Arid Farmer
Chad Crisis

In early 1979, Chad became an open arena of unrestrained factional politics. From 1979 to 1982, Chad experienced unprecedented change and spiraling violence. Southerners lost control of what remained of the Chadian government, while civil conflicts became significantly more internationalized. Opportunistic power seekers sought to gather followers (often using sectarian appeals) and to win support from Chad's African neighbors. By December 1980 Libyan forces had firm control of the capital and most other urban centers outside the south. Throughout 1981 most of the members of the OAU, along with France and the United States, encouraged Libyan troops to withdraw from Chad, and by mid-November 1981 the Libyan forces had complied.

Until the early 1980s, United States aid to Chad had been restricted to shipments of food and development assistance. The United States had declined to become involved on behalf of any of the Chadian factions and had no desire to supplant France, which had shouldered the principal Western responsibility in Chad. The United States viewed Libyan expansionism as the cause of the Chadian crisis of 1983 and sought to check Libyan involvement. Accordingly, in April 1983 Washington negotiated an agreement to provide training in the United States for Chadian personnel in a number of military specialties. In July of the same year, the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement was signed, which provided for sending military equipment to Chad.

Regrouped as the National Liberation Army (Arm?e Nationale de Lib?ration--ANL), rebel were trained and equipped by the Libyans. Returning to the offensive, they were able to take Faya Largeau in June 1983, following a devastating Libyan air bombardment.

As the rebels advanced, aided by the poorly concealed participation of Libya, the central government made insistent appeals for international help. Rejecting direct intervention, France was prepared to go no further than airlifting arms and fuel. Zaire flew in a detachment of paratroopers, eventually furnishing about 2,000 men. Deployed chiefly around N'Djamena, they freed Chadian troops to fight the rebels.

In August 1983, Washington authorized US$25 million emergency aid package to help the Habr? government, including the delivery of Redeye antiaircraft missiles and missile launchers. Three United States specialists visited Chad briefly to train Chadians in the use of the equipment.

As a further symbol of American concern, on 08 August 1983 two Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, with support crews and 8 F-15 fighter escorts, were sent to Sudan for possible deployment in conjunction with French combat aircraft. The 964th Airborne Warning And Control Squadron deployed to Khartoum, Sudan, in support of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed operation called Arid Farmer. The unit provided around-the-clock air surveillance of the volatile border region between Libya and Sudan. The AWACS aircraft, however, were not deployed and were withdrawn after about two weeks. Also during August 1983 aircraft from CVN-69 Eisenhower operated in the Gulf of Sidra. CV-43 Coral Sea's departure from the Mediterranean was delayed for a day because of uncertainty over the situation

Protracted bilateral and multilateral negotiations eventually were successful in producing agreement on a simultaneous withdrawal of French and Libyan forces. Within the stipulated period of two months, on November 10, 1984, the French withdrawal was completed. But evidence provided by United States satellite photographs made it apparent that Qadhafi had violated his commitment by not removing his troops from Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Prefecture. Although French president Fran?ois Mitterrand confronted Qadhafi over his actions at a hastily arranged conference, he failed to obtain the Libyan leader's compliance.

As the conflict drew in other players, particularly France, Chad was in effect a partitioned country. With French help, the N'Djamena government of Hissein Habr? controlled the southern part of Chad. The area north of the sixteenth parallel, however, was controlled by Libyan-backed Goukouni Oueddei, a member of the Tebu Muslim tribe in northern Chad. According to the terms of a September 1984 treaty, France withdrew its forces from Chad. Libya, however, decided to keep its troops there, and skirmishes and fighting continued intermittently. The fighting was suspended on September 11, 1987, when Libya and Chad accepted a cease-fire proposed by the OAU.

In United States fiscal years (FY) 1984 through 1987, United States military aid to Chad totaled about US$70 million; an additional US$9 million was proposed for FY 1988. Expenditures for training were about US$200,000 annually. Most of the assistance consisted of transport aircraft and aircraft maintenance, small arms, ammunition, trucks, jeeps, antiaircraft and antitank weapons, uniforms, first aid kits, and food rations. The United States also cooperated with France in the air delivery of items deemed critical. For example, in January 1986 the United States Air Force ferried a Hawk missile battery from France to N'Djamena.