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This book argues that the 1986 American bombing of Libya represented an act of desperation by then-president Ronald Reagan in order to salvage American credibility in the Arab world. The author asserts that such credibility had been severely undermined by Reagan's earlier decision to enhance the strategic alliance between the U.S. and Israel, and that the 1986 bombing specifically targeted Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi as one of the foremost Middle Eastern threats to American security. Finally, the author asserts that the Libyan bombings served as a significant foreshadowing of the current Iraq War and as a powerful illustration of the United States' historical willingness to use military power in order to preserve American economic and strategic interests in the Middle East.
List of contents
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Reagan Pursues a Misguided Policy
2. The Reagan Administration Unsuccessfully Attempts to Isolate Libya
3. Heading Toward a Military Showdown
4. Reagan Orders the Bombing
5. International Condemnation of the Bombing
6. A Legitimate Response to Terrorism or a Demonstration of Power?
Notes Bibliography Index
About the author
Writer Nicholas Laham lives in Barstow, California.
