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'''Philip Charles Habib''' (February 25, 1920 – May 25, 1992) was an American [[Diplomat#.22Career diplomats.22 and political appointees|career diplomat]] called one of the "pre-eminent career diplomats in American post-war history."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Holbrooke|first1=Richard|title=Phillip Habib was a diplomat's diplomat|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2026&dat=19920619&id=FvAuAAAAIBAJ&pg=4356,239421&hl=en|access-date=3 July 2015|work=The Washington Post|date=19 Jun 1992}}</ref>
'''Philip Charles Habib''' (February 25, 1920 – May 25, 1992) was an American [[Diplomat#.22Career diplomats.22 and political appointees|career diplomat]] active from 1949 to 1987.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Holbrooke|first1=Richard|title=Phillip Habib was a diplomat's diplomat|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2026&dat=19920619&id=FvAuAAAAIBAJ&pg=4356,239421&hl=en|access-date=3 July 2015|work=The Washington Post|date=19 Jun 1992}}</ref>


During his 30-year career as a [[Foreign Service Officer]], he had mostly specialized in Asia. In 1968, he was instrumental in halting the escalation of [[Vietnam War|U.S. involvement in Vietnam]].<ref>"One Brief Miracle: The Diplomat, the Zealot, and the Wild Blundering Siege," chapters 1, 2; "Cursed Is the Peacemaker," Appendix C.</ref><ref name="tltshr">{{cite news|last=Molotsky|first=Irvin|date=May 28, 1981|title=Man in the News; Tireless trouble-shooter for the U.S.|page=3|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/28/world/man-in-the-news-tireless-trouble-shooter-for-the-us.html|access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref>
During his 30-year career as a [[Foreign Service Officer]], he had mostly specialized in Asia. In 1968, he was working to prevent the escalation of [[Vietnam War|U.S. involvement in Vietnam]].<ref>"One Brief Miracle: The Diplomat, the Zealot, and the Wild Blundering Siege," chapters 1, 2; "Cursed Is the Peacemaker," Appendix C.</ref><ref name="tltshr">{{cite news|last=Molotsky|first=Irvin|date=May 28, 1981|title=Man in the News; Tireless trouble-shooter for the U.S.|page=3|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/28/world/man-in-the-news-tireless-trouble-shooter-for-the-us.html|access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref>


Habib later became known for his work as [[Ronald Reagan]]'s special envoy to the [[Middle East]] 1981–83. In that role he averted an Israel-Syria war and an Israel-[[PLO]] war in 1981, then negotiated a peaceful end to Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut.
Habib later became known for his work as [[Ronald Reagan]]'s special envoy to the [[Middle East]] from 1981 to 1983. In that role, he negotiated numerous cease-fire agreements between the various parties involved in the [[Lebanese Civil War]].


In 1986 he was instrumental in ending [[Ferdinand Marcos]]'s attempt to steal the 1986 presidential election in the [[Philippines]]. As U.S. special envoy to Central America in 1986–87, he helped [[Costa Rica|Costa Rican]] president [[Oscar Arias]] shape and sell the peace plan that led to the end of the region's civil wars. He had come out of retirement to take each of those assignments.
He came out of retirement to take two assignments as U.S. special envoy. One to the Philippines in 1986, and another to Central America in 1986–87. In the latter assignment, he helped [[Costa Rica|Costa Rican]] president [[Oscar Arias]] propose a peace plan to end the region's civil wars.


Habib was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 1982—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]].<ref name="tnpmof" /> He was also nominated for the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] by Senator [[Charles H. Percy]], chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations Committee]].<ref name="ergqcom" /><ref name="lkihot" />
Habib was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 1982—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]].<ref name="tnpmof" /> He was also nominated for the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] by Senator [[Charles H. Percy]], chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations Committee]].<ref name="ergqcom" /><ref name="lkihot">{{cite news|last=Feinsilber|first=Mike|date=August 22, 1982|title=Habib plays it low-key, even in his hour of triumph|page=3, part 1|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bmwaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6932%2C136689}}</ref>


