THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY ROLE OF THE LEBANESE FORCES MILITIA

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CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9
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S
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19
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December 21, 2016
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October 8, 2008
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4
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August 1, 1983
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REPORT
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Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 The Political, and Military Role of the Lebanese Forces Militia An IaftHimce A ae t State Dept. review completed Secret NESA 83-10177C August 295 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 The Political and Military Role of the Lebanese Forces Militia This paper was prepared b~ The paper was coordinated with the Directorate of Operations. Comments and queries are welcome and may be directed to the Chief, Arab-Israeli Division, on Directorate of Secret (1A Intelligence Secret NESA 83-10177C 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Secret The Political and Military Role of the Lebanese Forces Militia Key Judgments The Christian Lebanese Forces militia seriously threatens Lebanese do- Information available mestic stability and the extension of central government authority. Second as of 27 July 1983 only to the Army as an indigenous military force, the key objective of the was used in this report. 4,000-man militia is preservation of Christian Maronite hegemony in Lebanon's predominantly Muslim society. In our view, political support for President Amin Gemayel is more likely to evaporate because of the Lebanese Forces than because of any other single factor. Relations between the government and the militia are constantly shifting. The assassination of President-elect and former Lebanese Forces Com- mander Bashir Gemayel and a rift-probably temporary-between the militia and Israel, its main benefactor, enabled the Lebanese Government earlier this year to make limited political gains at Lebanese Forces expense. Since then, the Lebanese Forces militia has taken advantage of Gemayel's preoccupation with the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations to resume its activist role. The Lebanese Army is the only instrument of central government authority and is thus critical to government efforts to maintain public order. As the government attempts to extend its authority in territories vacated by foreign forces, it will have to contend with the efforts of the Lebanese Forces to subjugate the Druze, harass the Palestinians, and suppress the in- creasingly vocal Shia community. Gemayel will use the Army to stand between contending factions, but he will not want to use it to confront the militia. Direct confrontation could split the Army as occurred during the civil war. The Army's role, therefore, will be limited by the political deals the President can work out with factional leaders. If the Army can check factional violence and reassure confessional groups-a less likely prospect-the justification for the Lebanese Forces will be greatly diminished. Only then would Gemayel attempt to weaken the militia, although the central government will not be strong enough to eliminate it for the near future. Unless the Lebanese Forces militia can be brought to heel, its actions will jeopardize US policy objectives of restoring the preeminence of central government authority in Lebanon. The occupation of Lebanon by Syrian and Israeli troops has so limited government authority, however, that many factional leaders now believe de facto partition is inevitable and see little to be gained from cooperating with the government. The period following the redeployment of Israeli NESA 83-10177(' Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 forces will be critical. Should the government arrange and enforce a truce between Druze and Christians, the ability of Lebanese Forces leaders to fo- ment trouble and thereby justify their own and the Lebanese Forces existence will diminish. Government failure to establish its authority in the area, however, would harden the partition mentality and embolden the Lebanese Forces. The result is likely to be renewed civil war. Under these circumstances, we expect the Lebanese Forces will move to consolidate control over traditional Christian areas, setting the stage for a Phalange-dominated ministate. Gemayel probably would then abandon efforts to reach new power-sharing arrangements with other religious groups and cast his lot with the militia, knowing that he would need its sup- port to retain leadership. Secret iv 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 The Political and Military Role of the Lebanese Forces Militia In August 1976 the Lebanese Front, a loose coalition of the four major Christian political parties, formally established the "Unified Command of the Lebanese Forces" to coordinate the military operations of the parties' militias in their fight against the Palestine Liberation Organization and its leftist Lebanese al- lies. The parties' militias were unified in name only, however, and for several years remained subordinate 25X1 to their parent groups. Bashir Gemayel, then commander of the Phalange Party militia, worked for the unification of the Chris- tian militias and often used force to impose his leadership. By the end of 1980, the Lebanese Forces had a rudimentary general staff and a Command Council composed of representatives of each of the political parties, although Bashir had established Pha- lange predominance in the organization. At the time of the Israeli invasion in June 1982, Bashir was moving toward the realization of his objective, a 25X1 conventional Christian army The Lebanese Forces under Bashir's leadership be- came an assertive political force. Bashir instilled in his followers a militant philosophy that rejected the clan politics of previous generations in favor of a new political order that would not be hostage to confes- sional interests.' We believe he intended the Lebanese Forces to be his vehicle for long-term control of the Lebanese political system. The Lebanese Forces viewed Bashir Gemayel's elec- tion to the presidency in August 1982 as a guarantee of its legitimacy and predominance in Lebanese poli- tics. Bashir's assassination in September and the ' There are more than a dozen recognized religious, or confessional, groups in Lebanon. The country's political structure, fashioned under the French mandate, apportions high-level political, military, and civil service positions among confessional groups, according to an unwritten National Covenant between leading Christian and Muslim politicians acknowledged in 1943. The Covenant is based on the 1932 census-the last taken in Lebanon-which showed a slight Christian majority. The population balance has shifted in favor of the Muslims, and their demands for more equitable power- sharing arrangements are fundamental causes of confessional con- Phalange Forces in East Beirut celebrate the election of Bashir Gemayel as President of Leba- non in August 1982. I&C Lebanese Forces militiamen read news of Basmr Gemayel's assassination in September 1982. subsequent election of his brother Amin ushered in a period of uncertainty for the Lebanese Forces. Ac- cording to US Embassy reports, the militia lost some of its elan and cohesion following Bashir's death. Although its leaders wanted to maintain their organi- zation as a unique military force, the loss of Bashir's Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 The philosophy of the Lebanese Forces generally reflects the political ideology of Lebanon's Maronite Christians, particularly the Phalange Party. A strong opponent of pan-Arabism, the Phalange is determined to preserve Maronite hegemony to ensure that Leba- non will never be dominated by the Muslim majority or absorbed into a larger Arab state. The Phalange acknowledges Lebanon as an Arab country but be- lieves its multisectarian population should serve as a bridge between the West and the Arab world and be neutral in Arab politics. 25X1 25X1 dynamic leadership led them into a series of compro- mises with the new central government. Since then, the Lebanese Forces has taken advantage of the President's preoccupation with the Lebanese-Israeli withdrawal negotiations to resume its activist ro1e.F- Military Objectives At various times over the past four years, Lebanese Forces leaders have mentioned their objectives both publicly and privately. The most important military goals are: ? To recover formerly Christian villages in the Shuf and Alayh districts and establish Christian domi- nance in these areas. ? To attack and destroy Sulayman Franjiyah's rival Christian militia in the north and bring Franjiyah's stronghold under Phalange control. Former Presi- dent Franjiyah, a Syrian ally, is considered a traitor to Christian Lebanon, but the Lebanese Forces is unable to act against Franjiyah until the Syrian troops protecting him withdraw. 0- 1- Christian combatant with crucifix and picture of the Madonna surrounded by ammunition on hood of jeep. ? To expand Lebanese Forces control at least as far south as the Awwali River. ? To kill or force out most Palestinian refu ees in Lebanon. With or without success, Lebanese Forces efforts disrupt Lebanese society and threaten central govern- ment authority. