Who We Are And What We Represent

The 23rd of October marks the anniversary of a horrific event that many Americans have forgotten. On October 23, 1983, while on a “peacekeeping” mission in Lebanon, more than 200 Marines and U.S. service personnel were killed when a truck bomb driven by Muslim extremists was detonated next to their barracks. It was the single bloodiest day for the United States Marine Corps since World War II.

The Marines, along with smaller units of French, British and Italian troops, had been sent to the area to try to quell a calamitous civil war. Israel, with the approval of Lebanon’s minority Christian government, had invaded that nation to thwart attacks from the Palestine Liberation Organization. The U.S. backed the incursion, but most Lebanese were Muslim and resented not only the invasion but also their government for being complicit in the operation. Like present-day Syria, the situation quickly deteriorated into a horrible conflict where it was hard to tell which side was which.

The Marines were billeted in a structure near the Beirut Airport. Despite a host of warnings, proper levels of security were not maintained, and in the early morning hours of October 23, the driver of a truck laden with explosives crashed through a series of security check points, pulled up next to the building, and hit the detonator button.

To this day, questions remain as to the motivation for the attack. Most people believe agents of Iran or Hezbollah were behind this atrocity. At the same time, it was clear that far too many elements of Lebanese society perceived the Marines as the enemy – and with good reason. Prior to their landing, the United States 6th Fleet had shelled portions of the country, killing many innocent civilians.

Colonel Timothy J. Geraghty, a senior Marine commander on site, was against the shelling and predicted that the Marines would “pay for it in blood.” In the end, he would note that despite their good intent, the Marines were hated because of “who we were and what we represented.”

We need to heed the colonel’s words anytime we contemplate unilateral attacks on another nation. It is time to forgo going it alone. Rather, we need to harness the power of international organizations to address horrific incidents such as the chemical weapons attacks that took place in Syria.

Some believe international bodies are paper tigers, but in the past, when the world has acted together, great things have been accomplished. During Operation Desert Storm, Saddam Hussein claimed that he was a victim of American imperialism. It was obvious, however, that he was taking on not just the U.S. but rather the entire world (including Saudi Arabia and Syria). Many hate America for who we are and what we stand for, but a truly international force has a moral and hegemonic power that transcends the norm.

In short, if the chemical weapons attacks in Syria are truly horrific (and they are), then the world – not just the United States – should be involved. Throwing cruise missiles runs the risk of having America once again “paying in blood.” We must engage and work with nations like China, Russia and Iran to address international problems. Some say that those countries cannot be trusted. Guess what – they say the same thing about us. This should not stop us from trying to work together to deal with issues that are a threat not only to the people of Syria but to all of humanity. It’s time for all of the nations of the world, not just the U.S., to address the problems of the world.