Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

PCIntern

(28,393 posts)
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 06:44 PM Friday

If I recall correctly,

In 1983 a truck containing a gigantic amount of TNT was driven into the Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 marines, the largest loss of Marines since Iwo Jima in WWII.

The Israelis had warned the Americans that their security was wholly inadequate, but of course, who’s listening???

Here’s the point: Ronald Reagan was President and thus, could do no wrong. He announced the tragedy, promptly withdrew the remains troops from Lebanon and it was barely mentioned thereafter by the vast number of the so-called Liberal Media.

If a Democrat had been in office when this occurred, they would have hung the blame on him in perpetuity, they’d still be talking about it today. Same with the 9/11 catastrophe: can you picture what would have happened in the country and in the media if, say, Mike Dukakis or Walter Mondale were in the White House? Howard Dean was eliminated from contention due to an enhanced “scream”, Dukakis for wearing a tank uniform, Kerry was accused of the opposite of what he was awarded medals for, Muskie for “crying” when a false newspaper report was published, Kamala for her “laugh”, and on and on.

We are now faced with a signal moment, or series of moments, leading up to the midterms, and need to pull out all stops. All. Stops. Period. Nothing is out of bounds. It’s time to get personal and ugly, you know why? Because it works, that’s why. Don’t like it? I’ll say “Hi” to you in the boxcar on the way to the Concentration Camp.

Think it can’t happen? Tell that to those people standing behind Kristy Noem in that infamous photograph.

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
If I recall correctly, (Original Post) PCIntern Friday OP
The propaganda masters have gained total control Mysterian Friday #1
;-{)..... Goonch Friday #2
If a Democrat was President during 9/11 would the party still exist ? JI7 Friday #3
👀 Sector 001 Friday #4
And then, on Oct 25, TWO DAYS after the Beirut bombings, Reagan invaded Grenada to divert attention dalton99a Friday #5
A buddy of mine was there. OldBaldy1701E Friday #6
Maybe you should ask him, while you still can FakeNoose Friday #9
a childhood friend of my mum's was killed in bomb blast very close to her house Skittles Friday #13
That is a good idea. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Yesterday #20
Someone tried to push the "only democrats cut and run" Ilsa Friday #7
Just a reminder that Democrats have been cleaning up Republican messes since 1933. OMGWTF Friday #8
The reality is Democrats have a positive perspective cachukis Friday #10
Yes, they do but they use to be pretty damn good at bare knuckle politics. paleotn Friday #15
Agreed, but you need the majority of followers. cachukis Friday #16
What we're selling? Seems there ain't enough people buying. paleotn Friday #17
Pfft ray-gun committed sedition with Iran/contra Javaman Friday #11
This! This! And this!! Joinfortmill Friday #12
Heritage Foundation BurnDoubt Friday #14
Different rules are applied to Democrats, while Rethugs are given a pass Martin Eden Yesterday #18
Don't get me started... returnee Yesterday #19
I'd like to add re 9/11 Unwind Your Mind Yesterday #21
Don't forget that three days after Beirut, Mblaze Yesterday #22
And Reagain wasn't just warned by the Israelis, but the Pentagon and CIA. deurbano 22 hrs ago #23

Mysterian

(6,512 posts)
1. The propaganda masters have gained total control
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 06:49 PM
Friday

If sanity ever returns to this failed state, something must be done to treat propaganda like a disease.

JI7

(93,648 posts)
3. If a Democrat was President during 9/11 would the party still exist ?
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 07:00 PM
Friday

I think the President would have been forced to resign.

The party might still exist but we would lose by a landslide in at leadt the few elections after it.

We would have won again at some point with the Republicans causing a recession.

But as you say these things would still be mentioned today .

dalton99a

(94,267 posts)
5. And then, on Oct 25, TWO DAYS after the Beirut bombings, Reagan invaded Grenada to divert attention
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 07:13 PM
Friday





OldBaldy1701E

(11,184 posts)
6. A buddy of mine was there.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 07:49 PM
Friday

He is such a great guy. He loves to be around folks and he loves to have fun.

He does not speak of that day. I have never asked him about it.

FakeNoose

(41,702 posts)
9. Maybe you should ask him, while you still can
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 08:31 PM
Friday

Maybe you'll be surprised to find out that he's ready to talk about it.

I say this because I have older friends who were children during and after WWII, and came to the US as immigrants. For many years they couldn't or wouldn't talk about their war-time experiences. But now they're almost 90 and they really need to talk, and maybe their own children don't want to hear about it.

Skittles

(171,791 posts)
13. a childhood friend of my mum's was killed in bomb blast very close to her house
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 09:33 PM
Friday

she would never talk about it (I heard it from my grandma)

Ilsa

(64,390 posts)
7. Someone tried to push the "only democrats cut and run"
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 07:55 PM
Friday

b.s. on me one time. I replied, "Like Raygun withdrew the Marines from Beirut in '83?" They couldn't believe it so I told them to look it up.

