33 years ago today! Anyone remember?

[n0rlf]

33 Years ago today I Lost 241 fellow US Marines in Lebanon when their barracks was truck bombed. I offer my condolences to their families on the anniversary of a horrific day. This is yet another fine example of the government's inability to deal with the real world. Semper Fi my brothers. Service men and women that fight for this country deserve our respect and the best we have to offer. Yet they are forced to deal with political leadership that does not care about them. The VA system is a complete loss, ran by incompetent people appointed by incompetent leaders. I would like to see every politician up for reelection voted out of office this cycle. No politician should ever have a paycheck higher than the people that protect this country. Nor should they have medical care that is beyond the reach of most veterans.

Please think hard about who you are going to cast a vote for. Some of our choices are not the most palatable yet again this year. Very few good people will run for any office as the stench is overwhelming from our politicians.

If they are an incumbent please vote them out. I do not care which party it is. Parties really mean nothing to most of us anymore anyway these days as they have become corrupt on both sides.

We are losing veterans at a very alarming rate while our leaders in Washington fight over some really stupid items. They have broken their vows and contracts with the very people sworn to protect this wonderful country. Perhaps they have forgotten what they should be doing, but more likely they are just busy taking money and making laws to benefit themselves and their friends to see the real world anymore.

Perhaps they should remember the words of another US President:

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”

― Abraham Lincoln

Remember folks, these people are elected to represent us, not to do what they think is best for us. If what we have is what they think is best then it is high past time for new representatives. Think about that word, Representative. It is not intended they be rulers yet most seem to think they are. Take our Country back this year. Make your voice heard high above the clamor of the media and social sites! Do something different and think for yourself and vote for someone that will act and represent you the way it was intended.

Notice I have mentioned no politician by name neither am I endorsing any candidate. In my opinion none of them are up to the task nor worthy. So let’s just get rid of any of them that have ever served more than one term and start with fresh thoughts and ideas. Do not let the baiters and media outlets lead you. Think for yourself and choose carefully. Race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other buzz words should never be a factor in deciding who leads us. Break the paradigm they want you to follow.

Our current representatives have been promising much for years while blowing sunshine up our butts and delivering nothing. I see no change for the poor and struggling people of this country even though it has been promised for decades. We might as well give the job to others this election as obviously the current bunch is not up to the task.

Both parties have good talking points about the problems but no idea of how to correct the problems.

Remember, A vision and plan without good execution is naught but a dream.

Have a great day and thank a veteran today!

[DMark]

I remember.

Later that night 33 years ago the Division Ready Brigade of the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg was alerted.  I was part of it. 

We knew it had to be the real deal because the arms room was issuing out bayonets - - - something that the Division wouldn't dare authorize unless it was for combat....., or the annual All American Week Division Review parade.

Everybody was running around wondering what it was going to be like to make a combat jump into Beirut, Lebanon.  It was still some time before it became known that another operation was already underway and we would be heading south to the island of Grenada. 

[btq96r]

Those men deserved better than to die so we could provide a "presence" without any strategic forethought.  Even sadder is the lesson their loss bought seems to have been missed in the years since.

Our country is a better place because they stood watch when called upon.  I hope the years since have brought a sense of peace to their friends and family.

[diamondback]

I was a tad young, but recall it. Seems we are still fighting the people who bombed the barracks in a way.

[leroy]

I well remember it... Reagan's actions after this bombing were the only foreign policy move i thought was foolish... We should have finished this when it happened... If we had, you wouldn't see these endless "middle east wars" and islamo-terrorists... The withdrawal simply emboldened our enemies...No one wins when you walk away from an atrocity like this one, except the arms merchants....

food for thought...

sad leroy, rememberin....

Edited October 23, 2016 by leroy

[usnbud]

I was on the USS Sellers,DDG-11, we were in the Med when it happened. Very somber news that day.