U.S. has Invaded and/or Bombed 14 Muslim Countries Since 1980

[grahamhgreen]

I guess cuz 13 is just, well... Unlucky!

http://www.allgov.com/news/us-and-the-world/us-has-invaded-andor-bombed-14-muslim-countries-since-1980-141110?news=854775

Subsequent events have taken the American military force into Libya (1981, 1986, 1989, 2011), Lebanon (1983), Kuwait (1991), Iraq (1991-2011, 2014-), Somalia (1992-1993, 2007-), Bosnia (1995), Saudi Arabia (1991, 1996), Afghanistan (1998, 2001-), Sudan (1998), Kosovo (1999), Yemen (2000, 2002-), Pakistan (2004-) and now Syria.

Few of these adventures have ended well, starting with the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983 that killed 299 Marines and French servicemen, through Libya, which has descended into chaos since the U.S. intervened there in 2011 and now in Iraq and Syria, where the war begun by President George W. Bush for the stated purpose of finding (ultimately non-existent) weapons of mass destruction has spawned the Islamic State’s capture of vast amounts of territory in those countries.

“Want to measure what America’s war for the Middle East has accomplished through its first 13 iterations? The Islamic State has to rank prominently on any list of achievements,” Bacevich wrote. “If Iraq possessed minimally effective security forces, Islamic State militants wouldn’t have a chance. But the Iraqi army we created won’t fight, in considerable measure because the Iraqi government we created doesn’t govern.”

And now, how will Obama’s requested use of force end? Probably not well, according to Bacevich. “Obama’s bet—the same bet made by each of his predecessors, going back to Carter—is that the skillful application of U.S. military might can somehow provide a way out of this dilemma. They were wrong, and so is he.”

[hughee99]

1. I'll admit, I don't recall the US bombing or invading Saudi Arabia in 1991 or 1996. n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. Hmmm....US troops went there in 1991 as part of the Gulf War.

But the Saudis invited them in. Bin Laden really didn't like that. Getting the infidel troops out of the land of Mecca was a big demand of his. The last ones left in 2003, I think.

Somebody blew up Khobar Towers in 1996, killing 19 US servicemen. Maybe we bombed somebody after that?

[blkmusclmachine]

2. Religious War?

[LostInAnomie]

4. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia?

Does it really count as an invasion if you were invited?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

5. If I'm not mistaken the first strike on Libya came after Kaddafi (sp?) ordered an attack

on US troops. Up until that point I don't think there had been an issue, Kaddafi was just trying to strut his stuff and it didn't pan out for him. It's kind of hard to imagine any leader of any nation not ordering a retaliatory strike.

I think we're semi-invited in Yemen. The government wants help eliminating AQ groups that are as troublesome for them as they are for the US but they can't say as much publically. They sure as heck don't seem unhappy about us bombing AQ.

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. Technically accurate but misleading artical title

With Somalia the U.S. first entered in the face of a truly horrific famine that was then gripping that nation to help distribute food aid that was desperately needed. With Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo and Libya the U.S. acted in support of Muslim populations with the support of most of the Muslim nations of the world. It is note worthy that in 3 of those 4 cases the outcome has arguably been positive to date. Libya not so much but it is still a moving picture. Somalia is lawless now, but it was lawless then also.

I'm not defending the other military actions or everything we did with the above, just pointing out that there is often a difference when U.S. actions in Muslim nations are viewed as positive by Muslims at the time.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Well...

when I left the Corps in the late 70's, desert training was all the rage. They knew back then.

[hrmjustin]

8. Saudi Arabia?

We used it as staging points.

[hughee99]

9. I think the author may have set the bar pretty low for what they consider an "invasion". n/t