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Secret Figure 1 Lebanon: Controlled Areas Lebanese Forces Bo.nda y S ~t4tion is not nswsrriy authwitatin. BEIRUT Juniyah *'Alayh 'ALAYH Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Table 1 Lebanese Forces Command Council Fadi Fram (President) Phalange Naum Farah Fuad Rukkuz Charles Ghustin Nabil Karam Eli Aswad Nuhab Shalut Samir Tawil Georges Adwan Fawzi Mahfuz Below the regional command level, we believe the Lebanese Forces militia relies heavily upon the mili- tias of the component parties of the Lebanese Front, especially the Phalange.' The Lebanese Forces militia is essentially a defensive organization, experienced and competent in urban warfare and house-to-house fighting, but inexperi- enced and untrained in conventional military tactics. Apart from Samir Ja'ja and a few other high-ranking Lebanese Forces officers, we believe most Lebanese Forces commanders do not have formal military Nadim Shawayri Guardians of the Cedars Etienne Saqr Organization of the Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces militia is headed by a Command Council of 15 men. In principle the Command Coun- cil implements, through the commander, military and political decisions made by the coalition of Lebanese Christian parties. Lebanese Forces ea quarters performs all the staff functions of a regular army headquarters (see foldout at end of paper). In addition, there are staff positions responsi- ble for various civilian functions, including external relations, finance, and the Phalange Party radio. These may be directly subordinate to the Command Council rather than to the Lebanese Forces com- mander. Subordinate to the general staff are the heads of the military branches-probably staff posi- tions-and five regional commanders who apparently have line authority for military operations in their regions. training. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 acurut Lebanese Forces recruits in training at Christian security garrison. Weekend warriors: Lebanese Forces irregulars drill on Sundays. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Amin has since proved more adept at handling the militia. In our judgment, he has learned to exploit the influence of his father, Pierre, over the militia leader- ship in general and Lebanese Forces Commander dency in September 1982 Shifting Alliances The relationship between the Lebanese Forces and the central government has changed with political devel- opments since Amin Gemayel's election to the presi- willing to cooperate with him. During Amin's first four months in office, we believe the militia took advantage of the President's apparent lack of assertiveness in order to stymie his initial efforts to extend government authority beyond West Beirut. The lack of an effective military counter- weight to the Lebanese Forces and Israeli support for the militia left Amin with little leverage. The Presi- dent's initial inability to deal effectively with the militia seriously damaged his credibility with conserv- ative Muslims and leftist groups who initially were Embassy reporting indicates that most militia leaders view Amin as representing old-style clan politics and accuse him of taking advantage of his family position for personal gain. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 25X6 25X6 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Secret The Gemayels: Amin, Pierre, and Bashir. Fadi Fram in particular. Pierre, as head of the Gemayel family and founder and head of the Pha- lange, commands respect and loyalty within the Leba- nese Forces. Fram, moreover, is married to a member of the Gemayel family, a circumstance that reinforces Amin was able to marshal moderate support during the Phalange Party Politburo elections held in June 1983 to narrowly block Lebanese Forces militant Samir Ja'ja from winning a seat in that body. Al- though many observers see this as a significant victory for the President, the closeness of the vote, in our view, illustrates the tenuous balance between the his deference to the senior Gemayel 25X1 25X1 Amin himself is an experienced and able politician. Embassy reports detail Gemayel's careful backroom dealing with the Lebanese Forces that enabled him to deploy the Lebanese Army into the militia stronghold of East Beirut in February and to restore government control over the lucrative illegal ports that had been the main source of revenue for the militia. A Leba- nese official close to the President told US Embassy officials that Gemayel hoped gradually to take over Lebanese Forces finances in a tactical move that would eventually enable the government to control the According to US officials in Beirut, Amin's success in negotiating with the Lebanese Forces indicated that earlier reservations over what the militia perceived as his pro-Muslim attitudes had faded and that the Christian community and the Lebanese Forces ap- 25X1 peared to have accepted Amin's policies. President and his opponents. A wary, but working relationship appears to have developed between Amin and Lebanese Forces lead- ers. We believe it is temporary, based in part on mutual need and on the recognition of a basic identity of interests-the removal of Syrian, Palestinian, and Israeli forces from Lebanon. Moreover, we believe militia leaders see no immediate alternative to Amin and realize he has US backing. There is no active Christian opposition to Amin or any organized effort to undermine his policies. 