⚫
==Early life and education==
After his death, ''[[New York Times|The New York Times]]'' described him as "the outstanding professional diplomat of his generation in the United States."<ref name="nytobarc">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/27/world/philip-c-habib-a-leading-us-diplomat-dies-at-72.html |work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Philip C. Habib, a leading U.S. diplomat, dies at 72 |last=Manegold |first=Catherine S. |date=May 27, 1992 |page=21 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="phnytfnl">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/11/obituaries/habib-remembered-as-a-blunt-diplomat-who-defied-cliches.html |work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Habib remembered as a blunt diplomat who defied clichés |date=June 11, 1992 |page=22 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref>
⚫
Born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], Habib was the son of [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Maronite Christianity in Lebanon|Maronite Catholic]] parents and was raised in a predominantly [[American Jews|Jewish]] neighborhood of the [[Bensonhurst]] section .<ref name="nytobarc">{{cite news|last=Manegold|first=Catherine S.|date=May 27, 1992|title=Philip C. Habib, a leading U.S. diplomat, dies at 72|page=21|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/27/world/philip-c-habib-a-leading-us-diplomat-dies-at-72.html|access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref> His father ran a grocery store.<ref name=hrmadf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hc0qAAAAIBAJ&pg=2531%2C212492 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |agency=Associated Press |last=Myers |first=Laura |title=Habib 'really made a difference' |date=June 2, 1992 |page=1A}}</ref> Habib graduated from [[New Utrecht High School]] in Brooklyn<ref name=gom42dc>{{cite web |url=http://issuu.com/uidahodigital/docs/gem1942/278 |publisher=Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook |title=Seniors |year=1942 |page=274}}</ref> and worked as a shipping clerk before starting his undergraduate study in [[forestry]] out [[Western United States|west]] at the [[University of Idaho]] in [[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]].<ref name=tltshr /><ref name=gom42dc /> Habib remained connected to the University of Idaho thoughout his life. He co-chaired the university's centennial fund-raising campaign several years earlier, as well as several class reunions.<ref name="dtsphhd">{{cite news|date=May 27, 1992|title=Diplomatic trouble-shooter Philip Habib dies|page=A2|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|agency=(New York Times)|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19920527&id=dVtWAAAAIBAJ&pg=4135,4962276}}</ref> He moderated its [[William Borah|Borah]] Symposium, an annual foreign affairs conference, in 1986,<ref name="hbborh">{{cite news|date=November 20, 1985|title=Philip Habib to chair Borah Symposium|page=A5|newspaper=Spokane Chronicle|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VMcSAAAAIBAJ&pg=5945%2C753773}}</ref><ref name="dphwm">{{cite news|last=Devlin|first=Sherry|date=March 19, 1986|title=Diplomat Philip Habib will moderate Borah Symposium|page=A3|newspaper=Spokane Chronicle|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tscSAAAAIBAJ&pg=2749%2C883338}}</ref> and received the university's highest honors for alumni in 1969, 1974, and 1983.<ref name="uildph">{{cite news|date=May 27, 1992|title=UI officials laud famous grad|page=2A|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLReAAAAIBAJ&pg=4375%2C3035658}}</ref><ref name=cctch>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c09OAAAAIBAJ&pg=5535%2C4141929 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Habib always held his cards close to chest |last=Watterson |first=Sylvia |date=August 9, 1982 |page=6}}</ref><ref name=mpdnobit>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wYokAAAAIBAJ&pg=3679%2C1211111 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |title=UI alum Habib dies at 72 |date=May 26, 1992 |page=1A}}</ref><ref name=pahuid>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kZMrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6420%2C3019818 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow, Idaho |last=Trillhaase |first=Marty |title=Habib recalls 'poor and happy' UI days |date=April 25, 1987 |page=10}}</ref>

⚫
==Early life==
⚫
Born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], Habib was the son of [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Maronite Christianity in Lebanon|Maronite Catholic]] parents and was raised in a predominantly [[American Jews|Jewish]] neighborhood of the [[Bensonhurst]] section .<ref name=nytobarc /> His father ran a grocery store.<ref name=hrmadf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hc0qAAAAIBAJ&pg=2531%2C212492 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |agency=Associated Press |last=Myers |first=Laura |title=Habib 'really made a difference' |date=June 2, 1992 |page=1A}}</ref> Habib graduated from [[New Utrecht High School]] in Brooklyn<ref name=gom42dc>{{cite web |url=http://issuu.com/uidahodigital/docs/gem1942/278 |publisher=Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook |title=Seniors |year=1942 |page=274}}</ref> and worked as a shipping clerk before starting his undergraduate study in [[forestry]] out [[Western United States|west]] at the [[University of Idaho]] in [[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]].<ref name=tltshr /><ref name=gom42dc /> As a college student on the [[Palouse]], he was well-regarded by his peers and was an accomplished [[poker]] player.<ref name=cctch>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c09OAAAAIBAJ&pg=5535%2C4141929 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Habib always held his cards close to chest |last=Watterson |first=Sylvia |date=August 9, 1982 |page=6}}</ref><ref name=mpdnobit>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wYokAAAAIBAJ&pg=3679%2C1211111 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |title=UI alum Habib dies at 72 |date=May 26, 1992 |page=1A}}</ref><ref name=pahuid>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kZMrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6420%2C3019818 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow, Idaho |last=Trillhaase |first=Marty |title=Habib recalls 'poor and happy' UI days |date=April 25, 1987 |page=10}}</ref>


