ABSTRACT
In January 1986 the Reagan administration ordered the freezing of Libya's U.S. assets in retaliation for terrorist attacks at the Rome and Vienna airports. 1 Against the advice of U.S. intelligence agencies, the White House chose to confront Libya militarily in the following months. The White House's actions apparently were the result of pressures and frustration with the U.S. inability to deal effectively with international terrorism. 2 In March 1986 there was a serious U.S.-Libyan confrontation in the Gulf of Sidra. The United States sank two Libyan navy patrol boats 3 after they fired SA5 missiles on U.S. ships that were carrying out naval exercises in the Gulf. 4 In April 1986 following the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque patronized by U.S. military personnel, 5 U.S. war planes hit various targets in Libya, including airfields, guerrilla training camps, government posts, and Qadhdhafi's headquarters at the Bab al-'Aziziva barracks. 6
