series of air strikes in hopes of wiping out Gadhafi, and his followers. According to the Libyans, the strikes failed, and killed hundreds of civilians instead of militants. For three years, Libya was quiet; but in 1989 they would strike back with a punishing blow. Libyan terrorists blew up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland killing all on board. The United States, in hopes of keeping peace, did not retaliate militarily. Instead, they peacefully asked for the terrorists to be handed over to await a trial in the United States. The Libyans declined. "Tensions between Libya and the United States reached a peak during the Reagan administration, which tried to overthrow Gadhafi. The 1980's were characterized by American air raids on Libya and alleged Libya-supported terrorist attacks on Western interests. In 1986, the U.S. bombing of Libyan sites allegedly killed Gadhafi's infant daughter" (abcnews.go.com). From an American standpoint the Libyan's and other Arab nations were the enemy. The Arab nations on the other hand, felt they were the victims, and found no fault in their actions. They were simply retaliating for attacks on their homeland. It was like the proverbial childhood conflict of "He started it first!" The United States was not at war with one man, but with a nation. Sanctions and a multitude of missile strikes were dealt out to the Arab nations in hopes of choking out terrorism. The strikes and sanctions were futile and only enraged the Arab nations more. Gadhafi spoke out by stating "We are capable of destroying America and breaking its nose" (terrorism.com). To Gadhafi and his allies, the United States would become the victim. As strongly as the terrorists came on in the 1980's, they quickly slipped into the shadows and went silent, planning a new wave of attacks that would shock the United States. In 1991, Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait and ceased its oil production. A problem that only dealt with Ir...
