U.S. To Send More Troops Into Beirut With Tanks

WASHINGTON The 800 U.S. Marines who landed in Beirut yesterday likely will be joined by another 400 leathernecks with tanks and artillery possibly as early as today according to Pentagon officials President Reagan said the Americans may stay in Lebanon even after Israeli and Syrian troops leave.

The Pentagon officials said preparations were being made for additional forces and equipment to be sent ashore, but they stressed that the final decision had to be made by the Marines commander Col. James M. Mead.

They said however that the expanded duties of the Marines made their additional deployment likely.

Reagan notified Congress yesterday that the first contingent of Marines had returned to Beirut. His formal notification required under the War Powers Act said the troops "will not engage in combat," but may "exercise the right of self defense and will be equipped accordingly."

The President told Congress that the Marines would be in Lebanon "only for a limited period of time". But he later told reporters on a political trip that he expects the Syrians and Israelis to leave" sooner than Lebanon will be ready for us to" remove the Marines.

The State Department however appeared to retreat from Reagan's pledge that the Marines will remain in Lebanon until other foreign forces are withdrawn.

"Within the limited period of time the multinational force will be there the United States expects the Israelis and Syrians will follow through on their intentions and with draw from Lebanon," said deputy spokesman Alan Romberg. "The very presence of the multinational force should encourage early agreement on these withdrawals."

However neither Israel nor Syrian has indicated publicly that it expects the withdrawal to be rapid.

It was the second time that Marines were sent to the Lebanese capital Members of the 32nd Marine Amphibious Unit station the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean helped oversee the evacuation of 6,000 Palestine Liberation Organization guerillas August and earlier this month.

A Pentagon official who asked not to be identified said Wednesday that the Marines have a much larger area to patrol this time, making it likely that Mead will call for the armour and artillery reinforcement.