Middle East a Vengeful Frenzy of Death

By John Moody

Even Lebanon, a country that has suffered more than 100,000 dead in a decade- long civil conflict between its Christian and Muslim warlords, was shaken by the vengeful frenzy of violence it experienced last week. By the time a Syrian-brokered cease-fire slowed the fighting on Thursday, the twelve-day death toll stood at more than 300 people, nearly half of them victims of a vicious car-bomb war that made every street a potential deathtrap. Health and Communications Minister Joseph Hasham, a Christian, spoke for a large segment of the country when he said, "Eighty percent of the cards are now in the hands of Syria. How long do we have to wait for a solution?"

Indeed, many Lebanese now believe that only the Syrians can bring a halt to the bloodshed. Prime Minister Rashid Karami late last week demanded "the deployment of Syrian observers in all of Beirut." With the U.S. no longer playing a leading role in trying to end the car nage, Syria has increasing influence over its neighbor, largely due to the 25,000 Syrian troops stationed mostly in the eastern part of Lebanon. President Hafez Assad sought to extend that influence last month when Lebanese Muslim leaders, meeting in Damascus, drew up a 16-point plan that would increase their political power. Lebanese Christian politicians predictably denounced the Damascus accord, and new bickering broke out between them and Druze Chieftain Walid Jumblatt and Shi'ite Amal Leader Nabih Berri. On Aug. 14 a car bomb exploded in a northern Christian enclave. Three days later an even bigger explosive device killed 55 in a suburb of predominantly Christian East Beirut. The Christian radio station Voice of Lebanon blamed the Muslims and promised, "Our revenge will be as powerful as their crimes."

Two days later that threat became reality when two car bombs blew up in predominantly Muslim West Beirut. The next day the explosion of a small stick of dynamite tossed from a passing car lured curious people into Saddun Square in the northern port of Tripoli. The dynamite charge was deadly bait; a booby- trapped car in the square exploded, killing 45 and wounding 100.

The car bombings touched off the worst artillery barrages that Beirut has seen in more than a year. More than 15,000 rounds rained down on both sides of the "green line" that divides the capital into Christian and Muslim sectors. Berri spent a day huddled in the underground bunker that he used for interviews during the TWA hostage crisis in June.

While some observers thought Assad was reacting to, rather than shaping last week's events, at least one Western diplomat saw a shrewd logic to the Syrian leader's actions. "Each time there is fighting the Syrians allow it to go on for a few days before stepping in and separating the combatants," he said. "And each time this happens, Lebanon seems to become more dependent on Damascus. Perhaps the Syrians are encouraging the fighting to achieve their larger goals."

Karami's call for deployment of Syrian troops throughout Beirut suggested that his government might be willing to trade an element of national sovereignty in exchange for some respite from the violence. Still, until Assad's objectives are more clearly defined or seem within reach, Lebanon is likely to remain divided against itself.

With reporting by John Borrell/Cairo and Roland Flamini/Jerusalem