Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-22
BY EARL II. VOSS
star star Writer

much the old soldier. suspicious
OF all politicians and unwilling
10 work with them or take over
leadership Of the government.
Other pro-Western forces in
Lebanon are disorganized.
There is some hope in the State
Department that a third politi-
cal force will develop once the
rebellion subsidies. But in the
meantime the problem Of which
force to back In Lebanon is
causing serious anxiety here.
Glamour Shows Courage
II pro-NaSser Lebanese rebels
take over. the United Arab Re-
public will have control of all
Mediterranean outlets for Mid
die East oil.
That is why President EiSen-
hover and Secretary of State
Dulles have agreed to join Brit
ain in a commitment to pre-
vent a UAR takeover in Leb-
anon.
American officials still have
a lot Of respect for President
Glamour. They admire his
pluck and the kind of personal
courage he demonstrated a
week ago when he interrupted
an urgent diplomatic call from
Ambassador Robert McClintock
TO dash to the roof Of the presi-
dental palace and take a few
pot shots at rebel troops. He
appeared on the roof in a yell
low sport shirt, bare-headed,
and blazed away at the insur-
gents. Then he resumed his
talks with Ambassador McClin-
took.
But President Glamour is
now believed to have lost con-
siderable support among the
country's is million people.
This is quite a change from a
year ago when his supporters
won AZ seats in the 66-member
Lebanese Parliament.
U. S. Position Uncomfortable
Thus the United States finds
itself in the uncomfortable po-
sition of having made a COM
mitment to come to the rescue,
If necessary, of a man whose
strength is deteriorating. This
explains the series of hedges
that the United States has
been placing on its commit
ment in the last week or more.
Ambassador McClintock has
been surveying the field of
other Lebanese leaders for a
likely successor. But the cleav-
age between President Cha
noun and Gen. Chehab has
further complicated his task.
There are two other uncer-
tainties plaguing Secretary
Dulles in trying to seal off
Lebanon from JAR influence.
One Of these developed on Cap
itol Hill last week.
Senator Mansfield, Demo-
crat of Montana, and others
on the Foreign Relations Com
mittee have openly disputed
Secretary Dulles interpreta-
ton of the Eisenhower Doc
trine. approved by Congress in
March. 1857.
U. N. Role a Factor
The so-called Mansfield
amendment provides that the
independence and security of
countries in the Middle East
is vital to the interests of
the United States. Secretary
Dulles has publicly used this
to justify American contempla-
ton of sending troops to save
Lebanon from Canal Abdul
NaSSer.
But he could hardly follow
through by sending United
States forces into the country
II Senators Mansfield, Morse
OF Oregon and others oppose
II as vehemently as they seem
ready to do.
The other uncertainty for
American policymakers is the
role OF the United Nations.
First of all. Secretary Cen
eral Dag Hammarskiold is re-
portedly opposed to the idea of
sending big-power troops into
Lebanon, under U. N. aegis.
Just as he was in the Anglo
French-ISraeli invasion of
Egypt. At that time. the United
Nations Emergency Force was
organized from Small-power
contingents.
U. N. Observers There
At present the U. N. group in
Lebanon is strictly an observer
group. To change its character
into a border-sesling operation
or even to make its observa-
tons effective may require fur
80 CHOICE