an understatement.
Michael