** FILE ** In a file photo British soldiers give a hand in rescue operations at the site of the bomb-wrecked U.S. Marine command center near Beirut airport Sunday, Oct. 23, 1983. Imad Mughniyeh, the militant accused of attacks that left hundreds of Americans and Israelis dead, has been killed, Hezbollah said Wednesday Feb. 13, 2008. He was suspected of masterminding the attack on Marine base in Lebanon that killed more than 260 Americans in 1983. (AP Photo/Bill Foley/File)
I was 11 when this happened. I don’t remember much to tell you the truth. I read about it in school, and the bombing was covered in detail when I was in boot camp. A large truck carrying a bomb ran into a command center in Beirut, Lebanon killed over 300 people.
I couldn’t believe that it was worst day of casualties for the Marine Corps since Iwo Jima. This was also when I first heard about Islam. I read James Clavell’s Whirlwind, and started to get an understanding for how different Middle East was compared to my life.
I all know is we can never forget the Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and French soldiers who were killed in this attack.
Several lessons were learned as a result of this attack. One of the primary changes, was the mandate that protective barriers capable of stopping a truck that would have carried bombs. More resources were put into intelligence about terrorism.
Looking back on 9/11 and other terrorist attacks, the question has to be asked if we have learned anything? Or are we still repeating the same mistakes that lead to this terrible event?
