alternatehistory.com

I had an idea for a short story awhile ago to do a one-off vignette over Lebanon in '83 for my Alternate Dogfights. I still might write it, but I figured I'd pitch the idea so folks could take a crack at what's behind it.


For those of you who may not know, United States Marines and French army and Foreign Legion forces were based at the Beirut International Airport. A suicide truck bomber destroyed the buildings where the forces were staying, killing many servicemen.

In response, the French carried out airstrikes in the Beqaa Valley on Revolutionary Guards positions where Hezbollah was thought to be trained by Iranian advisors.

Reagan's staff decided on an airstrike against the Sheik Abdullah barracks where it was felt Hezbollah had planned the attacks. France was brought on board as well, but Reagan's Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger talked Reagan out of it.

So...let's suppose for few moments that in 1983, America and France decide to stay in Beirut and declare this limited air war against Hezbollah, if only on a tit-for-tat basis. What comes of it?

What happens with the Israelis? What happens with the Syrians who are currently having an on-again off-again air war of their own against the IAF in this same airspace?
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