After graduating in 1942 from the UI's College of Forestry (now Natural Resources),<ref name="gom42dc" /><ref name="pahuid" /><ref name="fhph">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NlpWAAAAIBAJ&pg=7071%2C4052536 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Devlin |first=Sherry |title=Habib habits: Facts, humor, pressure, honesty |date=April 25, 1987 |page=A8}}</ref> he served in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] during [[World War II]] and attained the rank of [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]]. Discharged from the service in 1946, Habib continued his education via the [[G.I. Bill]] in a [[Doctorate|doctoral]] program in [[agricultural economics]] at the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California]] in [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], and earned a Ph.D. in 1952.<ref name="phtblsr">{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-27/news/mn-256_1_philip-habib |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |title=Philip Habib; U.S. envoy, trouble-shooter |agency=staff and wire reports |date=May 27, 1992 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="fhph" />
After graduating in 1942 from the UI's College of Forestry (now Natural Resources),<ref name="gom42dc" /><ref name="pahuid" /><ref name="fhph">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NlpWAAAAIBAJ&pg=7071%2C4052536 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Devlin |first=Sherry |title=Habib habits: Facts, humor, pressure, honesty |date=April 25, 1987 |page=A8}}</ref> he served in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] during [[World War II]] and attained the rank of [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]]. Discharged from the service in 1946, Habib continued his education via the [[G.I. Bill]] in a [[Doctorate|doctoral]] program in [[agricultural economics]] at the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California]] in [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], and earned a Ph.D. in 1952.<ref name="phtblsr">{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-27/news/mn-256_1_philip-habib |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |title=Philip Habib; U.S. envoy, trouble-shooter |agency=staff and wire reports |date=May 27, 1992 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="fhph" />


In 1947, recruiters for the [[United States Foreign Service]] visited the Berkeley campus. They were particularly interested in candidates who did not fit the then-current mold of [[Ivy League]] blueblood [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant|WASP]]s. Though he had never given [[diplomacy]] a moment's thought, he enjoyed taking tests for intellectual challenge. He took the Foreign Service exam and scored in the top 10% nationally.<ref>"Cursed Is the Peacemaker," p. 16</ref>
In 1947, recruiters for the [[United States Foreign Service]] visited the Berkeley campus. They were particularly interested in candidates who did not fit the then-current mold of [[Ivy League]] blueblood [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant|WASP]]s. Habib says he had never given [[diplomacy]] a moment's thought, and that he just enjoyed taking tests for intellectual challenge. He took the Foreign Service exam and scored in the top 10% nationally.<ref>"Cursed Is the Peacemaker," p. 16</ref>


==Foreign service career==
==Foreign service career==
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Beginning in 1949, his foreign service career took him to [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Korea]] (twice), and [[South Vietnam]]. He held the State Department position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1967–1969 and was chief of staff for the U.S. delegation to the [[Paris Peace Accords|Paris Peace Talks]] from 1968 to 1971. Habib acquired increasingly important posts, serving as [[United States Ambassador to South Korea|Ambassador to South Korea]] (1971–1974), [[Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] (1974–1976), and [[Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs]] (1976–1978).<ref name=ergqcom>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZBBWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6698%2C4748582 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title=Habib's mark: quiet competence |date=August 21, 1982 |page=3A}}</ref>
Beginning in 1949, his foreign service career took him to [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Korea]] (twice), and [[South Vietnam]]. He held the State Department position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1967–1969 and was chief of staff for the U.S. delegation to the [[Paris Peace Accords|Paris Peace Talks]] from 1968 to 1971. Habib acquired increasingly important posts, serving as [[United States Ambassador to South Korea|Ambassador to South Korea]] (1971–1974), [[Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] (1974–1976), and [[Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs]] (1976–1978).<ref name=ergqcom>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZBBWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6698%2C4748582 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title=Habib's mark: quiet competence |date=August 21, 1982 |page=3A}}</ref>


When South Korean opposition leader [[Kim Dae-jung]] was kidnapped in 1973 while Habib was U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Habib's discreet but firm intervention saved Kim's life.<ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapter 1</ref><ref name=bstglb>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/24/saving_kim_dae_jung_a_tale_of_two_dissident_diplomats/ |title=Saving Kim Dae-jung: A tale of two dissident diplomats |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |last=Ranard |first=Donald A. |date=August 24, 2009}}</ref> Kim later became the first opposition leader in South Korea to become president and also won the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2000 for his reconciliation efforts with [[North Korea]].
When South Korean opposition leader [[Kim Dae-jung]] was kidnapped in 1973 while Habib was U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Habib credits his intervention for saving Kim's life.<ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapter 1</ref><ref name=bstglb>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/24/saving_kim_dae_jung_a_tale_of_two_dissident_diplomats/ |title=Saving Kim Dae-jung: A tale of two dissident diplomats |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |last=Ranard |first=Donald A. |date=August 24, 2009}}</ref> Kim later became the first opposition leader in South Korea to become president and also won the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2000 for his reconciliation efforts with [[North Korea]].