Actually, I may have said '82, but, whatever. I needed my chakras realigned by December '83.

cachukis

(3,961 posts)
10. The reality is Democrats have a positive perspective
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 08:48 PM
Friday

on the American Experience of fulfilling our obligations to each other.
We have thought our force could overcome the negative drag of ignorance and social selfishness.
We are being tested against a mighty force of money and it will take a long time to fix this one if we can prevail in the next election.
This is not a game. Losing my freedoms does not set well with me.

paleotn

(22,252 posts)
15. Yes, they do but they use to be pretty damn good at bare knuckle politics.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:03 PM
Friday

And that's what we need right now. That's what wins. Kumbaya has failed pretty fucking miserably, no?

cachukis

(3,961 posts)
16. Agreed, but you need the majority of followers.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:09 PM
Friday

We sell insight in a world where entertainment rules. I am worried we get to "Fight in the Laundry"
foolishness.

paleotn

(22,252 posts)
17. What we're selling? Seems there ain't enough people buying.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:20 PM
Friday

Insight and seriousness alone are taken as being pantywaist or did we all sleep walk through the last several election cycles. Perhaps we should broaden what we sell or repeat the same damn mistakes......again. We need toughness. I'm old enough to remember a time when Dems were feared. They were the people's party but could fight just as dirty as Pukes. Dirtier in a lot of cases.

You can have all the noble, forward looking ideas in the world, but if you don't win, you can't do shit.

BurnDoubt

(1,749 posts)
14. Heritage Foundation
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 09:52 PM
Friday

Bought The Media.
Bought The Courts.
Bought The government.
Bought Me And You.

I believe these are the same people responsible for the fall of the Weimar Republic who shifted their focus to their other project, the US, after WWII didn’t go their way.
It’s telling that there hasn't ever been a serious investigation of them.
It may be the same reason two Impeachments failed to convict one of their own.

Rigged.

Martin Eden

(15,647 posts)
18. Different rules are applied to Democrats, while Rethugs are given a pass
Sat Apr 4, 2026, 08:06 AM
Yesterday

Major crimes were perpetrated in the Iran/Contra scandal, yet it barely scratched Saint Ronald Reagan -- or his VP GHW Bush who was definitely involved, and nevertheless became the next president.

After Bill Clinton we endured two terms of Dim Son Bush. Instead of holding him to account for ignoring warnings leading up to 9/11, his approval ratings soared after giving a speech from the rubble. Then he got us mired in costly, mishandled wars of occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq, the latter based on a deliberate campaign of lies. Inexplicably he got reelected when somehow John Kerry's heroic duty on Swiftboats in Vietnam were turned into a negative compared to GW's cushy stint in the Texas Air Natl Guard that he didn't even complete.

On the other hand, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was repeatedly raked over the coals when three embassy personnel were killed in a terrorist attack in Benghazi.

And Joe Biden was crucified for the deaths of 13 US servicemen during the evacuation of Kabul in fulfilling the lopsided withdrawal deal that Trump brokered with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

If the so-called "liberal" mainstream media had done their jobs calling a spade a spade and a lie a lie, neither GW Bush nor Trump would have gotten a 2nd term. Hell, Trump wouldn't have gotten a first term. In 2000, Bush was treated with kid gloves compared to Al Gore, who won the popular vote and probably the White House if the Supreme Court hadn't stopped the recount in Florida.

Now the fascist Trump administration is pulling out all the stops to steal the midterm elections this November. We can't count on the MSM to sound the alarm about the evisceration of our democracy.

Unwind Your Mind

(2,351 posts)
21. I'd like to add re 9/11
Sat Apr 4, 2026, 01:34 PM
Yesterday

That if Al Gore had been President, he would not have ignored the warnings left by the Clinton administration and everything would be different now

Mblaze

(1,050 posts)
22. Don't forget that three days after Beirut,
Sat Apr 4, 2026, 02:03 PM
Yesterday

Ronald Raygun decided to "liberate" Grenada in an attempt to change the media focus. Troops on the ground.

deurbano

(2,987 posts)
23. And Reagain wasn't just warned by the Israelis, but the Pentagon and CIA.
Sat Apr 4, 2026, 04:01 PM
22 hrs ago

The Teflon presidents are never Democrats.

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/10/17/Reagan-ignored-Pentagon-urging-to-withdraw-Marines/1880466833600/#:~:text=be%20pulled%20out.-,',by%20Reagan%2C%20The%20Nation%20said.


Compare the media/Republican reactions to the Benghazi attack and the pullout from Afghanistan to the media/Democratic response to the entirely preventable Beirut tragedy, with so many more American lives lost.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»If I recall correctly,