Posted on 10/28/2018 9:37:24 AM PDT by Kaslin
With all the media focus on the caravan, the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi murder, and later the pipe bombs, there was scant coverage of the tragic Beirut US Marine Barracks bombing October 23, 1983. We had proof positive intelligence the orders for that bombing came direct from Tehran, but we never responded. It is well to review the events surrounding this tragedy and why we never responded.
On that day, 241 of our finest military personnel were killed, with scores more seriously injured. Almost simultaneously, a similar attack was carried out at the French military headquarters, killing 58 French paratroopers. We have positive proof that these attacks were planned and ordered by Iran using their Islamic Amal terrorist proxies — forerunners to Hezbollah — in Lebanon. It is astounding that we had the information to prevent these attacks, and even more astounding is the “reason” for not retaliating.
The National Security Agency issued a highly classified message dated Sept. 27, 1983, which contained the instructions that Iranian Ambassador Ali Akbar Montashemi in Damascus had previously received from Tehran and then gave to Husayn al-Musawi, the leader of the Islamic Amal. Those instructions directed the terrorist group to concentrate its attacks on the Multi-National Force but take a “spectacular” action against the U.S. Marines.
I was deputy chief of naval operations at that time, and I did not receive that message until Oct. 25, two days after the bombing. That same day, I was called out to the CIA’s Langley headquarters because CIA Director William Casey wanted to see me. At the meeting, Casey asked me whether I would develop plans to take out the perpetrators if he discovered who they were and where they were located. I readily agreed. He then had one condition, whatever we give you, cannot be shared with the joint staff. He didn’t want to read about it in the next edition of the Washington Post. I agreed and never did turn over the key intelligence.
The terrorist group, Islamic Amal, was located in the Lebanese Army Sheik Abdallah barracks near Baalbek, Lebanon. The organization had taken over the barracks on Sept. 16 with the help of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. I had the strike plans couriered to the 6th Fleet Carrier Strike Force commander, Rear Adm. Jerry Tuttle, because I knew then the Soviets were reading our communications.
Everyone had been briefed, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger. According to National Security Adviser Robert McFarland, at the key meeting with President Reagan, Weinberger stated that he thought there were Lebanese Army groups in the barracks. This was false.
The President turned to Casey for clarification. Casey, who had just returned from an overseas trip, was not up to speed on such details. The president then said, “Get that sorted out.” As it turned out, there were no Lebanese Army troops in the barracks. But Weinberger threw more dust into the air by stating that we will lose all of our Arab friends if we go ahead with this strike. To me, the Iranian-Washington lobby group had to be deeply involved and had gotten to our Secretary of Defense.
Consequently, we never received the execute order, even though the planes were loaded and ready to launch. In the words of the Carrier Strike Force commander, “This was a chip shot.” We were going to make the Sheik barracks near Baalbek, Lebanon look like a ploughed cornfield in Iowa. The failure to retaliate was tragic, and we are still living with that mistake.
Compounding the problem, Reagan approved a combined strike with the French against the same target several days later. This time, the Secretary of Defense simply ignored the President’s order and would not issue the strike order. Bud McFarland and Secretary of State George Shultz both told me that they tried to get Weinberger to change his position but failed. The French were furious. They carried out the strike alone, but did no damage, contrary to Reagan’s diary entry that stated the French wiped out the terrorists.
I am sure, neither the President nor his national security team are aware of these facts. Iran still must be held accountable. It is all part of why the Iranian theocracy must be removed from power.
Yep, and how many more muzz are now in the West as compared to back then? 20 times, 50 times, 100 times as many?
I was in basic when that happened
So what's the hold up?
How about tomorrow?
Adm James Lyins, bless him. A good man.
Has anyone ever figured out how Cap Weinberger got so much power to change history?
I was not a Reagan fan for many years after that. I thought he was an ineffectual leader and the whole US military build up in the 1980's was a joke. I have no idea how the Soviets viewed the tail turning but after the "wall" fell I slowly started to see Reagan in a different more positive light.
I remember this day. Was living in The Netherlands at the time and listening to the news on AFN as the casualty count increased and increased. Bad day.
Islam has been at war with everyone else on the planet since 622 A.D.
Their “holy” books require it.
I believe the Marine guards had empty weapons?
They had small arms, but a request for law rockets at security checkpoints had been overruled by the state department bureaucrats.
It’s not too late President Trump. I for one would support the target practice on the Mullah controlled nation.
You are correct. Sadly many do not want to listen and regard it as hate speech.
I remember one of my neighbors was there. He was a high school kid who had enlisted in the Marine Corp because he didn’t want to go to college, but jobs in our area were scarce and his parents gave him the choice of college or service. He chose service. I remember after this happened his parents were beside themselves with grief and very thankful he was one of the lucky ones who were not physically injured.
“I was in basic when that happened”
My family and I were on the way to early church that morning when reports of the bombing came across. Requested “special intentions” for our guys but only got a nod & a smile. Found out later that day that my old platoon commander was in command of 1/8 in Beirut.
Even now, when passing through the intersection where I heard news of the bombing, I think of my Marines and Sailors.
RIP Staff Sergeant Ronald Garcia, USMC. A great friend. I am sorry we don’t have the national will to settle the account for your death.
My ex was there. Had just gotten off guard duty and was on his way back to ship when blast happened. He didn’t fully understand when his mates came running up to him saying they thought he was there and dead. He said he missed being killed by minutes. I have pics he took from the ship.
So, was Ollie North cognizant of the fact that he was dealing with the same government that killed his fellow marines in Beirut during Iran-Contra affair?
I remember the photo showing a marine with a machine gun but no ammo. We allow the Iranians to build IEDs that kill our soldiers as the politicians in this country are too timid to do anything about it which is to kill the Iranian leadership.
Same goes for every other mideast country that takes shots at us. Kill them and future tinpots will not attack us.
They had Dragon anti-armor missile teams overwatching the entrances until the ambassador whined up the chain of command about how that sent an unfriendly message to the locals.
BOMB, BOMB, BOMB IRAN!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.