In 1978, a massive heart attack forced Habib to resign as Under Secretary, the top post for a career Foreign Service officer. In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] called him out of retirement to serve as special envoy to the Middle East.<ref name=wphtpce>{{cite news |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20079940,00.html |magazine=People |last=Avrech |first=Mira |title=When Philip Habib talks peace—with his hands—Israel and the Arabs pay heed |date=August 10, 1981 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapters 1 and 2</ref> Habib negotiated a peace that allowed the PLO to evacuate from the besieged city of [[Beirut]]. In 1982, for his efforts he was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]].<ref name=tnpmof>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19820908&id=_ysdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6647,2166630 |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |agency=Associated Press |title=Habib awarded highest civilian medal |date=September 8, 1982 |page=35}}</ref>
In 1978, a massive heart attack forced Habib to resign as Under Secretary, the top post for a career Foreign Service officer. In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] called him out of retirement to serve as special envoy to the Middle East.<ref name=wphtpce>{{cite news |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20079940,00.html |magazine=People |last=Avrech |first=Mira |title=When Philip Habib talks peace—with his hands—Israel and the Arabs pay heed |date=August 10, 1981 |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapters 1 and 2</ref> Habib oversaw the negociations of a peace deal that allowed the PLO to evacuate from the besieged city of [[Beirut]]. In 1982, for his efforts he was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]].<ref name=tnpmof>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19820908&id=_ysdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6647,2166630 |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |agency=Associated Press |title=Habib awarded highest civilian medal |date=September 8, 1982 |page=35}}</ref>
He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Senator [[Charles H. Percy]], chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations Committee]].<ref name=ergqcom /><ref name=lkihot>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bmwaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6932%2C136689 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press |last=Feinsilber |first=Mike |title=Habib plays it low-key, even in his hour of triumph |date=August 22, 1982 |page=3, part 1}}</ref>


Early in 1986, Reagan sent Habib to the [[Philippines]] to convince President [[Ferdinand Marcos]] to step down. In March 1986, Reagan appointed him as a special envoy to [[Central America]] with the intention of furthering U.S. interests in the conflict in [[Nicaragua]].<ref name=newstinnic>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I14bAAAAIBAJ&pg=4747%2C1867899 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=Habib's new stand is in Nicaragua |date=March 8, 1986 |page=3, part 1}}</ref> Administration hard-liners intended to use his fame and stature to advance a military solution, namely further funding of the [[Contras]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=t5yVao-mv8sC&pg=PA89&lpg=PA89&dq=philip+habib+nicaragua&source=web&ots=SV3FDClAjo&sig=IWRTrpsaoZ4PZ6KiflDVHy0WeNY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA90,M1 Necessary illusions: thought control in democratic societies]</ref>
Early in 1986, Reagan sent Habib to the [[Philippines]] to convince President [[Ferdinand Marcos]] to step down.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} In March 1986, Reagan appointed him as a special envoy to [[Central America]] with the intention of furthering U.S. interests in the conflict in [[Nicaragua]].<ref name=newstinnic>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I14bAAAAIBAJ&pg=4747%2C1867899 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=Habib's new stand is in Nicaragua |date=March 8, 1986 |page=3, part 1}}</ref> Administration hard-liners intended to use his fame and stature to advance a military solution, namely further funding of the [[Contras]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=t5yVao-mv8sC&pg=PA89&lpg=PA89&dq=philip+habib+nicaragua&source=web&ots=SV3FDClAjo&sig=IWRTrpsaoZ4PZ6KiflDVHy0WeNY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA90,M1 Necessary illusions: thought control in democratic societies]</ref>


Deciding that the Contadora Plan had run its course, [[Óscar Arias]], the newly elected president of [[Costa Rica]], drew up a plan that focused on democratization. While he viewed the Arias plan as riddled with loopholes, Habib worked to help revise it. "Phillip Habib became my ambassador to the rest of the Central American presidents," said Arias.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
Deciding that the Contadora Plan had run its course, [[Óscar Arias]], the newly elected president of [[Costa Rica]], drew up a plan that focused on democratization. While he viewed the Arias plan as riddled with loopholes, Habib worked to help revise it, and promoted it to other Central American governments. {{citation needed|date=April 2018}}


