Caught In The Act

The U.S. nails Iran laying mines in the gulf

From the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut to the mine blast that ripped the hull of the U.S.-reflagged tanker Bridgeton in the Persian Gulf last July, the U.S. has been humiliated by acts of violence that were almost certainly plotted by Iran. But persuasive proof remained frustratingly elusive. Ronald Reagan's threats of retaliation against any terrorists found with American blood on their hands carried a hollow ring on the all-too- frequent occasions when no evidence could be produced. But last week a carefully coordinated military operation in the gulf swiftly altered the image of U.S. helplessness. A well-laid...

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