Administration hawks like Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -LRB- who , as President Reagan 's Middle East envoy , oversaw the collapse of America 's foray into Lebanon 's civil war -RRB- and the National Security Council 's Elliott Abrams -LRB- whose previous involvement in Lebanon policy helped generate the Iran-contra scandal -RRB- believe that such a course would allow the establishment of a pro-Western government in Beirut that would accommodate Israel and help to project American influence .