20th Anniversary of terrorism

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the rise of modern terrorism. There is so much that can be said about what happened in Beirut 20 years ago. Oct 23, 1983 is when the bombing of the American Marine barracks in Beirut was carried out by Hizbulla.

It is hard to say what the lessons ought to be. On the one hand we have to ask ourselves about how we asses foreign missions. Does it pay to help these little countries sort out their problems? I think that we ought to keep helping to build a better planet. The US has stopped thinking in isolationist term. We are the best because we have gained from everyone. We have accepted the best and brightest people from all over the world and it is time that we make the world safe and stable for everyone.

On the other hand, there is a lot we can learn about tactics and strategy. We must expect the unexpected. The idea that our enemy is rational is as out of date as that of rational economic agents. The enemy might do anything.

Second, there is no such thing as having too much information about an area. We did not understand the politics of Lebanon at the time. It was very complicated, and we were unable to comprehend that there would be a powerful enough force in a country who did not want our help.

Third, we must learn the value of perseverence. We pulled out of Beirut, and then Somalia. Everyone now knows that a superpower cannot operate like this. Soldiers in combat know the risks, and Americans cannot afford to be as squeamish as we are. A few lives is a tragedy, but it is nothing compared to the threat to the planet that was caused by pulling out.

After we pulled out of Beirut, Hizbulla declared victory against America, much like they claimed credit for getting Israel out of south Lebanon. It was really where suicide bombing started, though it was not the first. It is where everyone realized how effective it was. And it was only effective because the US pulled out. The civil war continued, and Hizbulla became respectable.

The US did nothing to get justice from Hizbulla. We learned our lesson. Bin Laden lost Afganistan and Iraq because of what he did, and no act of terror will go unpunished anymore.

241 Marines lost their lives, and it started an avalance that has still not settled.