On August 7, 1987, the five Central American presidents, much to the shock of the rest of the world, agreed in principle to the Arias plan. Because further negotiating would require Habib to meet directly with Nicaragua's president, [[Daniel Ortega]], President Reagan forbade him to travel. Believing he no longer had the confidence of the president, Habib resigned.<ref name=hbresfr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YTkdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6834%2C6768772 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press, ''(Los Angeles Times)'' |title=Habib resigns; frustration on Latin talks cited |date=August 15, 1987 |page=3A}}</ref><ref name=lpspat>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NqkcAAAAIBAJ&pg=1684%2C8008151 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |title=Latin policy spat tied to Habib resignation |agency=Associated Press |date=August 15, 1987 |page=A1}}</ref><ref name=specaiderf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o0lPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6369%2C624810 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |agency=(New York Times) |title=Habib resigns as special aide; rift is reported |date=August 15, 1987 |page=1}}</ref>
On August 7, 1987, the five Central American presidents, much to the shock of the rest of the world, agreed in principle to the Arias plan. Because further negotiating would require Habib to meet directly with Nicaragua's president, [[Daniel Ortega]], President Reagan forbade him to travel. Believing he no longer had the confidence of the president, Habib resigned.<ref name=hbresfr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YTkdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6834%2C6768772 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press, ''(Los Angeles Times)'' |title=Habib resigns; frustration on Latin talks cited |date=August 15, 1987 |page=3A}}</ref><ref name=lpspat>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NqkcAAAAIBAJ&pg=1684%2C8008151 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |title=Latin policy spat tied to Habib resignation |agency=Associated Press |date=August 15, 1987 |page=A1}}</ref><ref name=specaiderf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o0lPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6369%2C624810 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |agency=(New York Times) |title=Habib resigns as special aide; rift is reported |date=August 15, 1987 |page=1}}</ref>


==Death and legacy==
==Death and legacy==
[[File:Philiphabib.jpg|thumb|Habib and grand nephew Gregory Cohen in his offices at the State Department in 1976|left|193x193px]]
[[File:Philiphabib.jpg|thumb|Habib and grand nephew Gregory Cohen in his offices at the State Department in 1976|193x193px]]
While on vacation in [[France]] in 1992, Habib suffered a [[cardiac arrhythmia]] in [[Puligny-Montrachet]] and died on May 25 at age 72.<ref name=dphlmt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLReAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727%2C3032534 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |last=Rubin |first=Sydney |title=Diplomat Philip Habib dies |date=May 27, 1992 |page=2A}}</ref>
While on vacation in [[France]] in 1992, Habib suffered a [[cardiac arrhythmia]] in [[Puligny-Montrachet]] and died on May 25 at age 72.<ref name=dphlmt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLReAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727%2C3032534 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |last=Rubin |first=Sydney |title=Diplomat Philip Habib dies |date=May 27, 1992 |page=2A}}</ref>


Former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[George P. Shultz|George Shultz]] spoke at his funeral in [[Belmont, California]], and characterized Habib as "...a man who really made a difference."<ref name=hrmadf /> He was buried nearby at the [[Golden Gate National Cemetery]] in [[San Bruno, California|San Bruno]], just south of [[San Francisco]].<ref name=inggnchab>{{cite web |url=http://interment.net/data/us/ca/sanmateo/ggate/h/golden_h01.htm |publisher=Interment.net |title=Golden Gate National Cemetery: Philip Habib |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref> Speakers at his memorial service in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] at the [[Washington National Cathedral|National Cathedral]] the following week included two former Secretaries of State, [[Henry Kissinger]] and [[Cyrus Vance]], and a future one, former colleague [[Lawrence Eagleburger]].<ref name=phnytfnl />
Former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[George P. Shultz|George Shultz]] spoke at his funeral in [[Belmont, California]], and characterized Habib as "...a man who really made a difference."<ref name=hrmadf /> He was buried nearby at the [[Golden Gate National Cemetery]] in [[San Bruno, California|San Bruno]], just south of [[San Francisco]].<ref name=inggnchab>{{cite web |url=http://interment.net/data/us/ca/sanmateo/ggate/h/golden_h01.htm |publisher=Interment.net |title=Golden Gate National Cemetery: Philip Habib |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref> Speakers at his memorial service in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] at the [[Washington National Cathedral|National Cathedral]] the following week included two former Secretaries of State, [[Henry Kissinger]] and [[Cyrus Vance]], and a future one, former colleague [[Lawrence Eagleburger]].<ref name="phnytfnl">{{cite news|date=June 11, 1992|title=Habib remembered as a blunt diplomat who defied clichés|page=22|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/11/obituaries/habib-remembered-as-a-blunt-diplomat-who-defied-cliches.html|access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref>