25X1 Political Attitudes: The Lebanese Forces and the Muslims The initial confidence of militia leaders in the ability of the Lebanese Forces militia to subordinate non- Christian factions to its rule has been tempered, in our view, as it realizes it cannot necessarily count on Israeli backing. As a result, militia leaders appear ready to reach a political accommodation with some religious and political factions. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Amin Gemayel with Druze leader Walid Junblatt: No meeting of minds. P alange Party leader Pierre Gemayel and militia commander Fadi Fram have publicly called for coop- eration between them and "responsible" Muslim lead- ers to dispel the belief that the Phalange and the Lebanese Forces were not interested in cooperating with other communities and were working only for their own objectives. US Embassy reports indicate, however, that these groups remain skeptical. The Lebanese Forces single-minded determination to dominate, if not permanently alter, Lebanon's politi- cal process is dramatically underlined by the militia's violent and bloody actions against Palestinians, Leba- nese Druze, and other leftist groups. Phalange efforts to restore ties with the Sunni elite are motivated, we believe, by a desire to restore the conservative balance in Lebanese politics. Old-line Sunni leaders recognize that by allying themselves with leftists and radicals they have "backed the wrong horse" during the last eight years and, in our judgment, are now prepared to cooperate with the government in anticipation of important political appointments. According to US officials, rank-and- file Sunnis are much less supportive of the govern- ment because they believe it represents Phalange and Lebanese Forces interests and therefore discriminates against them. This view is reinforced by the govern- ment's acquiescence to the continued existence of the Lebanese Forces, while it has disarmed all leftist fighting units within its reach We believe the Lebanese Forces attitude toward the Shia community clearly has shifted over the past year. Amal, the most important Shia organization, sought to improve the Shias' economic and political lot by forging an opportunistic alliance with the Lebanese Forces. Its support for Bashir Gemayel's bid for the presidency contributed significantly to his electoral victory. With the departure of the PLO from Beirut and the weakening of its leftist allies, however, the Lebanese Forces militia is less in need of Shia support, and the cooperation that existed before the Israeli invasion has deteriorated. The US Embassy reports that the Shias distrust Christian intentions, and the Lebanese Forces militia, for its part, regards the Shias as untrustworthy, politically unreliable, and open to in- fluence from revolutionary Iran. The conflict between the Maronites and the Druze, which goes back more than a century and a half, is not so much religious as a contest for territory. With the outbreak of the civil war, the Druze became the linchpin of the National Movement, a coalition of leftist factions allied with the PLO. The Israeli occu- pation of the Shuf and Alayh districts last summer forced the withdrawal of the Palestinian and Syrian protectors of the National Movement. Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Secret The Druze handed the Christian militia a major military setback in late February by driving the Lebanese Forces out of the strategically important village of Alayh. The fighting also panicked many Christians into abandoning their homes in the area. The Lebanese Forces and the Palestinians A primary goal of the Lebanese Forces is the eradica- tion of the PLO presence in Lebanon and the elimina- tion of as many of the country's Palestinian residents as possible. The Lebanese Forces regard the bulk of Lebanon's 400,000 Palestinians as usurpers whose political activities and revolutionary goals triggered the civil war of 1975-76. The latest Lebanese Forces campaign against Palestinians began last September, following the assassination of Bashir Gemayel, with the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Private comments made to US officials in Lebanon by numerous factional leaders make clear that all parties in Lebanon are aware of the militia's role in the massacre, but nearly all have refrained from public comment. According to US Embassy reports, this is partly out of fear of retribution by the Lebanese Forces, but also because many believe that salvaging Lebanon's unity is more important than attaching . 