Comments on: US Sponsored Regime Change in the Middle East: Episode One

US Sponsored Regime Change in the Middle East: Episode One

hob — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 23:48:56 -0800

On the night of April 27th, 1805, US Marine Lt. Presley O'Bannon led a ragtag army of Greek, Arab and Berber mercenaries in a desperate charge into the teeth of the fortifications of Derna, Tripoli (now Libya). The defenders inexplicably turned and ran, leaving behind loaded cannons which, turned around, secured victory for the US in its first land battle in the old world.

In recognition of his bravery, Lt. O'Bannon was given a sword by Hamet Karamanli. William Eaton (no, the other William Eaton ) had led O'Bannon, six other US Marines, and the five hundred odd mercenaries across six hundred miles of North African desert in order to replace the usurping Pasha of Tripoli, Yusef, with the rightful heir, his pro-American older brother Hamet.

Shortly after the battle, Yusef reached a peace with Col. Tobias Lear, the American Consul to Tripoli, and hostilities between the US and Tripoli ceased. Eaton, O'Bannon, and Hamet Karamanli, along with the Marines and most of the Greeks, departed aboard American warships, leaving the Muslim mercenaries behind in Derna. Unpaid.

By: uncanny hengeman

uncanny hengeman — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:53:59 -0800

US Marine Lt. Presley O'Bannon led a ragtag army of Greek, Arab and Berber mercenaries in a desperate charge... Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest -- for a shining planet known as Earth. Erm. Carry on, then.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 01:10:27 -0800

And now you know why all Marine officers wear Mameluke swords as part of the dress uniform, and why the US Navy usually has a ship named USS O'Bannon in service.

By: bashos_frog

bashos_frog — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 02:13:30 -0800

And why the Marine's song mentions "to the shores of Tripoli" For some reason this brought to my mind the story of Rodger Young, who is remembered in the Infantry's song (flash) as well as the Heinlein novel Starship Troopers, which is on the Marine's reading list.

By: Outlawyr

Outlawyr — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 03:52:56 -0800

Unfortunately, due to years of conditioning in public schools, history puts me to sleeee . . . . ZZZzzzzz

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 04:00:02 -0800

Those who fail from history are doomed to repeat it...next semester.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 04:04:48 -0800

Lemme try again: Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it...next semester.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 06:25:14 -0800

Or, those who fail history are doomed to repeat it...next semester.

By: Outlawyr

Outlawyr — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 07:42:21 -0800

ZZZzzzzz . . . huh, whu? Did I miss something? Hey, can I borrow your notes?

By: firestorm

firestorm — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 17:07:39 -0800

A rousing story. Something that could have come out of the annals of Chinese history.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 17:25:09 -0800

Chinese history....US Marine derring-do...Oh, wait, are you referring to the Boxer Rebellion?

By: billsaysthis

billsaysthis — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 18:28:07 -0800

As will be seen in the 2007(?) release of Tripoli from director Ridley Scott and starring Ben Kingsley (Karamanli) and Keanu Reeves (O'Bannon)...