At the time of his death, Habib was one of the University of Idaho's most famous and respected graduates; he co-chaired the university's centennial fund-raising campaign several years earlier, as well as several class reunions.<ref name=dtsphhd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19920527&id=dVtWAAAAIBAJ&pg=4135,4962276 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |agency=(New York Times) |title=Diplomatic trouble-shooter Philip Habib dies |date=May 27, 1992 |page=A2}}</ref> He moderated its [[William Borah|Borah]] Symposium, an annual foreign affairs conference, in 1986,<ref name=hbborh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VMcSAAAAIBAJ&pg=5945%2C753773 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |title=Philip Habib to chair Borah Symposium |date=November 20, 1985 |page=A5}}</ref><ref name=dphwm>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tscSAAAAIBAJ&pg=2749%2C883338 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |title=Diplomat Philip Habib will moderate Borah Symposium |last=Devlin |first=Sherry |date=March 19, 1986 |page=A3}}</ref> and received the university's highest honors for alumni in 1969, 1974, and 1983.<ref name=uildph>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLReAAAAIBAJ&pg=4375%2C3035658 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |title=UI officials laud famous grad |date=May 27, 1992 |page=2A}}</ref>

John Boykin's 2014 e-book "One Brief Miracle: The Diplomat, the Zealot, and the Wild Blundering Siege" told the story of how Habib negotiated a peaceful end to Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut. It was an updated, abridged version of his 2002 hardback edition, "Cursed Is the Peacemaker: The American Diplomat Versus the Israeli General, Beirut 1982."<ref>http://www.onebriefmiracle.com</ref>


In 2006, Habib was featured on a [[United States]] [[postage stamp]], one of a block of six featuring prominent diplomats.<ref>{{cite press release |title=SIX DISTINGUISHED DIPLOMATS HONORED ON U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS |publisher=United States Postal Service |date=2006-05-30 |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/six-distinguished-diplomats-honored-on-us-postage-stamps-56579417.html |access-date=2015-05-08 |quote=Philip C. Habib (1920–1992) was renowned for his diplomacy in some of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. An authority on Southeast Asia, a peace negotiator in the Middle East, and a special envoy to Central America, Habib was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1982.}}<br />''and'' {{cite journal |author=ed. William J. Gicker |year=2006 |title=Distinguished American Diplomats 39¢ |type=print |journal=USA Philatelic |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=14 }}</ref> In 2013, the city of Junieh, Lebanon, unveiled a bust of Habib among other "national heroes" in Friendship Square.<ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapter 16</ref>
In 2006, Habib was featured on a [[United States]] [[postage stamp]], one of a block of six featuring prominent diplomats.<ref>{{cite press release |title=SIX DISTINGUISHED DIPLOMATS HONORED ON U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS |publisher=United States Postal Service |date=2006-05-30 |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/six-distinguished-diplomats-honored-on-us-postage-stamps-56579417.html |access-date=2015-05-08 |quote=Philip C. Habib (1920–1992) was renowned for his diplomacy in some of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. An authority on Southeast Asia, a peace negotiator in the Middle East, and a special envoy to Central America, Habib was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1982.}}<br />''and'' {{cite journal |author=ed. William J. Gicker |year=2006 |title=Distinguished American Diplomats 39¢ |type=print |journal=USA Philatelic |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=14 }}</ref> In 2013, the city of Junieh, Lebanon, unveiled a bust of Habib among other "national heroes" in Friendship Square.<ref>"One Brief Miracle," chapter 16</ref>


[[Warren Zevon]] wrote the song "The Envoy", from his 1982 [[The Envoy|album of the same name]], in honor of Habib.
[[Warren Zevon]] wrote the song "The Envoy", from his 1982 [[The Envoy|album of the same name]], in honor of Habib{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}.


Habib House, the Seoul residence of the [[United States Ambassador to Korea]], is named for him.
Habib House, the Seoul residence of the [[United States Ambassador to Korea]], is named for him.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 06:46, 3 June 2021

Amb.
Philip Habib
Habib in Lebanon in December 1982
9th Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
In office
July 1, 1976 – April 1, 1978
PresidentGerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Preceded byJoseph J. Sisco
Succeeded byDavid D. Newsom
12th Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
In office
September 27, 1974 – June 30, 1976
PresidentGerald Ford
Preceded byRobert S. Ingersoll
Succeeded byArthur W. Hummel Jr.
9th United States Ambassador to Korea
In office
October 10, 1971 – August 19, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Preceded byWilliam J. Porter
Succeeded byRichard Sneider
Personal details
Born
Philip Charles Habib

(1920-02-25)February 25, 1920
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 25, 1992(1992-05-25) (aged 72)
Puligny-Montrachet, France
Cause of deathCardiac arrhythmia
Resting placeGolden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California
CitizenshipUnited States
Spouse(s)Marjorie W. Slightham[1]
(m.1943–1992, his death)[2]
Children2 daughters
ParentIskander (Alex) Habib Jamous & Miriam (Mary) Spiridon Habib
ResidenceBelmont, California
Alma materUniversity of Idaho (B.S.)
University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D.)
OccupationDiplomat
Known forShuttle diplomacy
Awards President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service (1979)
Medal of Freedom,
(Diplomacy, 1982)[3]
Légion d'Honneur
(France, 1988)[4]
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1942–1946
Rank Captain

Philip Charles Habib (February 25, 1920 – May 25, 1992) was an American career diplomat active from 1949 to 1987.[5]

During his 30-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, he had mostly specialized in Asia. In 1968, he was working to prevent the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.[6][7]

Habib later became known for his work as Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East from 1981 to 1983. In that role, he negotiated numerous cease-fire agreements between the various parties involved in the Lebanese Civil War.

