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6/1/1986 - Guarding Sinai by Dirk J. Vandewalle

INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS DV American Research Center Egypt Midan Kasr Doubara Garden City Cairo GUARDING SINAI Mr Peter Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter In moment weakness promised friend American University apartment summer overwhelmed spectacular Nile failed notice absence conditioning According friends summer rather As I writing table towel wrapped around avoid soaking paper wonder summer Cairo Even called combination sunlight exhaust fumes ubiquitous Cairo sometimes makes wince To catch shallowest draft I forced leave windows doorways apartment This invites clouds mosquitoes waged ferocious round chemica warfare these weeks As descends I stalking apartment armed Raid tablets Ezalo Mat Le puissant insecticide moderne Spiralette mosquito coils guaranteed mosquito infestation Needless battle I losing A generation mosquitoes barely being obliterated before around I adopted rather itinerant lifestyle result moving forth between bedroom study hours night As stand again balcony morning slowly rises above Bulaq across river Small fishing boats already moving amidst swirls Women cooking stoves their holds The disperses flames light making boats momentarily giant floating lanterns The first train Alexandria clanks across Imbaba bridge Maybe today Two hours later I already taking first showers thinking should break advertised Shariff street mosquito netting To escape Cairo momentarily travelled Sinai where following report originates Dirk Vandewalle North Africa Fellow Institute Current World Affairs His interest political economy Egypt North Africa particular development strategies Egypt Algeria Libya Tunisia Morocco decades Map showing Sinai zones A B C D assigned Multinational Force Observers Gz rmitice Ss Mediterranean Sea Lin Port oBeersheba ISRAEL Bitter Lake Zone Zone E G Y T Sinai Poninsula Gulf C Line A Eastern Line ZondA Line B Western Line Zone International Boundary Line D Eastern Line Zone MFO Bases Part Zone C SAUDI ARABIA Kilometers Miles RedSea Shrm Sheikh Ras Mohammad GUARDING SINAI At gantara Suez canal barely stone throw In seconds rickety ferry unavoidable detachment soldiers white summer uniforms reaches Sinai To Egyptlans however crossing canal signifies short ferry It brings memories October Egyptian cross canal Israeli occupied Sinai Although final stages Egypt Third Army routed Israel psychological impact conquest Bar Lev tremendous Tawfiq Hakim called October spiritual crossing stage history Ever since crossing taken special meaning Egypt One president Sadat honorific titles Hero Crossing He particularly enjoyed designation least until bread riots popular slogans chanted streets Hero Crossing where breakfast As Sadat hoped October acted catalyst bringing United States fully peace process peace considered indispensable economic future country By September Secretary State Kissinger negotiated disengagements delivered Sinai Egypt hands Immediately difficulty arose would guard Sinai After Suez crisis United Nations Emergency Force UNEF stationed peninsula peacekeeping force But agreement under which remained there party right request withdrawal After months tension exactly president Nasser asked May Two later Egyptian forces appeared UNEF Sharm Shaykh demanded withdrawal according UN records before formal request With Sharm Shaykh occupiedl Nasser closed Straits Titan Israeli shipping effect precipitating Israeli leaders undoubtedly reminded negotiating Sinai future after After disengagement agreements US Sinai Observation Team provided early warning system United Nations troops remained A permanent solution however needed after signing Camp David agreement Articles II agreement appendix provided gradual There still considerable amount controversy surrounding these events The official Egyptian remains Nasser UNEF ithdraw Sharm Shaykh The United Nations maintained Egypt written request UNEF withdrawal Sinai included verbal demand withdrawal Sharm Shaykh If UN version correct means Secretary General LI Thant acted precipitate manner usual accepted makes charge abrupt decision Na chance close Stair Titan rather spurious removal Israeli troops Sinai completed within three period Under Article Ill parties agreed redeployment United Nations Emergency Force But early after several futile attempts within UN Security Council reconstitute UNEF clear United Nations would further peacekeeping Sinai Opposition Camp David within Arab world particularly vituperative The Soviet Llnion UNSC permanent members refused align itself considered American inspired initiative President Jimmy Carter proposed alternative Multinational Force Observers MFO amalgam military personnel different nations would again guard Sinai