< "Starting in January 1983, small Israeli units began probing the < Marine lines. At first the effort appeared aimed at discovering < the extent of Marine determination to resist penetration. The < lines proved solid and the Marines determination strong. Israeli < troops were politely but firmly turned away. Soon the incidents < escalated, with both sides pointing loaded weapons at each other < but no firing taking place. Tensions were high enough by late < January that a special meeting between U.S. and Israeli officers < was held in Beirut to try to agree on precise boundaries beyond < which the IDF would not penetrate. < ... But the incidents did not stop. These now included helicopter < harassment, by which U.S.-made helicopters with glaring < spotlights were flown by the Israelis over Marine positions at < night, illuminating Marine outposts and exposing them to < potential attack. As reports of these incidents piled up, Gen. < Barrow received a letter on March 12 from a U.S. Army major < stationed in Lebanon with the United Nations Truce Supervisory < Organization (UNTSO). The letter described a systematic < pattern of Israeli attacks and provocations against UNTSO < troops, including instances in which U.S. officers were singled < out for near-miss shootings, abuse and detention.13 That same < day two Marine patrols were challenged and cursed by Israeli < soldiers. http://www.ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/p-neff.html --------------------------------- Never Miss an Email Stay connected with Yahoo! Mail on your mobile. Get started!
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