The decisive end to the hostage crisis in the first hours of Reagan’s presidency established the symbolic weight of swift, military responses to terrorism. In the Mondale/ Reagan race in 1984, democratic candidate Walter Mondale tried to use Reagan’s lack of a military response to terrorism, and lack of clarity on policy, as a campaign issue. Ultimately, he could not make it a decisive issue, and Reagan won the election.
In 1983, there were two terrorist attacks in Lebanon, where U.S. troops were stationed as peacekeeping forces. In April 1983 a truck bomber killed 63 people when he drove into the U.S. Embassy. In October, a truck bomber killed 241 U.S. servicemen in the Marine barracks. Hizballah, backed by Iran, was suspected, although responsibility was not entirely clear.
A military strike against Iran was considered, but Reagan decided against it. And, although Reagan made public statements that the Marines would stay in Lebanon, they were withdrawn in February, 1984.
In a debate later that year, Reagan was questioned on “Morton Kondracke, executive editor of the New Republic, asked Reagan if he had not displayed the same weakness he accused Jimmy Carter of showing in the Iran hostage situation by not retaliating against the terrorist attacks. Reagan said the Marines had been sent to Lebanon at the request of that country's government as "a stabilizing force" ... In one of his more effective presentations of the evening, Reagan underscored his humane intentions by insisting that the U.S. would retaliate against terrorist attacks only "if we can put our finger on" the groups specifically responsible.”
Mondale was unsuccessful in subsequent efforts to make terrorism policy a voting issue."