It already clear white light visible across Mediterranean Within unbearably turning translucent color water light cobalt associates travel posters exotic locales A couple bedouin girls guiding flock goats I For instant brightly colored needlework their dresses amlit shafts light already filtering through leaves trees shore Except Bedouin girls goats ubiquitous stray A1 Arish still quiet For almost thousand years desert crucial passing point armies search territories conquer liberate Roman ruins strewn along coast But Arab invasion centuries later present character though bedouin practice islam almost desultory fashion often looked borderline apostates The witnessed ferocious fighting World War I pitting British Autralian New Zealand ANZAC forces against Tu rkish When Israel became state Sinai became regional issue The drawn British separate their claim Ottoman Empire became Israel western border Sinai again found itself buffer separating local adversaries intent maintaining itself state other determined prevent intruder economic lhysical survival Sinai strategic value regard could underestimated It borders Suez canal controls access Straits Titan which Israel considered crucial survival The Suez debacle indication resolve vital lifeline The closing Straits Titan Six War Israeli occupation pensinsula One people AI Arish invading tanks rumble Suez canal The occupation lasted fourteen years Israeli troops Seventy kilometers separate A1 Arish MFO North Camp AI Gorah The standards condition It curves marked reasonablf potholes debris forth between dunes stretches almost endless desert behind It crisscrosses railroad connected Baghdad Rafah Al Arish during faltering years Ottoman Empire Rusted railway hidden accumulated upturned beside tracks Most riddled bullets metal often apart explosives Much Lawrence Arabia bedouin raiders sabotaged railroad effort supplies Turkish troops World War I The follows coastline until Rafah Egyptian Israeli border A before paved intersects former almost fifteen miles heart desert The northeastern Sinai monotonously Occassional bedouin settlements landscape motley collections sheet metal scraps fronds On whole however enormous sandy desolation After conquering Sinai Israel built Eitam Air Base largest constructed Middle East Eitam quickly became crucial asset Israeli force In enormous expanse Sinai pilots planes could tested under conditions undreamt within confines Israel The decision evacuate Sinai Eitam Egypt therefore substantial opposition Israel military leadership But decision dismantling proceeded Whatever considered cumbersome sensitive Egypt dynamited leaving numerous skeletons sagging tanks bunkers assorted military materiel along arrowstraight leads Despite managed puncture tanks shredded before Al Arish After small incident between guide Egyptian official Qantara steered desert which point about inches small pipeline protruding above Hitting about miles pipeline punctured rapidly spilling contents With stations stretch drastic action called It point cotton clean Burton shirt suffered ignominious sleeve unceremoniously trussed around Thus equipped arrived Al Arish where unconventional solution possible repair became subject talks negotiations local garages After innumerable parlays sweet green agreed patching The delicate operation itself ecuted ferocious looking egyptian commanded grease covered children often spurning greater productivity paddling their behinds US wrench Even though demolished Eitam chosen northern MFO headquarters Sinai logistical problems establishing running MFO North Camp South Camp basis daunting Basic guidelines described Carter protocol there precedent multinational force outside United Nations Middle East US Sinai observation teams years called under protocol three fully fledged batallions supported soldiers number different nations The ambitious calling creation permanent headquarters Rome regional offices Cairo Tel Aviv Crucial NFO mission permanent observa posts OPs needed constructed throughout eastern Sinai stretching kilometers across rugged inaccessible terrain anywhere The MFO South Base nihilo Sharm Shaykh access roads builb across entire length peninsula As indication difficult conditions physical between North South Camp remains daily C cargo flight operated french detachment Within months North South Camp connecting constructed Beside purely logistical nightmare there present danger hundreds minefields accumulated during number stretching World War I Estimates imprecise million unexploded mines other ordnance still buried beneath shifting dunes By MFO started operations August nations committed troops materiel financial support mission Australia Colombia Fiji France Italy The Netherlands New Zealand Great Britain United States Uruguay Sinai redrawn zones north south across entire desert