On June 14, 1985, Muslim terrorists hijacked TWA Flight 847 while flying between Athens to Rome. This hijacked flight was forced to land in Beirut, Lebanon. Once on the ground, the hijackers held the plane for 17 days. They demanded the release of the “Kuwait 17” as well as the release of 700 fellow Shiite Muslim prisoners being held in Israeli prisons and in prisons in southern Lebanon run by the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army. When these demands weren't met, hostage Robert Dean Stethem, a U.S. Navy diver, was shot and his body dumped on the airport tarmac. Once again, no U.S. military action followed, although Mohammed Ali Hamadei, was arrested in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1989 he was convicted in a German court and sentenced to life in prison.

On Oct. 7, 1985, the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro was sailing off the coast of Egypt, when four Muslim terrorist hijacked and demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Egypt, Italy, and elsewhere around the world. When the demands weren't met, they killed Leon Klinghoffer, a wheel chaired bound, 69-year-old disabled American tourist by pushing him overboard in the middle of the Mediterranean. Investigators would later blamed the Palestine Liberation Front, which some believed to be allied with Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Liberation Organization. Later, U.S. officials were able to link Libya to the PLF and the hijacking. After the hijackers escaped the Achille Lauro, they made their way to Egypt. When they attempted to leave Egypt by air, U.S. Navy fighters intercepted their plane and forced it down in Italy. The four hijackers were apprehended, and in 1986, they were found guilty in an Italian court. Two of the hijackers escaped from prison. One, Magid al-Molgi, who confessed to killing Mr. Klinghoffer, was caught and returned to prison. The man identified as the mastermind of the hijacking, Abu Abbas, was released by Italy despite Washington's pleas that he be held for trial.

Later on Dec. 17, 1985, airports in Rome and Vienna were bombed, killing 20 people, five of whom were Americans. This time, U.S. officials said they were able to link Libya to the bombing attacks. In January, U.S. officials decided to send the Navy and its warplanes to patrol the Gulf of Sidra -- in territorial waters claimed by Libya -- in an effort to provoke Qaddafi. Needless to say this also failed and no military action took place.

An American soldier was killed in April 5, 1986, when a bomb was detonated at La Belle, a discotheque in West Berlin. This discotheque was known to be popular with off-duty U.S. servicemen. A Turkish woman was killed, and nearly 200 others were wounded. U.S. intelligence sources identified Libya as being responsible for the attack. In Berlin, five individuals were tried for carrying out the bombing of the discotheque. Later, after U.S. intelligence intercepted Libyan government communications implicating Libya in disco attack, President Reagan finally ordered retaliatory air strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi. Operation El Dorado Canyon, launched on April 15, 1986. This operation involved 200 aircraft and over 60 tons of bombs. One of the residences of Libyan leader Muammar el-Qadaffi was hit in the attack, which, according to Libyan estimates, killed 37 people and injured 93 others. As a result of this American operation, U.S. national security officials say Libyan-sponsored terrorism ceased "for a long time." Although, two days later the Arab Revolutionary Cells, a pro-Libyan group of Palestinians affiliated with terrorist Abu Nidal, claimed to have executed American University of Beirut employees, American Peter Kilburn and Britons John Douglas and Philip Padfield. The men’s bodies were discovered near Beirut shot to death.

Just 4 days before Christmas in 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was flying from London to New York exploded over the small town of Lockerbie, Scotland. All 259 people on board were killed, along with 11 on the ground. The State Department's "Patterns of Global Terrorism, 1991," which was released in April 1992, stated, “the bombing of Pan Am 103 "was an action authorized by the Libyan Government."” Although there were reports that Syria and Iran also played significant roles in the attack, U.S. officials were never able to tie the two countries to the bombing. No one has ever taken credit for planting the bomb. In May 2000 the trial of the two Libyan intelligence officers charged with planting the bomb started in the Netherlands. It ended in February 2001 with the conviction of defendant Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi; he received a life sentence. The other defendant, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, was acquitted and set free.

Although many Americans believe that the war on terrorism started during the 90’s with the bombing of World Trade center, the Blackhawk down operation, Al-Qaeda’s 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killed 224 people, including 12 Americans, and wounded more than 5,000 people in simultaneous operations that used huge truck bombs similar those used in past Hezbollah operations. Needless to say we cannot forget the U.S.S. Cole, where 17 sailors lost their lives. It has been proven in the past; the only thing that the Muslim terrorists understand is the force. It appears that the U.S. hasn’t or won’t learn this lesson.

Now, we have an administration that wants to close an embassy because of a THREAT! And as I write this, the latest news across the wires from Fox News is “Despite Al Qaeda Threat, U.S. Not Planning to Expand Terror Fight in Yemen” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/03/despite-al-qaeda-threat-planning-extend-terror-fight-yemen/ . It appears that once again America is going to inspired Osama bin Laden, to view the United States as a “paper tiger” because there is a threat.

What has happened to the American people? What has happened to our leadership? Has America, become afraid to stand up for freedom and liberty? Instead of closing the embassy, if we had an administration with America’s security at heart, they would evacuate the non essential personnel, re-enforce the Marine Security Detachment with more Marines, secure the embassy and take a stand. Show the Muslim terrorists, that America is a force to be reckon with to protect our interests. God protect the U.S. from fools and cowards.

References used (all visited on Jan. 3, 2010):

Arlington National Cemetery : http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/terror.htm

Frontline : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/target/etc/cron.html