Remember who killed 241 US servicemen in Lebanon?

As the TV screen fills our living rooms with frightening scenes of rocket strikes throughout northern Israel, it is hard not to shake the feeling that we have seen all this before.

Once again, Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon have been launching indiscriminate attacks against Israeli towns and villages, injuring dozens of innocent civilians and killing at least two people.

And once again, Israel now finds itself being drawn back into military action across its northern frontier.

To its credit, the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has taken the offensive, holding the regime in Beirut responsible for allowing Hizbullah to turn southern Lebanon into a launching pad against the Jewish state.

Thus far, strategic military and infrastructure sites in Lebanon have been hit, as have Hizbullah offices located in Beirut.

Media reports have also shown plumes of smoke and fire rising from the fuel storage containers at Beirut's international airport.

Watching those scenes immediately brought to mind the following photo, which shows a cloud of smoke rising over the US Marine barracks in Beirut after it was blown up by Hizbullah terrorists back in October 1983.

A total of 241 US servicemen were killed in that gruesome attack, which was one of the first suicide bombings to take place in the Middle East.

As international criticism of Israel's actions in Lebanon is sure to mount in the coming days, it is worth recalling the photo above – if only to remind ourselves, and public opinion, that Hizbullah is not just an enemy of the Jewish people, but of the entire Western world, too.

Comments

[DJ - California]

Shalom,
There were military blunders in the setting up of the U.S. Marine Base; which led to ability of Hizbolah to penetrate the base. The U.S. military needs to be smarter in terms of how to engage the enemy. Israel also needs to be cautious. This current military engagement could destablize the world's economies.

[Patricia]

We in the US have very short memories. My government seems more interested in short term goals than to maintain an overall perspective as the Israeli's are forced to do simply by trying to survive within a "very bad neighborhood" as your ex Prime Minister so correctly stated. If the US really evaluated the situation, it would see that Israel is the key to overall peace. If rational and law abiding behavior of Israel only results in time for the bad neighbors to obtain weapons and resources from other bad neighbors then it should be obvious that asking for restraint just allows for them to escalate their actions rather than use the time to work on solutions. I don't think any cessation in the justified response of Israel will result in anything more than a next time. I think this time Israel should do whatever it needs to to ensure it's survival and protect it's citizens and not be so influenced by world opinion. Israel has always been damned if it does and damned if it doesn't. Other than the attitudes of it's really lousy neighbors, for the life of me I don't know why and do have to suspect antisemitism is at the heart of the matter. For me, since I learned of the Holocaust, my heart has always been with the Israeli and other Jewish people. The behavior of Arab countries reflects an attempt to repeat an inhumane history that the rest of us cannot permit to occur. My hope is the USA comes to Israel's support with more than words. Israel is more important than Iraq to me. Take care of yourselves, come togather during this crucial time, argue later.

[M. D'Souza]

Syria and Iran have been using their surrogates - the Shiite Hizbullah - to fuel a cycle of violence against the US and Israel, ever since the inception of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.

IRN's first act was taking American hostages at the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Who was involved in all this?...The same guy who is now the President of Iran - Ahmad-in-e-jihad against US and Israel. His cohort since those days - Ali Larijani - is now Iran's national security adviser and is also Iran's senior nuclear negotiator. He recently (Jul.12,06) flew to Damascus, to help Syria in case of an Israeli attack.

In 1983, it was Hizbullah goons that bombed the US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, and on Oct.23rd they attacked the marine barracks with two trucks laden with 12,000lb of TNT to bring down the 4-story building, that killed 241 of our brave marines. The US marines will NEVER forget that!!!

It was only 20 years later (in 2003), that a US district court judge declared that Iran-Syria-Hizbullah were involved in that massacre, though initially many Shiite factions in Lebanon were eager to claim responsibility.

Yesterday (Jul.14), the Syrian ambassador to the UN, Dr. Jafar Ja'afari, did not hesitate to remind reporters in an interview in New York, that when Damascus was in Lebanon, Hizbullah attacks on Israeli settlements were a few in number - thanks to the Syrian army!!!

