Airpower Versus Terrorism

<p>This study analyzes the effectiveness of airpower versus terrorism using three case studies. The first case study is America's response to Libyan state-sponsored terrorism Operation El Dorado Canyon. The second case study is America's cruise missile response to the 1998 al Qaeda bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania Operation Infinite Reach. The final case study is the Israeli use of airpower versus the current (second) Palestinian Intifada. Each of the case studies addresses multiple common questions: what was the context; why was airpower selected; how was airpower employed; what were the objectives and were they achieved; and finally what lessons learned emerge. Additionally each case study looks at the impact of military action on domestic opinion and third party opinions. Overall these three case studies reveal a spectrum of responses with which states can respond to terrorism. Operation Infinite Reach shows that when a nation is unwilling to commit itself seriously against an enemy the message it sends is one of timidity and inaction. Operation El Dorado Canyon was a significant airpower response that showed Qadhafi that his support of terrorism would not be without cost. Further Libya offered multiple high-value targets that could be destroyed -- thus revealing a major weakness of states that sponsor of terrorism. The Israeli use of air and ground power to combat terrorism has been effective but this case also shows that military power alone cannot stop terrorism at some point diplomacy must prevail.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>