Under agreement signed Israel Egypt allowed certain military personnel equipment Zones C D straddle border between countries No Egyptian troops allowed within C It NFO camps located network OPs sector control centers checkpoints exist The C itself divided sectors guarded Fiian Colombian United States batallion The northern middle sectors known FIJIBATT COLBATT All armed light weapons primarily M The USBATT contingent situated MFO South Sharm Shaykh controls southern sector C It includes disputed Taba Stra Titan Except small Italian contingent patrols Straits USBATT entirely american Australia contingent replaced Canadian April D3V GUARDING SINAI P In coete infrastructure larger questions unanswered There precedent operation When MFO started August default largely american entreprise Even american soldiers officers almost MFO Its logistical completely american The US Egypt Israel third operating budget Some MFO critics however charge Israel Egypt contribution simply comes annual military provided US effect making US entire annual MFO approximately million But perhaps obvious America interest MFO Civilian Observing Unit group thirty state department retired milita travel throughout Sinai check possible violations As Dutch military police remarked primarily american operation other nations thrown legitimize President Carter indeed pushed establish MFO Nhat contributed necessarily american Now larger building truly multinational force faced It primarily Lt Col Dennistown Wood small New Zealand contingent dedicate themselves A Sandhurst graduate regular officer New Zealand I ennistown Wood Plans Training responsible charting future MFO rules regulations Dressed impeccably olive green uniform readily admits initial planning modeled US system mission introducing MFO doing things It responsibility develop implement standard operating procedures multinational force train different nations field commanders Since inception years MFO definitely taken multinational character asserts guidelines there conflicts interest among different countries Dennison Wood naive suggest MFO overnight international community peacekeepers The issue uniform standards specifically MFO He therefore important providing sense continuity sorely lacking system where except Fijians batallions replaced every months Running scale military middle Sinai presents enormous logistical problems From supplying fifty observation posts water stocking thenecessary rotor blades Canadian US helicopters trying provide soldiers another civilians enormous In relative isolation boredom MFO North South Camp assumes particular importance Captain Linda Colwell Canadian charge supply Hers unenviable position When MFO started guidelines Twice month MFO soldiers steak lobster through those initial months It dollar Now exhange lower Colwell forced cutbacks something always unpopular soldiers Although portion control considered advocated several cutting measures ranging batch cooking introduction salad doing things shellfish She through figures ledger Last MFO consumed pounds pounds canadian bacon although Canadian wouldn stuff serve canadian pounds frankfurters She smiles knowing figures overwhelming yearly basis Let concrete figures Every weeks pounds Columbian contingent pounds Fijians consisting The Fijians alone consume pounds curry powder every weeks We pounds squeeze pounds orange juice In June spent cream All million yearly budget Except fresh produce which bought Israel supplies ordered Department Defense Philadelphia It takes supplies arrive We months advance To example because lobster cheap stocked pounds freezer To Captain Albin Majewski charge central storage Colwell lobster stock nightmare Welcome world largest personnel booms doors giant cooling From almost degrees outside below freezing sudden temperature almost takes breath We three minutes After arctic suits Army regulations A couple young soldiers dressed requisite clothing around hoods loading enormous boxes steaks corner I running space Look Someone bought pounds lobster We emerge freezer extreme difference temperature turns around doorway Captain Majewski trods goods warehouse still marveling insensitivity procuring people capabilities We pause before enormous mountain little plastic containers Two million packets dairy creamer You stuff YEARS We etroleum where incoming tested Very often Egyptian contains sediment useful before helicopters American music blaring portable stereo aviation It stocks every imaginable necessary helicopters maintenance The Canadian usually wants rotor blades fixed Majewski adding American contingent rotors Ofl One problems getting stuff You bought through general budget Who reimburse stuff As result items started adding further captain worries As leave forty trailers supplies An average arrive month addition trucks weekly filled