PAST U.S. MIDEAST MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS

1942-45--Persian Gulf

Mission: In the largest Mideast mission until the current deployment to Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Persian Gulf Command during World War II facilitated transportation of munitions and supplies through Iran to the Soviet Union. It was dubbed “bridge to victory” by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. No fighting occurred.

Force strength: 40,000.

Fatalities: None from fighting.

1958--Beirut

Mission: Local resistance to President Camille Chamoun’s campaign to amend the constitution, which allowed the president only a single six-year term in office, led to unrest and fears of internal strife. U.S. Marines and, later, Army personnel were sent by the Eisenhower Administration to protect the 15-year-old democracy and ensure stability during the election. Gen. Fouad Chehab, the Lebanese army chief of staff, was elected, and U.S. troops withdrew after less than 15 weeks.

Force Strength: 14,000.

Fatalities: Three related to mission.

1982-84--Beirut

Mission: Initially, 1,200 Marines were deployed to supervise withdrawal of Palestine Liberation Organization guerrillas after the Israeli invasion. France and Italy also contributed contingents to the Multinational Force to protect civilians in West Beirut during the withdrawal. After 17 days of a 30-day mission, all three countries prematurely withdrew. Within a week, the U.S.-backed president-elect of Lebanon, a Christian, was assassinated and hundreds of Palestinian and Lebanese Muslim civilians were massacred by a rightist Christian militia. All three nations, plus the British contingent, sent forces back to Beirut. While the Reagan Administration calculated that the return mission would be brief, the United States and France increasingly became embroiled in rising domestic strife and became targets rather than peacekeepers. All four foreign contingents pulled out after 18 months.

Force strength: United States, 1,200 onshore with 600 in reserve aboard ships offshore. Italy, 2,100. France, 2,000. Britain, 100.

Fatalities: Included 241 U.S. servicemen killed by a terrorist bombing in the Marine compound in October, 1983.

1987-88--Persian Gulf

Mission: Responding to Kuwait’s appeals for protection from Iranian attacks on its tankers because of Kuwait’s support for Iraq during the Persian Gulf War, the Reagan Administration reflagged 11 Kuwaiti oil tankers as U.S. vessels and provided naval escorts for them in the gulf.

Force strength: Up to 33 ships.

Fatalities: Included 37 killed in the mistaken attack on the guided-missile frigate Stark by an Iraqi warplane.