I understand, but realistically... how would the small arms of the soldiers/sailors in Lebanon/Cole have changed the outcome? They were blown up by surprise. In the case of the Cole... in a bay full of small boats floating all around... how were they to know that this one boat was loaded with explosives and was about to blow? Until the very last second there wasn't anything to shoot at.
No boats NO BOATS within the perimeter.
Slick willie was trying to show how nice we were.
So first, we ought not to have been in that port.
If we were going to be in the port we had to have it our way.
Our enemies know we will not shoot to kill.
Does the hysterical reaction to women's panties on the heads of terrorists tell you what message we are sending to our enemies.