319. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State1
1560. General Chehab (Embtel 1478)2 has consistently indicated that whatever new government comes into office after September 24 will at least in principle insist on withdrawal of US forces. Chehab himself stated this as a principal aim in his declaration to Lebanese people August 4 (Embtel 944).3 Rashid Karame in today’s papers includes in his policy statement of goals in event he is named Prime Minister evacuation of foreign forces from Lebanese soil. We have also noted similar concern on part of Jordanian Government as indicated last paragraph Amman’s 850.4
Since within a week or 10 days it seems inevitable we shall be asked to leave Department will no doubt wish to consider possibility of some statement on our part which might lessen threat of vicious propaganda attacks upon us by Cairo–Baghdad–Damascus radios and Communist propaganda machine elsewhere. Such attacks might portray US withdrawal from Lebanon as “retreat of imperialists” or evacuation forced by triumphant anti-US public opinion.
As seen from here a statement on our part that the security situation in Lebanon has so improved as to make possible our voluntary withdrawal of US forces would go far to obviate these contingencies. It might be possible in Secretary’s forthcoming speech at opening session of UN General Assembly to work in some declaration of intent promptly to remove our troops from Lebanon in close consultation with Lebanese Government and in spirit of UNGA resolution of August 21.
Admiral Holloway is submitting similar views to JCS.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/9–1558. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Amman, and USUN.↩
- Document 313.↩
- Telegram 944 from Beirut, August 5, reported on Chehab’s first address to the nation following his election as President. (Department of State, Central Files 783A.11/8–558)↩
- See footnote 2, supra.↩