He came out of retirement to take two assignments as U.S. special envoy. One to the Philippines in 1986, and another to Central America in 1986–87. In the latter assignment, he helped Costa Rican president Oscar Arias propose a peace plan to end the region's civil wars.

Habib was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1982—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the U.S. government.[3] He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Senator Charles H. Percy, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.[8][9]

Early life and education

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Habib was the son of Lebanese Maronite Catholic parents and was raised in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood of the Bensonhurst section .[10] His father ran a grocery store.[11] Habib graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn[12] and worked as a shipping clerk before starting his undergraduate study in forestry out west at the University of Idaho in Moscow.[7][12] Habib remained connected to the University of Idaho thoughout his life. He co-chaired the university's centennial fund-raising campaign several years earlier, as well as several class reunions.[13] He moderated its Borah Symposium, an annual foreign affairs conference, in 1986,[14][15] and received the university's highest honors for alumni in 1969, 1974, and 1983.[16][17][18][19]

After graduating in 1942 from the UI's College of Forestry (now Natural Resources),[12][19][20] he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and attained the rank of captain. Discharged from the service in 1946, Habib continued his education via the G.I. Bill in a doctoral program in agricultural economics at the University of California in Berkeley, and earned a Ph.D. in 1952.[4][20]

In 1947, recruiters for the United States Foreign Service visited the Berkeley campus. They were particularly interested in candidates who did not fit the then-current mold of Ivy League blueblood WASPs. Habib says he had never given diplomacy a moment's thought, and that he just enjoyed taking tests for intellectual challenge. He took the Foreign Service exam and scored in the top 10% nationally.[21]

Foreign service career

President Ronald Reagan Walking with Ambassador Philip Habib in 1982

Beginning in 1949, his foreign service career took him to Canada, New Zealand, South Korea (twice), and South Vietnam. He held the State Department position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1967–1969 and was chief of staff for the U.S. delegation to the Paris Peace Talks from 1968 to 1971. Habib acquired increasingly important posts, serving as Ambassador to South Korea (1971–1974), Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (1974–1976), and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (1976–1978).[8]

When South Korean opposition leader Kim Dae-jung was kidnapped in 1973 while Habib was U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Habib credits his intervention for saving Kim's life.[22][23] Kim later became the first opposition leader in South Korea to become president and also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his reconciliation efforts with North Korea.

In 1978, a massive heart attack forced Habib to resign as Under Secretary, the top post for a career Foreign Service officer. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan called him out of retirement to serve as special envoy to the Middle East.[2][24] Habib oversaw the negociations of a peace deal that allowed the PLO to evacuate from the besieged city of Beirut. In 1982, for his efforts he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the U.S. government.[3]

Early in 1986, Reagan sent Habib to the Philippines to convince President Ferdinand Marcos to step down.[citation needed] In March 1986, Reagan appointed him as a special envoy to Central America with the intention of furthering U.S. interests in the conflict in Nicaragua.[25] Administration hard-liners intended to use his fame and stature to advance a military solution, namely further funding of the Contras.[26]

Deciding that the Contadora Plan had run its course, Óscar Arias, the newly elected president of Costa Rica, drew up a plan that focused on democratization. While he viewed the Arias plan as riddled with loopholes, Habib worked to help revise it, and promoted it to other Central American governments. [citation needed]

On August 7, 1987, the five Central American presidents, much to the shock of the rest of the world, agreed in principle to the Arias plan. Because further negotiating would require Habib to meet directly with Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, President Reagan forbade him to travel. Believing he no longer had the confidence of the president, Habib resigned.[27][28][29]

Death and legacy

Habib and grand nephew Gregory Cohen in his offices at the State Department in 1976

While on vacation in France in 1992, Habib suffered a cardiac arrhythmia in Puligny-Montrachet and died on May 25 at age 72.[30]

Former Secretary of State George Shultz spoke at his funeral in Belmont, California, and characterized Habib as "...a man who really made a difference."[11] He was buried nearby at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, just south of San Francisco.[31] Speakers at his memorial service in Washington at the National Cathedral the following week included two former Secretaries of State, Henry Kissinger and Cyrus Vance, and a future one, former colleague Lawrence Eagleburger.[32]

In 2006, Habib was featured on a United States postage stamp, one of a block of six featuring prominent diplomats.[33] In 2013, the city of Junieh, Lebanon, unveiled a bust of Habib among other "national heroes" in Friendship Square.[34]

Warren Zevon wrote the song "The Envoy", from his 1982 album of the same name, in honor of Habib[citation needed].

