Operation “Infinite Reach”
20 AUGUST 1998
OPERATION “INFINITE REACH”
Osama bin Laden had already earned the respect of senior Islamic extremists for his efforts, both financial and personal, supporting the mujakideem against the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Bin Laden became further incensed during Operations “Desert Shield/Desert Storm,” when Saudi Arabia, his home, invited the aid of the United States rather than accepting his plan for an all-Islamic push against Saddam Hussein. The presence of American male and female “infidels” debased Saudi Arabia and incited his desire for a holy war against the US. Then in 1993, from political asylum in the Sudan, bin Laden noted the pull-out of US forces from Somalia after the remains of US servicemen were desecrated in the street of Mogadishu in the “Black Hawk down” incident. From this he learned that it took only the deaths of a few servicemen to destroy the American will to fight. Bin Laden now reasoned that if America could be baited into a war in Afghanistan, his Al-Qaeda fighters, allied to the Taliban, would repeat the Russian experience. He saw our foreign embassies as a tool to do so. As early as 1993 a cell had been formed in Nairobi, Kenya, to “case” our embassy and other targets for a possible suicide vehicle attack. By 1998 plans were finalized and on 23 February 1998 bin Laden issued a fatwa calling for jihad, or holy war, against “Jews and Crusaders.”
By 4 August all the Al-Qaeda operatives in eastern Africa except the actual vehicle drivers had evacuated, destroying the paper trail of evidence. Bin Laden, now back in Afghanistan, moved from Kandahar into the countryside expecting US retaliation. And on the morning of 7 August, only five minutes apart, the suicide truck bombers struck our embassies in Nairobi and Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. A dozen Americans and 212 local civilians died in the attacks, thousands were wounded.
The clear connection of bin Laden to these attacks would not allow President William J. Clinton to let them pass. On this date, USS SHILOH (CG-67), BRISCOE (DD-977), ELLIOT (DD-967), HAYLER (DD-997), and MILIUS (DDG-69) of the ABRHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) carrier strike group launched six cruise missiles against the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, while USS COLUMBUS (SSN-762) joined them in launching 75 Tomahawks against the Zhawar Kili Al-Badr training camp complex in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the strikes killed 20-30 civilians and missed bin Laden by two hours. The Pakistanis, who were advised of the raid because their airspace was overflown, may have warned bin Laden. The strike failed to cripple terrorism and only served to intensify anti-western hatred in Islam.
Watch for more “Today in Naval History” 24 AUG 24
CAPT James Bloom, Ret.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES: “We have struck back,” announced President Clinton following the operation, “our target was terror.” At this same moment President Clinton was embroiled in the Monica Lewinsky affair, prompting the suggestion that Operation “Infinite Reach” was simply an attempt to distract public attention.
Regrettably, none the guidance computers on the Block II cruise missiles on board the combatants was programmed with the required digitized map of Afghanistan. The strike had to be launched using 100 Block III missiles, guided by GPS.
Soil samples secretly collected earlier from the Al-Shifa plant contained traces of chemicals used in the nerve agent “VX,” and the plant was believed of have ties to bin Laden. Since, most agree this intelligence was faulty.
USMC SGT Daniel Breihl of the embassy guard was praised for his work in saving victims of the Kenya bombing, despite his injuries. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