produce Israel In corner compound logistics loading supplies pallets transport C cargo plane South Camp MFO entire existence hinges ability observation posts check possible violations specific guidelines Peace Treaty appendixes These specify number military personnel materiel Egypt zones A B C Israel D For purposes observation posts often located hills mountains within Sinai provide supplies helicopter Col Brian Bertrand Cap Mike Paslawsky already discussing flight route enter flight operation center Part Canadian batallion deliver water remove garbage isolated OPs Today assignment OP perhaps inaccesible observation COLLBATT sector Situated ridge about sixty miles MFO North Camp manned seven young Colombian soldiers remain craggy mountaintop periods Both Bertrand Paslawsky flight dozens times But morning logis explode pound discovered earlier According their schedule helicopter should before explosion takes place Nevertheless neither pilot faith logistics scheduling We thousand trust their clock Bertrand The helicopter gently rocks forth engines warmed already loaded OP Bertrand Paslawsky looking athletic their umpsuits started checking procedure Both donned leather gloves hands crucial moment flight The flight should hours following southerly direction Gebel Oafa Gebel Ghereif At minute extra vegetables stuffed behind backs cargo The Hughes UH IH licopter reached maximum power Over microphone Bertrand doublechecks colleague All systems Three The helicopter slowly rises couple gently executes degree As final precaution glides yards across concrete runway slowly lifts Within seconds passed rolls concertina around Huge slabs concrete Eitam former runways glimpsed partly covered We climb rapidly thousand The desert looks completely height almost monotonous The orientation points induces strange feeling immobility The signs human activity tracks there MFO vehicles looking prehistoric tracings South America Suddenly stretches steep hills mountains Even bedouin barely ventures inhospitable survival camel alike The surface almost lunar pockmarked utterly devoid vegetation OP Ridge pilots announces Almost invisible except large antenna orange windsock hanging limply still observation slowly emerges monotone background couple trailers windswept rocky backbone middle mountains We desert floor helicopter descends first realize speed approaches observation A couple Colombian soldiers dressed white T shirts fatigues scurry across rocks toward landing indicated simple circle stones Within seconds landing supplies unloaded dragged across rocky toward field kitchen This seven North Camp Already equipment lined outsid trailers inspection incoming assortment helmets tools cooking utensils makes remote station Visitors scarce conversation nevertheless stilted Only couple Colombians speaks halting english neither Major Eagles I words spanish All young perhaps nineteen They offer icecold fruitpunch quick their kitchen sleeping quarters Both remarkably clean One soldiers speaks english nonchalantly Eagles Major The young soldier jumps salute Morning Sir On pilots volunteer across Gebel Quesina known westerners Moses Valley Legend Moses spent years wilderness The story seems plausible couple reasons visible helicopter northeasterly direction toward target Moses Valley strategic point position crucial anyone fears being attacked Any approaching intruder negotiate through leading valley reach Sinai proper The second reason obvious helicopter skims mountain ridge valley verdant paradise amidst harsh surrounding It boasts Sinai round springs houses peninsula oldest bedouin communities whose mellons renowned throughout Carefully groomed plots trees geometric patterns Against valley ridge crumbling remnants Roman fortification wails As heading valley helicopter gains altitude again strategic location again becomes apparent Bertrand points finger within seconds hovering valley floor covered several hundred muslim graves remnants turkish soldiers their lives first World War fighting ANZAC forces A hundred yards further enormous concrete dragon teeth recent origin perhaps lined bottom valley tanks approaching And particularly I0 chilling place hundreds pairs boots sticking They behind Egyptian troops trying outrun approaching Israel As bedouin running boots impossible haven bothered collect reason The pilots about Gebel Halal kilometers where dozens Israeli Egyptian tanks piled destroyed effort advantage during battles Invariably pilots about mines Their flightmaps dotted spots indicating minefields aware knows precisely extend One rules never leave helicopter One teams found sticking three where landed The bedouin traverse country often mines occassionally deposit MFO runway North Camp knowing special defuse It forced MFO personnel visually runway check every morning before flights start Often