Washington Report, November 28, 1983, Page 6

Facts For Your Files: A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

November 10:

A Defense Department spokesman said that a single U.S. navy F-14 jet encountered "what appeared to be antiaircraft fire" while on a reconnaissance mission over Lebanon. The jet returned to a U.S. aircraft carrier unharmed. Syria claimed that its "air defenses confronted" the fighter jet and three others and "forced them to fly back out toward the sea." Later, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger said "we don't know" if the Syrians did the firing.

November 10:

It was announced at the Pentagon that the final death toll in the October 23 truck bombing of the U.S. marine compound near Beirut was 239, including 218 marines, 18 navy personnel, and 3 men from the army. More than 80 others were wounded in the blast.

November 13:

Asked what actions the U.S. might take in response to Syria's claim that it fired on a U.S. navy reconnaissance plane November 10, Robert C. McFarlane, the president's national security affairs advisor, said: "The United States has made clear recently in other contexts, in the Caribbean, that we take very seriously threats to American lives." He added: "I think that the United States by demonstrating that, and if need be in the future, will make very clear that this simply cannot become a matter of policy, whether it is Syria or some other country."

November 14:

President Reagan signed into law a continuing budget resolution for fiscal 1984 containing $11.4 billion in foreign aid assistance. Israel will receive $2.61 billion, or 23 percent, including $1.7 billion in military assistance—split evenly between $850 million in "forgiven" loans and $850 million in the form of repayable loans—and $910 million in economic aid, all in grant form. Egypt is to receive $2.1 billion, broken down into $1.4 billion in military aid—$465 million of this amount in the form of grants and $900 million in loan form—and $750 million in economic assistance, given entirely as a grant.

Syria was denied further payments of funds that were appropriated in previous years but which have not yet been disbursed.

November 18:

The military construction subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee approved a $49 million plan to improve an airstrip in Ras Banas, Egypt, and to build support facilities there, for use by the U.S. rapid deployment forces in an emergency. The Reagan Administration has proposed spending $870 million to upgrade the air base.

November 19:

In a speech before the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in Atlanta, Secretary of State George Shultz said that the outcome of the fighting within the PLO in Tripoli "is sure to have major implications for Jordan, the Palestinians and the future of the peace process."

November 21:

President Reagan held a meeting at the White House with the visiting president of Sudan, Gaafar Muhamed Nimeiri, who said afterward: "We call on President Reagan to exert his utmost to stop the Israeli expansion policy, and play the role becoming (to) a great power that has such a great interest in the Arab world."

November 22:

Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger said the October 23 bombing of the U.S. marine compound was carried out by Iranians with the "sponsorship and knowledge and authority of the Syrian government." It was the first time a senior administration official had accused the Syrian government of direct complicity in the bombing.