Notes from the Minefield: United States Intervention in Lebanon And the Middle East, 1945-1958 (History and Society of the Modern Middle East (Paperback))

Irene Gendzier's critically acclaimed, wide-reaching analysis of post-World War II U.S. policy in Lebanon posits that the politics of oil and pipelines figured far more significantly in U.S. relations with Lebanon than previously believed. In 1958 the United States sent thousands of troops to shore up the Lebanese regime in the face of domestic opposition and civil war. The justification was preventing a coup in Iraq, but recently declassified documents show that the true objective was to protect America's commercial, political, and strategic interests in Beirut and the Middle East. By reevaluating U.S.-Lebanese relations within the context of America's collaborative intervention with the Lebanese ruling elite, Gendzier aptly demonstrates how oil, power, and politics drove U.S. policy and influenced the development of the state and the region. Featuring a new introduction in which Gendzier discusses the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the remarkable continuity of U.S. foreign policy from 1945 to the present, __Notes from the Minefield__ continues to be the standard text on this topic. A Wide-reaching Analysis Of Post-world War Ii U.s. Policy In Lebanon Posits That The Politics Of Oil And Pipelines Figured Far More Significantly In U.s. Relations With Lebanon Than Previously Believed. By Reevaluating U.s.-lebanese Relations Within The Context Of America's Collaborative Intervention With The Lebanese Ruling Elite, Gendzier Aptly Demonstrates How Oil, Power, And Politics Drove U.s. Policy As Well As Influenced The Development Of The State And Region Of Lebanon. Pt. 1. The Setting Of U.s. Policy. The Dynamic Of Collaborative Intervention -- U.s. Postwar Policy And The Middle East -- Learning Lebanon : A Primer -- Pt. 2. Formative Years In The Evolution Of U.s. Policy : 1944-1952. Alternating Currents Of Criticism And Conformity -- The Foundations Of U.s. Policy, Paclift : Petroleum, Aviation, Commerce, Labor, Intelligence, And The Friendship Treaty -- Altered Circumstances And The Design Of U.s. Political Strategy -- Pt. 3. The Eisenhower Administration And The Sham'un Regime : A Policy Of Information And Consent. Pressure Points And Priorities -- Lebanon : The Bridgehead In The Orient -- Realities Of Power In The Rear Area -- Our Man In Beirut -- Pt. 4. Intervening Before Intervention. Civil War, May 1958 -- Doubt, Deliberation, And Preparation -- Pt. 5. The Minefield Explodes : U.s. Military Intervention -- 11,000 Sorties In Search Of A Target -- By Mutual Consent : July-october 1958 -- Epilogue : 1958 In Retrospect. Originally Published: New York : Columbia University Press, C1997. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [379]-444) And Index. Contents 7 List of Maps and Illustrations 11 Preface 13 Preface to the 2006 Edition 17 PART I: The Setting of U.S. Policy 45 Chapter 1: The Dynamic of Collaborative Intervention 47 Chapter 2: U.S. Postwar Policy and the Middle East 65 Chapter 3: Learning Lebanon: A Primer 87 PART II: Formative Years in the Evolution of U.S. Policy:1944–1952 107 Chapter 4: Alternating Currents of Criticism and Conformity 109 Chapter 5: The Foundations of U.S. Policy, PACLIFT: Petroleum, Aviation, Commerce, Labor, Intelligence, and the Friendship Treaty 134 Chapter 6: Altered Circumstances and the Design of U.S. Political Strategy 159 PART III: The Eisenhower Administration and the Sham‘un Regime: A Policy of Information and Consent 185 Chapter 7: Pressure Points and Priorities 187 Chapter 8: Lebanon: The “Bridgehead in the Orient” 204 Chapter 9: Realities of Power in the “Rear Area” 225 Chapter 10: Our Man in Beirut 246 PART IV: Intervening Before Intervention 279 Chapter 11: Civil War, May 1958 281 Chapter 12: Doubt, Deliberation, and Preparation 322 PART V: The Minefield Explodes:U.S. Military Intervention 351 Chapter 13: 11,000 Sorties in Search of a Target 353 Chapter 14: By Mutual Consent: July–October 1958 396 Epilogue: 1958 in Retrospect 423 Notes 437 Bibliography 481 Index 503 Irene Gendzier's critically acclaimed, wide-reaching analysis of post-World War II U.S. policy in Lebanon posits that the politics of oil and pipelines figured far more significantly in U.S. relations with Lebanon than previously believed. In 1958 the United States sent thousands of troops to shore up the Lebanese regime in the face of domestic opposition and civil war. The justification was preventing a coup in Iraq, but recently declassified documents show that the true objective was to protect America's commercial, political, and strategic interests in Beirut and the Middle East. By reevaluating U.S.-Lebanese relations within the context of America's collaborative intervention with the Lebanese ruling elite, Gendzier aptly demonstrates how oil, power, and politics drove U.S. policy and influenced the development of the state and the region. In her new preface, Gendzier discusses the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the remarkable continuity of U.S. foreign policy from 1945 to the present. In July 1958, close to 15,000 marines landed in Beirut, while some 11,000 air sorties were over Lebanon.