25X1 blame for the massacre. Since early February an organized campaign of vio- lence against Palestinian civilians launched by the Lebanese Forces has been under way, and there have been numerous United Nations reports of evictions, kidnapings, and murders of Palestinians, especially in the south. One Embassy report points out that for many rightwing Christians, the plight of the Palestinians in Lebanon-even the massacre of last September-is not an aberration or an atrocity, but a 25X1 justified act of revenge. President Reagan greets President Gemayel at White House. Impact on US Interests The actions of the Lebanese Forces could jeopardize US policy objectives in Lebanon aimed at restoring central government authority throughout the country. All political factions-including non-Phalange Chris- tians-fear political and military domination by the powerful minority militia. General political support for Amin Gemayel is more likely to weaken, in our view, because of the continued existence and activities of the Lebanese Forces than because of any other single factor, including relations with Israel.F-----125X1 Until the role of the Lebanese Forces is resolved and its activities constrained, other factions will attempt to rebuild their own military capabilities and form alli- ances that could lead Lebanon back into civil war. Domestic tranquillity depends in part upon President Gemayel's ability to bring the Lebanese Forces to heel. It is important for US credibility that a clearly preeminent central government emerge in Lebanon, backed by a credible army. 25X1 Outlook In our view, the future of the relationship between the government and the Lebanese Forces depends primar- ily on whether foreign forces withdraw from Lebanon. The occupation of Lebanon by Syrian and Israeli troops has so limited government authority that many factional leaders now believe de facto partition is Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 inevitable and see little to be gained from cooperating with the government. This attitude is likely to harden following the redeployment of Israeli troops in the south, and renewed factional violence seems inevita- ble. Under these circumstances, we expect the Lebanese Forces will move to consolidate its control over tradi- tional Christian areas, setting the stage for a Phalange-dominated ministate. Amin will then be under less pressure to appease Druze, Shias, and Sunnis and will probably consolidate his political position with the Christians. His objectives and those of the Lebanese Forces would then more nearly coincide, and the central government would lose any prospect of obtaining the support and allegiance of Lebanon's non-Christian communities. Paradoxically, if foreign forces withdraw, Lebanese Forces-government relations probably will become increasingly strained. We believe that Amin, to ex- tend central government authority, will have to com- promise with other confessional groups and oppose Lebanese Forces policies. Near-Term Prospects. Lebanon's history of confes- sional strife guarantees that private militias will re- main an important feature of Lebanese politics. For the near future, the Lebanese Forces will be the strongest of the militias, but its strength and influence will depend on the continued weakness of the Leba- nese central government. The Lebanese Army, the instrument and symbol of central government authority, will be the crucial factor in the government's ability to control the Lebanese Forces. Gemayel will use the Army to stand between contending factions, but he will not want to use it to confront the militia directly for fear the Army will dissolve along confessional lines as it did during the civil war. The effectiveness of the Army will depend on the political deals Gemayel and Army Commander Tannous can make with the Lebanese Forces and other militias to permit the Army to 25X1 perform security duties in confessional areas. Although the Lebanese Forces militia is probably aware of these constraints on government use of the Army, we believe militia interests would not be served by provoking the Army. The military aims of the Lebanese Forces would be frustrated by the Army's presence, but in our judgment militia leaders probably still view the Christian-dominated Army as a political ally. In other words, if Army deployment becomes inevitable, Lebanese Forces leaders probably believe that other militias and confessional groups will be bigger losers than they as a result. The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Shuf and Alayh districts will be the critical test of this relation- ship. Should the government arrange and enforce a truce between Druze and Christians, the ability of Lebanese Forces leaders to foment trouble and there- by justify their own and the Lebanese Forces exist- ence will diminish. Government failure to establish its authority in the area, however, will embolden the Lebanese Forces, and the prospects are excellent that it will reassert itself as an aggressive military and political factor. The likelihood that escalating violence would precipitate Syrian and possibly Israeli involve- ment then increases markedly. The result is likely to be renewed civil war. If the government succeeds in the Shuf, it will continue to face challenges to its authority from the Lebanese Forces in other areas. The government will have to control Lebanese Forces efforts to harass and eradicate Palestinians, take revenge on Franjiyah and his followers, and suppress the increasingly vocal Shias if it is to achieve preeminence and prevent chaos. Long-Term Prospects. Over time, the Lebanese Government probably will try to weaken the militia by dissolving it or by transforming it into a less If the militia were dissolved, it would probably reemerge as a strictly Phalange militia, firmly under the control of the Phalange Party. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Secret Militiamen loyal to the Shamuns would probably cleave to the National Liberal Party, while those loyal to the Tanzim Party and the Guardians of the Cedars would rejoin their parties. The result would be a significant weakening of the power of the Lebanese Forces and a consequent increase in the power of the central government. ? Incorporation into the Army: Incorporating the Lebanese Forces as a distinct unit into the Army would be, we believe, politically disastrous. - Incorporation would reinforce Druze and Mus- lim fears that the Army is an instrument of Christian dominance, thereby weakening the Army's legitimacy. The Army could accept individual militiamen-a policy that would help the military meet its manpower objectives while maintaining confes- sional balance. Incorporating Lebanese Forces officers would be more difficult, however, since the Army's officer corps already is heavily Chris- tian. In addition, many Lebanese Forces officers probably would not meet Lebanese Army officer standards. ? National Guard: A senior Lebanese Forces official suggested in October 1982 that the militia be retained as a regional "National Guard" stationed in Maronite Christian-dominated areas. Other reli- gious groupings such as the Druze and the Shias would be allowed to maintain their militias in their regions. This proposal would resolve one of the most difficult issues that faces the Lebanese Govern- ment-what to do with the numerous, mutually antagonistic militias. It would legally recognize the militias, however, and represent an impor- tant cession of central government authority. It could set the stage for a de facto sectarian partition of Lebanon. to prevent Palestinian infiltration from Syria. - Such an arrangement would appease hardliners in the Lebanese Forces by keeping the organiza- tion intact but would ensure that the bulk of the force was away from Beirut. - Lebanese Forces units already share responsi- bility with the Lebanese Army for policing the frontier between Syrian forces and the Chris- tian heartland in the north and east. - This solution might also be acceptable to other religious groups in Lebanon, who fear the Leba- nese Forces will become a tool to suppress internal opposition to ensure Christian domi- nance. In our view, neither dissolution of the Lebanese Forces nor its incorporation into the Army are likely. The government probably will not be strong enough to eliminate the militia altogether, and political realities militate against incorporation. Far more likely, in our view, is the transformation of the Lebanese Forces. If the central government extends its control to the Lebanese borders, the border guard option is the most feasible. Should de facto partition occur, the Leba- 25X1 nese Forces will remain concentrated in Christian areas and probably become a "national guard." Whether or not Gemayel succeeds in transforming the militia, it will remain an important power base for Lebanese Christian extremists. The militia will con- tinue to oppose and constrain government efforts to reach political agreements with the non-Christian communities in Lebanon. Any threat to the Christian community will encourage a resurgence of the Leba- nese Forces. 25X1 ? Border Guard: Another alternative would be to form the Lebanese Forces into a border guard under the Surete Generale or the Internal Security Forces Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Iq Next 6 Page(s) In Document Denied Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Approved For Release 2008110108: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Figure 3 Lebanese Forces Command Structure Comaud Council Cor r aader Fadi Frem Deputy Couaader Eli Aswad Chief of Staff Fuad Abu Nadr Deputy Chief of Staff Deputy Chief of Staff AWubtratiou/Logistics Operations Assad Said Elias Zayak I G-f G-2 G-3 rf tttlte Affairs Military Iutellipsuce Operatlou Joseph Shaul Abbas Abbas Namtallah Qayl Matary Branches Infantry Elias Zaak Artillery Antoine Bridi Navy Joseph Ghurayib Engineering Jacques Manassa AAA/Anti-Armor Michel Qassas Armor Augustin Taygu Communications Ghassan Naddaf Regional Military Corrods Beirut Masud Ashkar Northern Samir Ja'ja Eastern Naji Butrus Southern Nazu Najjarian Zahlah Joseph Ilyas 1 G-S Psychological Operations Fadi Hayak Special Units SKS (Phalange) J. Assayan May be the same as: Bodyguard Quick Reaction (Phalange) E. Ziyad May be the same as: Commandos Secret External Relations Naum Farah Coa enter Center Nabil Mitn Voice of Free Lebanon Siyan Azi Intelligence r Eli Hubayka Finance Cyril Butrus Police Dib Anastas Reserves Nizar Najjarian Regional Defense Joseph Edde General Secretary Kayroz Barakat L General Military hspector Sami Shidyak 589948 8-83 19 possible line of authority G-4 Logistics Reja Murakadi Secret Approved For Release 2008110/08: CIA-RDP84S00556R000300100004-9 Secret Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9 Secret Approved For Release 2008/10/08: CIA-RDP84SO0556R000300100004-9