Who was fighting who in the Middle East 30 years ago?
A while ago I went to life drawing party (yes, it was as unusual as it sounds) and won a prize - a copy of The Face from 1986. It was just a stupid prize, in keeping with the comical spirit of the event. I was really pleased though, because I love nostalgia from the 80s and 90s.
Then I noticed on the cover a mention of a story about ‘Beirut fashion’. Given my strange obsession with Beirut, this made me even more pleased.
What kind of fashions would people in Beirut have been wearing in 1986? I was excited to find out. Turning to the page, I quickly realised the article was a witty spoof of a fashion article.
In 1986 Beirut was of course in the midst of a civil war that had been raging for 11 years. Anyone living in Beirut was probably not that concerned with fashion. Instead, the ‘fashion’ featured in this article was the military attire of the various armed groups fighting in the civil war.
It was interesting to see that even 30 years ago, there was a situation in the Middle East just as complicated as the situation surrounding ISIS and Syria and Iraq today. The article identified nine different armed groups. I realised that in many ways very little has changed. The article is called ‘Who’s shooting who?’ and that question is equally pertinent in the Middle East today, evidenced by a BBC News video from last month entitled ‘Who’s fighting whom in Syria?’.
I’ve reproduced the text and pictures of the article below for you to have a read of. It’s a really witty take on a fashion article and shows what a great magazine The Face was. It’s not immediately obvious whether the photos are of real fighters but in small print at the very end of the article it explains that they’re all posed fashion shots using models from Models One. In a way, that makes it even more genius.
UPDATE. A message from the photographer. I sent this post to Oliver Maxwell, the photographer for the article and he sent me the following message:
“I’m glad you saw the irony but some didn’t.
There was a great deal of fuss at the time
Time Out took it at face value and ran a bit about how awful it was to make a fashion piece out of tragedy then the Guardian picked up on it and wrote a small feature.
Liberation in Paris chipped in with a full page spread but they found it quite funny.
In the end the original piece was run in a dozen or so magazines all over the world including American Harpers and Actuel in France.
I instigated the story when realised that I had no idea who exactly were the many factions fighting each other in Lebanon and no one else could really explain it clearly to me.
I based the pictures on some old books of uniforms I found in Foyles and talking to some journalists
Paul Rambali, the editor at The Face, wrote it up.”
Who’s Shooting Who?
In Beirut it pays to know your terrorist
Photographs Oliver Maxwell
Published in the July 1986 issue of The Face
Christian Phalangists, fanatical Shi’ites, Druze militiamen, Syrian commandoes… It’s now almost two years since the Israelis drove the PLO from the Lebanon, but the civil war there goes on between Muslim and Christian factions. Don’t even ask why they’re shooting each other, but these are the key adversaries.
Israeli Kommando Yami (Naval Commando)
Operation ‘Peace for Galilee’ was planned to purge the PLO from within 40 miles of Israel’s borders. The Israelis invaded in June ’82 northwards along the coast and inland along the Golan Heights, aiming to surrounds the PLO. As the political furore grew, they pushed on further to Beirut, aided by frogmen landing at night to plant mines.
Black summer diving suit in neoprene rubber; black diving boots with reinforced soles; webbing blacked with boot polish carrying fins and magazines sealed in plastic; ID tags masked with black tape; .22 Beretta in black leather holster; AK-47 sprayed black with magazine taped over; waterproof camouflage paint on face; waterproof torch and lighter; compass and depth gauge worn on wrist.
PLO Sniper
The PLO moved their HQ to Lebanon in 1970 after having been expelled from Jordan during the infamous ‘Black September’. 150,000 Palestinians arrived to join over half a million who fled there when they were ousted from the new state of Israel founded in 1948. Lebanon was the last territory bordering Israel that would host the PLO, but was unable to control the southern border areas and camps where guerillas trained and from which they launched attacks on Israelis.
‘Black September’ camouflage jacket (based on a Czech design, the pattern denotes high status in the PLO); red kefiyah (also high ranking), webbing is local made copy of Chi-Com AK-47 chest pouches with Palestinian flag sewn on; French ‘Patauga’ canvas boots; FN rifle with Sniper Scope; Chinese stick grenades.
