In July 1958, US Marines stormed the beach in Beirut, Lebanon, ready for combat. They were greeted by vendors and sunbathers. Fortunately, the rest of their mission - helping to end Lebanon's first civil war - went nearly as smoothly. Bruce Riedel's new book tells the now-forgotten story of the first US combat operation in the Middle East.
In July 1958, US Marines stormed the beach in Beirut, Lebanon, ready for combat. They were greeted by vendors and sunbathers. Fortunately, the rest of...