508 Chapter 5
Narrative: On December 19, 1964, an American civilian propeller plane crossed
Egyptian airspace. After repeatedly being warned and told to turn around, Egyptian
jets tried to force it to ground. The plane crashed outside Alexandria. On December
24, the United States alleged that the plane was shot down by the Egyptian air force
and protested to the Nasser administration.
MID#2924
Dispute Number: 2924
Date(s): February 13, 1968
Participants: 2 United States of America/651 Egypt
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: There were reports that an Egyptian bomber buzzed a US naval vessel.
The Defense Department refused to discuss the reports.
2 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/652 SYRIA
MID#607
Started in April 1957. See the narrative in the 652 Syria/663 Jordan dyad dispute list.
MID#1039
Started in June 1970. See the narrative in the 652 Syria/663 Jordan dyad dispute list.
MID#3062
Dispute Number: 3062
Date(s): August 29, 1983 to April 1, 1984
Participants: 652 Syria/2 United States of America
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: Missing
Narrative: This dispute describes the American intervention against Syria during the
Lebanese Civil War. The first incident occurred when two American marines serving
in the multinational peacekeeping force were killed by Syrian mortar fire on August
29, 1983. Four days later Israel began to withdraw to the security zone in southern
Lebanon to create separation for the peacekeeping force. American naval ships began
firing on Syrian positions in the Shouf Mountains on September 19. On October 23,
1983, 241 American marines, 58 French peacekeepers, six civilians, and the suicide
bombers were killed when their truck bombs hit the American barracks. The attack
caused American popular opinion to question the peacekeeping force, but the mission
continued and, on December 4, American planes renewed attacks on Syrian posts.
Syria shot down two of the planes in the attack, though, and an American airman was