Philip Habib

Philip Charles Habib (February 25, 1920 – May 25, 1992) is an American career diplomat.

A preeminent career diplomats in American post-war history, he is best known for his work as Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East 1981–83

In this role he averts an Israel-Syria war and an Israel-PLO war in 1981, then negotiates a peaceful end to Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut.

In 1986 he is 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 helps Costa Rican president Oscar Arias shape and sell the peace plan that leads to the end of the region's civil wars.

He had come out of retirement to take each of those assignments.

During his thity-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, he had mostly specialized in Asia.

In 1968, he had been instrumental in halting the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

After his death, The New York Times describes him as "the outstanding professional diplomat of his generation in the United States."

No related events match the current filters.