U.S. Marines In Lebanon Again

Military people have a keen appreciation of history. Any commanding officer worth his salt can probably deliver an impromptu lecture on the north African campaign in WWII or the machinations of Napoleon. Usually it’s a matter of being a domain expert in warfare – since the tactics of yesteryear are still educational today. But it’s also a matter of military culture, since the traditions and experiences of individual units and divisions become, over time, a matter of identity and pride.
So one tidbit in the news today struck me: The marine unit currently deployed to help rescue U.S. citizens in Lebanon is the same unit that suffered 241 casualties in the barracks bombing in 1983. The irony won’t be lost on these servicemen, and they certainly remember that Iran, by way of Hezbollah was responsible. Does our civilian leadership remember?