1986 US Bombing of Libya by Kierra Sewell

April 15, 1986, Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised air-strikes by the US against Libya. The US Air Force and Marine Corps attacked via air-strikes in response to the 1986 Berlin bombing by Libya. Libya was a strong priority for Ronald Reagan because Gaddafi was firmly anti-Israel and had supported extremist groups in other territories such as Palestine and Syria. It was reported that Libya was attempting to become a nuclear power, which posed threats to not only those around Libya, but the rest of the world, namely the US. The US took immediate action in order to deter a later larger crisis. Gaddafi’s occupation of Chad was an issue as well, as the country had large supplies of Uranium, a major fear for the US. Gaddafi readily surrounded himself with issues for the US, again aligning himself with the Soviet Union, an every present threat to the US. The United States could not handle so much pressure coming from one country and saw no option but to attack. After the nightclub bombing by Libya in West Berlin where three people were killed and 229 were injured, the US obtained cable transcripts from agents in East Germany. The US walked away with 227 hits, 5 misses and 48 homing missiles, ending the issue once and for all.