result tragic Every bedouin maimed killed while running across mines A couple hours later myself wedged transport plane Captain Ma ewski loaded earlier seated beside several potatoes onions A young soldiers Itali batallion board couple civilians maintenance contractors Heavily loaded plane ground seems before climbing steep Because there temperature control rapidly arrive Ras Nasrani civilian airport kilometers South Base later drenched sweat As members french kicks small plane fresh rushes But inside hundred kilometers south temperatures South Base considerably higher North Base Immediately contrast between bases visible South smaller american located beside sharp mountains southern shore Sinai Perched almost precariously cliff overlooking Straits Titan seems terrorist incident North Camp Deputy Installation Commander Holton readily acknowledges notes working assumption potential He points seems unlikely anyone would attack anyway About seriou incident occurs radio jamming Be radio interference jamming Holton admonishes antagonize anybody Nevertheless chances taken Since US attack Libya rotation schedules secret until minute Also American interception Egyptian airliner carrying PLO members Cairo temporarily declared limits PIFO As Maor Eagles remarks There identification HFO United States incidents place Colonel Hook commander South Base flight North Base The plane times almost filled capacity personnel soldiers going leave solitary Egyptian liason officer Soon almost everyone dozed Perched canvas corner Col Hook summarizes experience MFO As commanders feels MFO proving sound success Nevertheless there drawbacks One undoubtedly continuity problem Most batallions except Fijians months Every complete rotation personnel Although overlap extent ensure everything proceeds smoothly Many people however volunteers eager things Back North Camp Colonel Isikia Savua waiting Perhaps better qualified commander Fijian batallion answer questions about MFO future On third MFO Savua previously spent three years Lebanon UNIFIL A large closely cropped curly smile quickly becomes serious MFO matters discussed Inevitably contrasts experiences Lebanon MFO Here Sinai peacekeeping sense Lebanon peacefinding In Lebanon there chaos batallion doing thing Once opped PLO detachment passing through UNIFIL other countries batallions ccording Savua timeframe mission perceived We Lebanon Here MFO remain least years What keeping peace Lebanon after happen To Savua coming MFO North Camp surprise In Lebanon peacekeeping force mission mostly crisis management amenities soldiers The first spent looking cooking utensils drinking water Here MFO everything beforehand Things better integrated better There better understanding discipline different contingents Everyone knows broad outlines commitments Logistics extremely Every contingent needs Although Savua admits missing ration coconuts formerly Fijian battalion shrugs easily We months Why complain about small matters A urgent lroblem opinion keeping motivated Almost eighty percent battalion served Lebanon Most admit frankly prefer being stationed there One young Fijian recruit rhetorically What doing What peacekeeping there checking MFO vehicles front Savua perfectly aware problem After Lebanon MFO seems staid boring He recalls volatility situation Lebanon anecdote The Fijian batallion traditionally proud athletic prowess One invited volleyball match against militias operates southern Lebanon We ahead process winning recalls smile That called talked We rather diplomatically When queried There Lebanon The people during shoot night Here MFO weapon range practice Although duties rotated every Savua knows there lingering feeling boredom among recruits But carefully whole matter larger perspective Our violations treaty recorded It something MFO equipped think MFO therefore remain Both Egypt Israel recognize their interest The millions spent worthwhile If anything future Fijian batallion MFO prefer Colonel Savua right about MFO longevity There specific clause Peace Treaty appendixes terminate mission The feeling among Egyptian Israeli policy makers seems mirror observation million dollars annually small price peace security As Egyptian liaison officer remarked spending serious fighting would Israel losing lives Despite greater increasingly played other participating countries United States support mission financially spirit remain crucial Despite misgivings about disproportionate presence within mission commanders future MFO without US participation They little Within weeks Vice President George Bush scheduled arrive North Camp expected deliver strong speech support MFO Quipped soldier US logistics maybe All I would thank Major John Eagles MFO North Camp Ms Jeanette McDonald Cairo MFO office Mr Chester lankovsky ormerly Civilian Observers Unit Received Hanover