[Billthedrill]

Yep - the last time we sent a greeting into the Bekaa valley it was courtesy of the 16" guns of battleship Iowa. They've been fighting clan-based civil wars in that area since King David's time and probably before. Good terrain for specops, not so good for conventional troops, lousy for occupation.

The problem with kicking an anthill over is that you still have to deal with the ants.

[El Gato]

Yep - the last time we sent a greeting into the Bekaa valley it was courtesy of the 16" guns of battleship Iowa

I was thinking of the Israelis' "Great Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot". Their ROE said they couldn't destroy the Syrian aircraft on the ground. So they'd track the takeoff roll from their E-2 Hawkeyes, then shoot their missiles (AIM-7F Sparrows and AIM-9L Sidewinders) as the Migs (or Su's) cleared the end of the runway.

Even among their Soviet advisers the story was that the Syrians maintained a departure control, but no approach control. :)