chronologies
day by day
1968/2025
\_All chronologies
\_The road to war
(1968/1974)
\_The Lebanese war
(1975/1990)
\_After the war
(1991/2005)
\_July 2006, the books
(2006)
\_Since 2005
(2005/2025)
\_All by dates
(one grid)
\_On this day
\_Search
(words and dates)
\_Lebanese War
(the original chronology)
\_July War 2006
(minute by minute)

Search the chronologies

all by dates · all chronologies
111101 entriesfrom the booksonly where the books disagree
chronologiesallThe road to war 1968–1974The Lebanese war 1975–1990After the war 1991–2005July 2006, as the books tell it 2006Since 2005 2005–2025
681968696970197071717272737374747575767677777878797980198081818282838384848585868687878888898990199091919292939394949595969697979898999900200001010202030304040505060607070808090910201011111212131314141515161617171818191920202021212222232324242525any year

17 February, every year

‹ 16 February20 February ›

any date

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecany month
1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829any day

4 entries on 4 dates · the books disagree on 4

February 1984

Friday, 17 February 1984

The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology

The Marines withdrew from Beirut. The Italian contingent of the Multinational Force was soon to follow. The capital was left on its own.
What the books addSources date the Marines' departure differently. Hanf: the US announced the 'redeployment' to the ships on 7 February. De Clerck and Malsagne: the evacuation ran from 7 to 26 February, and their chronology dates the MNF withdrawal 26 February - 31 March. Fisk: a last Marine detachment guarding the embassy left on 31 July 1984. The Italians left on 20 February (Hanf).
Art and memory
  • book Hanf cites Eric Hammel's The Root: The Marines in Beirut, August 1982 - February 1984 for the Marines' own verdict on their mission: of 200 interviewed, about half said it had achieved 'nothing'.

Other dates in the books: Tuesday, 7 February 1984, Tuesday, 31 July 1984

\_this day in full \_on this day

February 1985

Sunday, 17 February 1985

The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology

The army made a triumphal entrance in Saida. The transition was smooth and no incident followed the Israeli departure.
What the books addTraboulsi dates Israel's exit from Sidon to 17 February 1985. Fisk describes Christians and Muslims briefly celebrating together when Lebanese troops arrived.

Other date in the books: Wednesday, 9 January 1985

\_this day in full \_on this day

February 1987

Tuesday, 17 February 1987

The Lebanese war · Added from the books

The Communist thinker Hussein Mroue is assassinated.
Hussein Mroue, a prominent Marxist thinker of the Lebanese Communist Party, was murdered, one of several party officials and intellectuals killed in 1986-87 amid the rift between Hezbollah and the Communists.

Sources differ: De Clerck and Malsagne link the killings to the break between Hezbollah and the Communist Party; Hanf attributes the murders of Communist intellectuals in early 1987 to Amal supporters. Neither names the killers of Mroue specifically.

\_this day in full \_on this day

February 1988

Wednesday, 17 February 1988

The Lebanese war · Added from the books

US Colonel William Higgins, of the UN truce supervisors, is kidnapped near Tyre.
William Higgins, an American lieutenant-colonel with the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), was abducted at Tyre. He was accused of making the south a 'buffer zone serving Israel'. Amal held Hezbollah responsible, one of the grievances behind their war. A film of his hanging in captivity was circulated on 31 July 1989.

Sources differ: The Confluences article calls him a UNIFIL official; de Clerck's book says UNTSO.

\_this day in full \_on this day