Word: militia
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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personalities could hardly have been more different. Bashir, 34, was charismatic but tough, a military man whose favorite pastime was hanging out with members of the private militia he led. Amin, 40, was quiet and intellectual, a lawyer and businessman who kept out of the limelight to pursue his private life. Bashir felt comfortable in fatigues or at the wheel of a Jeep; Amin has always had an eye for fine tailoring and limousines. While Bashir evoked strong emotions of loyalty or hatred, Amin was regarded...
conciliator, the "human face of the Phalange," as some Lebanese put it. Above all, Bashir was closely identified with Israel, which had helped finance and train his militia. Amin had always maintained good contacts with Arab states and opposition groups inside Lebanon. Following the 1975-76 civil war, which divided Beirut into Christian and Muslim sectors, he visited West Beirut regularly to talk with his Muslim counterparts. During negotiations for the evacuation of the Palestine Liberation Organization from West Beirut last summer, Amin met quietly with Abu Iyad, the P.L.O.'s military commander. Born in the predominantly Christian village...
...Palestine Liberation Organization guerrillas from West Beirut. The latest mission of the Leathernecks', as well as of French and Italian troops: to help the Lebanese government maintain order in the wake of last month's massacre of as many as 400 Palestinians by Lebanese Christian militia forces allied to Israel...
Israel, at the same time, has developed a more realistic attitude toward its northern neighbor. The Begin government, which helped train Bashir Gemayel's militia, was badgering the late President-elect only a few weeks ago for important concessions, including a peace treaty with Israel. After one meeting in which Begin repeatedly addressed Bashir, 34, as "young man," an insult in the Middle East, Bashir returned to Beirut protesting that "they won't let me have my dignity." Amin does not share his brother's fondness for Israel, and the Begin government is determined to treat...
...chance would have been extremely slim at best. Although the U.S. denounced the Israeli occupation of West Beirut, the President undercut the force of the protest. Campaigning in New Jersey, Reagan offhandedly commented, "I'm sure what led them to move in was an attack by some leftist militia forces." Says one U.S. foreign policy analyst: "Begin is always watching to see if Reagan will go soft. And he will always choose to believe those Reagan statements over a diplomatic message...