O/T: From Another List

[J. Clarke]

Nice idea but the crew is in full pressure suits.

[Mark & Juanita]

Given that the target in Tripoli was the Azizyah Barracks, assessed to be the Command and Control Center for Libyan-sponsored terrorism, doesn't seem like much of a lie.

Don't be surprised if the OP agrees that this is his opinion.

Well, the no civilized country was specifically -- France. Because of France's refusal to help, one FB-111 and crew were lost because of being unable to refuel over France.

Given that a single target was identified in Tripoli, calling that "bombing a city" is a bit bombastic and engaged in more than a little hyperbole.

In reality, this was one of the shining examples of why taking attacks to the countries that sponsor terrorism is a good idea. This attack kept Kaddafhi from expanding his support of terrorism and led to his later agreement for nuclear and chemical disarmament. After seeing more week-kneed responses from our congress-critters in the past few years, he has once again become more bellicose. When he thought we might bomb his @$$ again, he was quite well contained and non-beligerent.

Yep. Get ready for lots more of this in the coming years.

[David G. Nagel]

The RAF Bomber Command carpet bombed the cities of Germany during the entire WWII. Dresden was fire bombed with the loss of tens of thousands of German civilians in a single night. The USAAF B29's bombed the cities of Japan using fire bombs. In early March 1945 Tokyo was fire bombed and suffered over 80,000 civilian casualties. By comparison Hiroshima only suffered 60,000 more or less. The tragic situation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was that it was necessary at all. The alternative, though, was the loss of over 1,000,000 Japanese and American lives if the invasion of Japan had gone ahead. The difference between the March mission and the August mission was hundreds of B29's in March and only 3 in August, only one of which was armed. Enola Gay.

He's right here. France, Spain and Germany closed their air space to USAF bombers for the duration of the mission. The attacking aircraft from England had to fly over the Atlantic then through the Gibraltar Strait into the Med. for their attack.

Like Saddam, Kadaffee conducted a propagands campaign against the US that implied more than what was reality. However, no one knew the accurate situation at the time. Hind sight is usually 20/20.

[David G. Nagel]

Sorry, the crew wore Adult Pampers on their missions.

[DGDevin]

Actually both the British and American air forces first made sustained efforts to use precision bombing to hit strategic targets. The not only found it difficult to do but sustained heavy casualties in the process. The British eventually came to the conclusion that if they couldn't kill a German factory worker standing at his lathe making weapons then it was just as good to kill him sleeping in his bed if the net effect was to reduce military production. Brutal? Yes, but that's war, and in this case it wasn't Britain and America who started it.

[Rick Samuel]

As I recall, there were two targets, the barracks, and Kaddafhi's house, which sustained minor damage. Probably to say, "We know where you are"

[-MIKE-]

Does one really have to add smiley's in this group?

[J. Clarke]

Five. Unfortunately some non-targets including several embassies were hit.

Google "eldorado canyon" and you'll find numerous discussions of the operation.

[Mark & Juanita]

The reference I looked at only identified the barracks, although I also knew that his house was hit. However, the point was, even with 5 targets, that hardly rises to the accusation of "bombing a city" which raises the WWII memories of firebombing actual city-size areas.