Habib House, the Seoul residence of the United States Ambassador to Korea, is named for him.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Profile – Philip Habib, Mideast envoy". Nashua Telegraph. UPI. May 8, 1981. p. 27.
  2. ^ a b Avrech, Mira (August 10, 1981). "When Philip Habib talks peace—with his hands—Israel and the Arabs pay heed". People. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Habib awarded highest civilian medal". Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. September 8, 1982. p. 35.
  4. ^ a b "Philip Habib; U.S. envoy, trouble-shooter". Los Angeles Times. staff and wire reports. May 27, 1992. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  5. ^ Holbrooke, Richard (June 19, 1992). "Phillip Habib was a diplomat's diplomat". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "One Brief Miracle: The Diplomat, the Zealot, and the Wild Blundering Siege," chapters 1, 2; "Cursed Is the Peacemaker," Appendix C.
  7. ^ a b Molotsky, Irvin (May 28, 1981). "Man in the News; Tireless trouble-shooter for the U.S." The New York Times. p. 3. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Habib's mark: quiet competence". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. August 21, 1982. p. 3A.
  9. ^ Feinsilber, Mike (August 22, 1982). "Habib plays it low-key, even in his hour of triumph". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. p. 3, part 1.
  10. ^ Manegold, Catherine S. (May 27, 1992). "Philip C. Habib, a leading U.S. diplomat, dies at 72". The New York Times. p. 21. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Myers, Laura (June 2, 1992). "Habib 'really made a difference'". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Associated Press. p. 1A.
  12. ^ a b c "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1942. p. 274.
  13. ^ "Diplomatic trouble-shooter Philip Habib dies". Spokesman-Review. (New York Times). May 27, 1992. p. A2.
  14. ^ "Philip Habib to chair Borah Symposium". Spokane Chronicle. November 20, 1985. p. A5.
  15. ^ Devlin, Sherry (March 19, 1986). "Diplomat Philip Habib will moderate Borah Symposium". Spokane Chronicle. p. A3.
  16. ^ "UI officials laud famous grad". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. May 27, 1992. p. 2A.
  17. ^ Watterson, Sylvia (August 9, 1982). "Habib always held his cards close to chest". Spokesman-Review. p. 6.
  18. ^ "UI alum Habib dies at 72". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. May 26, 1992. p. 1A.
  19. ^ a b Trillhaase, Marty (April 25, 1987). "Habib recalls 'poor and happy' UI days". Idahonian. Moscow, Idaho. p. 10.
  20. ^ a b Devlin, Sherry (April 25, 1987). "Habib habits: Facts, humor, pressure, honesty". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. A8.
  21. ^ "Cursed Is the Peacemaker," p. 16
  22. ^ "One Brief Miracle," chapter 1
  23. ^ Ranard, Donald A. (August 24, 2009). "Saving Kim Dae-jung: A tale of two dissident diplomats". The Boston Globe.
  24. ^ "One Brief Miracle," chapters 1 and 2
  25. ^ "Habib's new stand is in Nicaragua". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. March 8, 1986. p. 3, part 1.
  26. ^ Necessary illusions: thought control in democratic societies
  27. ^ "Habib resigns; frustration on Latin talks cited". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press, (Los Angeles Times). August 15, 1987. p. 3A.
  28. ^ "Latin policy spat tied to Habib resignation". Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. August 15, 1987. p. A1.
  29. ^ "Habib resigns as special aide; rift is reported". Toledo Blade. (New York Times). August 15, 1987. p. 1.
  30. ^ Rubin, Sydney (May 27, 1992). "Diplomat Philip Habib dies". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. p. 2A.
  31. ^ "Golden Gate National Cemetery: Philip Habib". Interment.net. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  32. ^ "Habib remembered as a blunt diplomat who defied clichés". The New York Times. June 11, 1992. p. 22. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  33. ^ "SIX DISTINGUISHED DIPLOMATS HONORED ON U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS" (Press release). United States Postal Service. May 30, 2006. Retrieved May 8, 2015. Philip C. Habib (1920–1992) was renowned for his diplomacy in some of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. An authority on Southeast Asia, a peace negotiator in the Middle East, and a special envoy to Central America, Habib was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1982.
    and ed. William J. Gicker (2006). "Distinguished American Diplomats 39¢". USA Philatelic (print). 11 (3): 14. {{cite journal}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  34. ^ "One Brief Miracle," chapter 16
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to South Korea
1974–1978 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
September 27, 1974 – June 30, 1976 		Succeeded by
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