Office of the Historian

152. Memorandum From the Vice President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Gregg) to Vice President Bush1

Washington, June 18, 1985

SUBJECT

  • Conversation with Algerian Ambassador Sahnoun

I telephoned Algerian Ambassador Sahnoun and said I would like to talk about the current hostage situation. He responded immediately and came to my office, where we had a good thirty-minute discussion. Highlights are as follows:

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Sahnoun feels that a solution to the immediate problem can be worked out. He believes that the ICRC, working with the Israelis, can be very helpful.
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Sahnoun is aware that the American public is deeply frustrated and angered. He suggested that three things be done:
1.
Remind the American people that it is not just the U.S. that suffers from terrorism. Recently, Kuwait,2 Jordan3 and Saudi Arabia4 have all suffered at the hands of terrorists.
2.
An international effort must be undertaken to ensure that security at international airports be enhanced. Sahnoun spoke admiringly of El Al’s protective measures and urged that other western airlines take similar measures.
3.
Sahnoun said that VOA and USIA do too little in explaining U.S. policy to the Middle East. He stated that we report the news, but do not make clear to Arab people why we do what we do.
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Turning to Lebanon, Sahnoun said, “Israel has awakened a monster by invading Lebanon.”5 By this he was referring to the Lebanese Shiites, long the numerically dominant segment of the people who are now just beginning to realize actual power through the chaos created by the Israeli invasion. As they have successfully resisted the Israelis, the Shiites have become, in a way, intoxicated by their power and will not be denied. Sahnoun said that the Syrians have been very wise to stay out of Shiite territory or they would also be attacked as are Palestinians and other ethnic groups.
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Sahnoun said that U.S. retaliation in a Lebanese context would be deeply counterproductive. He said that a “profound enmity” would be created among the Shiites toward the U.S. He said that the Shiites are like the Corsicans in that they are prone to carrying on endless vendettas. In talking to the original two hijackers in Algeria, it became clear that their primary motivation was release of prisoners held by Israelis who included many former relatives.6 Shiites killed by a U.S. retaliation would have relatives who would dedicate themselves to continuing vendettas against the U.S. Retaliation might also unite Shiites in other countries against the U.S. Sahnoun added that he does not rule out retaliation in all cases, but that if we retaliate, we must be very clear about the consequences with which we will have to deal.
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Finally, Sahnoun urged that we not pull out of Lebanon. He suggested that we keep a low profile, but urged that we maintain a presence so that our influence can be used constructively as the tumultuous results of the Israeli invasion gradually subside.

I thanked Sahnoun for coming and for all that Algeria has done to be helpful in this case.

  1. Source: George H.W. Bush Library, Vice Presidential Records, Office of National Security Affairs, Donald P. Gregg Files, Country Files, OA/ID 19796, Folder 19796–005, Algeria—1985. Confidential. Copies were sent to Fuller and Fortier. At the top of the memorandum, Bush wrote: “Good report. GB.”↩
  2. Reference is presumably to the December 3, 1984, hijacking of Kuwait Airways flight en route from Kuwait City to Karachi. Hijackers shot and killed two USAID workers. Documentation is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. XLVII, Part 1, Terrorism, January 1977–May 1985.↩
  3. On June 11, terrorists hijacked a plane owned by Alia, a Jordanian airline, shortly before its planned flight to Amman. After two days, the hijackers released all 71 hostages, blew up the plane on the tarmac at Beirut Airport, and escaped into the city. (Ihsan Hijazi, “Beirut Hijackers Free Travelers, Blow Up Jet,” New York Times, June 13, 1985, p. A1)↩
  4. Not further identified.↩
  5. On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded southern Lebanon. Documentation is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. XVIII, Part 1, Lebanon, April 1981–August 1982.↩
  6. Israel used the Ansar detention camp in southern Lebanon to house thousands of captured prisoners after it invaded Lebanon in 1982.↩