"USMC Barracks Destroyed 40 years ago." Topic

40 years ago yesterday 241 US Marines were killed in Lebanon by islamic terrorists at their barracks with a suicide truck bomb. Those terrorists were supported by Iran & Syria. RIP Marines and Sailors …

It seems that Iran has tried to shape the Mid East to their liking for a long time. So we are concerned about Iran supporting islamic terrorists. I think it is time to do a little payback. The IDF can kill off much of Hamas, etc.

But we need to make it painful when we see Iran is clearly supporting butchers like Hamas. I'm not saying go to war. But as the previous POTUS fired 60 TLAMs at Syria. To send a message as well. Seemed to have worked.

So I think we need real leadership who is not afraid of firing TLAMs at a few targets on occasions. E.g. Iranian petroleum infrastructure. We still need to avenge those Marines from back then.

The time for pay-back was 40 years ago. I fear it is now too late as Iranian capabilities and options for reprisals have expanded exponentially (including untold numbers of terrorist sleeper agents among the MILLIONS of illegals that have entered the USA). If I recall correctly, the Russians had persons kidnapped in Beirut about the same time our marines were murdered and our diplomats kidnapped, tortured and killed. The Russians were released after their special operators did a little treatment in kind to kinfolk and associates of the kidnappers. The locals got the message in a language they understood and moved on to softer targets.

I remember that day. I was just a kid, but I remember my mom crying because she lost a cousin. Her cousin was a Navy liaison to the USMC det and had been at the barracks for some reason. I agree with Legion… payback is long overdue.

There's a long list of 40+ years of Iran supporting or participating in killing of American. The present regime in Tehran will never be friendly to the United States no matter what overtures we make to them or offers we make to them. BTW, there were Navy and Army included in the 241 souls lost at that compound that day, as well as the French had their base attacked too. Final note, it happened 23 October .. not the 24th

pmwalt: he did say "40 years ago yesterday"

Long ago a subcontractor worker of the company I use to work for was a Marine who was there. He told me once about digging in the rubble days after that attack.
Found out a few years ago he had passed away, no idea of cause.
We all use to call him Cheesesteak Charlie because he loved them and would get them often.

14Bore, I cannot imagine what that Marine went through.

I went back in the Navy that year and was temporally assigned to the USS New Jersey of the coast of Lebanon. Time flies but it is not forgotten.

as well as the French had their base attacked too.

Yes IIRC it was a French Paratrooper unit. Regardless … they got hit too by the same terrorist's group that hit our USMC. Supported by Iran …

I fear it is now too late as Iranian capabilities and options for reprisals have expanded exponentially (including untold numbers of terrorist sleeper agents among the MILLIONS of illegals that have entered the USA).

Yes, but even today Iran supported Shia Militias has used Drones & Rockets to attack USA troops in Syria & Iraq. Happened only a few days ago. 12 US troops slightly WIAs. No punitive action was taken by the US.

My point is we have been dealing with Iran and their proxies for a very long time. We should hit those militias with drones and/or TLAMs. And every time this sort of thing happens something in Iran should get hit with drones and or TLAMs. E.g. one of their oil refineries, military supply points, coastal defense sites, nuke sites etc. gone …

If this is not punished it will continue … I'm not saying go to war. But use our tech to slap these fundamentalist living in a theocracy that hate the infidel[most of us]. That wants to attack Israel, the US, etc.

And yes the gov't dictated open Southern has seen millions cross. 156 on terrorist watch list have been captured from moslem dominated countries. But how many got thru ? All they have to do is steal a truck and start running over people on the streets. If this happens whose hands are bloody ? I think we know.

I agree with Legion… payback is long overdue.

Yes just like our current criminal justice system. If the bad guys break the law but out on the streets within 24hrs. They have no reason to not break the law again.

If Iran does not feel the pain for their actions supporting terrorists. As we see they will do it again, and again, etc.

The Russians were released after their special operators did a little treatment in kind to kinfolk and associates of the kidnappers. The locals got the message in a language they understood and moved on to softer targets.

That is a technique and, in some cases, an effective one. But the US/West is not so draconian. Which sometimes is not to our advantage …
However, we endeavor to follow the CGs, etc.

OSCS74 + 1

One of the last times our BBs were used in combat, IIRC.

One of the challenges of responding directly to Iran's role is that we were illegally selling them weapons at the time. Easier to withdraw from Lebanon than risk upsetting that apple cart. Iran was also a useful complication for the Soviets in Afghanistan.

If it makes you feel better, US aid for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War accounts for a decent percentage of Iran's KIAs. Setting aside the fungible support for Hussein (agricultural and economic aid that kept them in the fight), military intelligence, "dual-use" sales, illegal weapons transfers, and special ops and technical training directly led to tens of thousands of casualties. The irony of the situation is that we eventually removed Iraq from the list of state sponsors of terror so we could give them more stuff, even though they were still actively supporting terrorists. Previously we had worked with Iran (both under the Shah and the post-Revolutionary Interim Government) to contain Iraq's support of terror groups and had even provided intel on Iraq's preparations for the war.

One of the recruiters was there when I enlisted.

Instead of doing a 2 plane raid on Iran supply warehouses in Syria. The US needs to hit targets in Iran proper. Not population centers, mitigate non-combatant loses.

However, IRGC HQs, training centers, oil support infrastructures, ports, coastal defense and ADA locations, nuke sites, etc.

We have no need for boots on the ground, we have TLAMs, Drones, airstrikes, etc.

Iran must feel the pain. Every time their proxies try to kill Americans, the US hits one or two military, or critical locations that support their efforts to kill Americans or our allies.

I'm afraid, the US gov't is risk adverse. They are afraid it will upset their work on trying to make Iran less of a threat. They need to wake up … Iran and their supporters see the US gov't as weak, feckless, naive, etc. They only respect strength. Meaning the US needs to hit Iran's proxies and Iran proper.

Highly doubt it will escalate. Iran knows the USA can basically hit any targets in their nation the US wants. Most Arab/moslem nations, e.g. Egypt, Jordan, etc. will not support a larger war with Israeli, US, etc. Generally, where the KSA goes so do most of the moslem nations. Iran is Shia most of the rest of moslems in the region are Sunni. Only 20% of islam is Shia. That difference still comes into play.

Again, Iran must feel the pain, or they will continue their support of islamic terrorists.

Instead of doing a 2 plane raid on Iran supply warehouses in Syria. The US needs to hit targets in Iran proper. Not population centers, mitigate non-combatant loses.

However, IRGC HQs, training centers, oil support infrastructures, ports, coastal defense and ADA locations, nuke sites, etc.

We have no need for boots on the ground, we have TLAMs, Drones, airstrikes, etc.

Iran must feel the pain. Every time their proxies try to kill Americans, the US hits one or two military, or critical locations that support their efforts to kill Americans or our allies.

I'm afraid, the US gov't is risk adverse. They are afraid it will upset their work on trying to make Iran less of a threat. They need to wake up … Iran and their supporters see the US gov't as weak, feckless, naive, etc. They only respect strength. Meaning the US needs to hit Iran's proxies and Iran proper.

Highly doubt it will escalate. Iran knows the USA can basically hit any targets in their nation the US wants. Most Arab/moslem nations, e.g. Egypt, Jordan, etc. will not support a larger war with Israeli, US, etc. Generally, where the KSA goes so do most of the moslem nations. Iran is Shia most of the rest of moslems in the region are Sunni. Only 20% of islam is Shia. That difference still comes into play.

Again, Iran must feel the pain, or they will continue their support of islamic terrorists.