He also pointed out that Hizbullah could not operate with such impunity within his country, because the Syrian military 'would never permit it.' (This is a good way for Syria to wriggle out of current tensions it has instigated in Lebanon!!!)

Ja'afari also insisted that Washington was well aware of the impotence of the current Lebanese government. (No wonder Iran and Syria have snuck in without any impunity!).

He says that the US bears some of the responsibility for the current escalation of tensions (Dah! That should surprise all of us! That should put a smile on the faces of the anti-American, anti-Bush, liberal press reporters!).

He also says that the US is the only superpower and should use their power to decrease, not increase such tensions (Good Mr.Ambassador, for steering clear of the mischief Syria and Iran have created and escalated in that region!)

[I. Joan Pinilla]

A visit to local blogs is always a first hand impression of what people really are. Their hidden virtues and fears.
Good things are in Israel's people, but nothing but hate is found in the major number of Israel citizens to the arabs, and arrogance to the rest of the world; just despise for human rigths and laws. No mentions to the shame of loosing lives, whatever their nature. How can you say that Israel is a democracy?
That makes distinction of a terrorist, is not that Mr. Bush says or the organisation you have on your side -even if you are a victim- but the abuse of war fare in a non-war presumption and outlaw. It's dishonour to kill civilians even in war, that's for palestinians, Hezbollah and for Israel. It's nondemocracy to use army out of war, and even palestinians have human rigths, even wars have their rules.
If you don't show respect for your opponent, you don't deserve respect from the international community, nor honour. If you are a victim you must use law, not revenge or actions to a people not found guilty themselves. That's basic for democracy even for peace. Out of that, you are also a terrorist.
The major shame is the sadness of loosing lives in every side just for your blindness. Having friends in both sides one knows very well. If you just look for enemies you only gonna find enemies, and that's a sad world, that's a perpetuum.
In peace and war, hope you the best.

I. Joan Pinilla, Infrantry Col., Spanish Army.

[Shari Merkle]

My cousin Mark was one of the US Marines killed when their barracks were bombed in Beiruit in 1983. Just last week I visited his gravesite in the tiny town of Dwight Nebraska from which he came. I stand united with all persons who wish to wipe off of the earth these evil scumbags who promote this sort of violence against others. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it seems like this sort of evil requires the "strong arm " approach. I support Israel in their fight against these individuals.

[Patricia]

Col. Pinilla, you sound like a compassionate and rational person. The ideals you expouse are only possible during a period of rational disagreement, not during a war or after a country has been agressed against time and again with only platitudes from the world community. I would prefer to be at the brunt of Israeli forces than the Palestinians or Hizbulla. These are the same people who murdered my countrymen and are led by people who continue to kill our soldiers. The US has made mistakes and I am angry that we were misled by Prs.Bush regarding Iraq. Israel has made mistakes, Lebanon, Iran and Syria have made mistakes--most in the area of judgement. The emotions you observe are due to the planned murders and aggression of people who think because they can quote a religious statement or make an undocumented claim of being downtrodden that this justifies their actions which EMOTIONALLY affect a lot of people. When your neighbor, family member, friend or relative are killed or injured and it goes on for years without the world community expressing any concern, calm rationale is not possible. It is also I think therapuetic for these strong feelings to be expressed.I wonder Col. Pinilla, if your ideals would be modified by emotions if you personally experienced this. I am very suprised you have not mentioned the train bombings. Do you dismiss this as honorable? Do you feel respect for these people your honorable opponents? Do you think this is the end of it? Live in the shoes of the Israeli's and visit their stores, resturants, coffee shops, ride their buses, feel their insecurity, and I think you will learn where these feelings begin.

[coach wallets]

Happiness is them most precious thing in life. Without it, a man will feel that his ill fate has taken charge him and the world is utterly dark and dreadful.