PFLP Mujahadin
A faction of the PLO, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), had its base in the southern city of Damour. With its various splinter groups and unruly military command, the PLO added to the political confusion of the Lebanon, but broadly allied itself to leftist Muslim groups or militias. The Mujahadin (“Freedom Fighters”) fought the invading Israelis especially bitterly.
Lizard-pattern fatigues; T-shirt (Men Only ones are a favourite); Syrian Commando badge (worn also by PLO); red and white kefiyah and balaclava; Puma trainers; Adidas bag carrying RPGs; M-16 with spare magazines; American .38 snub-nose (not usually cocked) in trousers.
Phalangist
A militiaman belonging to the Phalange, a Christian party led by the late President Bashir Gemayel, who eliminated rival Christian families the Chamouns and the Frangeihs via bloody shootings in the late Seventies. As leader of the Maronite Christians, in the midst of an unhoyl alliance of Muslims and Marxists, he encoraged Israel to help rid the lands of Palestinians but they found him an unreliable ally. It was Phalangists who ‘cleared’ the refugee camps at Sabra and Chatilla…
US Woodland camouflage BDU (battle-dress uniform); Kata’eb (Phalangist) Party insignia on right breast; Lebanese Forces command unit patch on sleeve; Israeli Defence Force webbing, US fatigue cap, Smith & Wesson in holster, M-16 rifle; US-style dog tags, Lion’s Gate ring from Jerusalem.
Italian Marine, Battiglione San Marco
Italian, French and American troops were part of the Multi-National Force brought in to supervise the PLO withdrawal from Beirut.
Pleated camouflage trouser, padded at knee and gathered behind; Star of Savoy on collar points; national arms shield on sleev (worn by marines); Lion of St Mark unit chest patch; M1952 pistol and belt; Heckler Koch SMG; ID bracelet.
Syrian Commando
Viewing the Lebanon historically as part of their lands, the neighbouring Syrians have long tried to influence events there, sending forces to help one Muslim faction then another. By 1981, much of the Lebanon was under their control. Their missiles were aimed at Israel, who wanted an excuse to remove them.
American M-65 field jacket; Syrian copies of Portuguese camouflage trousers; US ’56 web belt; Syrian paratroopers badge (brass blackened down); orange beret (special forces issue but others wear them for status); Russian-made AK-47 with spare mags in leg pocket; American AN/PRC-25 radio.
Druze Magist (Machine Gunner)
The Druze Muslims supported the Palestinians but did not allow them to operate on their lands nor did they fight the Israelis. Like the Shi’ites, who Syrian-backed fanatics began truck bombing in ’83, they had most to fear from the Christian Phalangists.
American fatigues; British ‘wooly pulley’ sweater; black and white kefiyah; British web belt; Israeli copy of US parka; para boots; MG 34 machine gun with bipod wrapped for grip, white or wooly Druze Watch cap.
IDF Golani Infantryman
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) succeeded in decimating the PLO, exiled in Libya with 1,500 dead compared to 368 Israelis. Nearly 300 IDF soldiers have died since in sniper fire, street battles and truck bombings. Lebanese civilian casualties are estimated at around 5,000 dead, as various Muslim and Christian factions continue to squabble for power.
Golani Brigade ‘Cedar of Lebanon’ watch cover; IDF fatigues with knee pads; US M-69 flak vest; black and white kefiyah captured from PLO and worn as scarf; ID tags covered in black cloth and chain wound with boot-lace; ballistic helmet covered with net held by inner tube; Elba combat boots; Ephod web gear with spare magus and M-16 bayonet; Uzi 9mm SMG.
IDF Shoter Tzvai (Military Police)
Military Police administered the many thousands of PLO guerillas and staff captured in the fighting along with other Muslim militiamen. They also help some 1,800 foreigners from 26 countries who were training in the PLO camps.
IDF Fatigues; US M-1951 flak jacket; Israeli copy of US M1 helmet painted with Hebrew letters Mem and Tzadeh (MP), US ’56 wed belt adapted for M-16 magazines; fully-laced para boots; M-16 rifle.
