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The Spectacle Blog
These days, countless conservatives have taken to criticizing President Obama over his lack of leadership on Libya. They do have half a point: Obama has dithered and demanded, to no effect.
In his defense, however, it’s not clear what a good outcome to that country’s brewing civil war would be, from the perspective of this country’s national interest. Libya is like Iraq: a colonial creation forcing three different tribes into a single nation that has been held together by a charismatic strongman.
Meanwhile, eminent politicians including John McCain, John Kerry, and Joe Lieberman are pushing for a US-enforced “no fly zone” in Libya. This could be seen as an act of war in itself or a precursor to war. It would certainly make Qaddafi’s fight more difficult: air power is one undeniable edge his government has over the rebels.
I understand the humanitarian arguments for intervention. Indeed, such arguments were one reason that I was a squish on the second Iraq war rather than an outright opponent of it. I also understand that not all conflicts are going to go as badly as Iraq, just as most of America’s post-Vietnam engagements turned out to be basically walks in the park, despite all the warnings.
Having said all that, a great part of me hopes that Obama goes a different way on this one. Why? Because there’s something uniquely perverse about this country’s foreign policy being dictated by people who were on the losing ticket in the last three presidential elections.
View all comments (10) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeremy Lott
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/03/08/less-loser-leadership-on-libya
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Occam's Tool| 3.8.11 @ 6:41PM
I'm a fan of fusing sand into glass in Libya. That would be the best outcome.
Sean| 3.8.11 @ 6:41PM
A no fly zone is a pretty stupid idea. There is no US interest in this civil war so why get involved? You can make a case that we should have killed Qaddafi long ago, but we didn't.
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 3.8.11 @ 7:59PM
Reagan tried to take him out in 1986, but only managed to take out his tennis court, and blow up part of the French Embassy, and if I remember correctly, we "might" have taken out one of his daughters too? Oops, sorry about that, but maybe you shouldn't have been playing tennis that day, when you're Dad just killed some Americans the week before. Yeah, yeah, I know, blowing up little girls isn't funny, but Sam Kinison had a great bit about it on his first album, and it was funny back then.
There are almost 200 Countries in the World, so if somebody in power in just "one" of those Countries wants to impose a No-Fly-Zone in Libya, be my guest, but it's not our business to replace every single blown light bulb in the World, let somebody else fix something for a change. Hell, let France do it, that way they can fix up that old Embassy of theirs, once Qaddafi's gone for good. Hell if it wasn't for France's actions back in 1986, maybe we could've taken him out back then, but they wouldn't let us fly over their airspace, which is what Sam was making fun at on Louder than Hell.
wukong| 3.9.11 @ 10:50AM
I believe that US interest in the Med would be improved with the removal of Qaddafi. The US Sixth Fleet is in the Med to protect US interest.
Just the threat and grounding of Gaddafi's air forces would have an immediate and chilling effect on the internal support (especially foreign) that would be subject to "justice" by the rebel forces.
What other reasons would we keep this expensive fleet in the Med?
Conservative Bob| 3.8.11 @ 7:16PM
Why don't we just spend the same money dramatically expanding oil and gas exploration and development here and permanently reduce the impact of the rise and fall of middle eastern despots. It is a better long term defensive strategy and the only folks we anger are the greens and they are angry all the time anyhow..
David W| 3.8.11 @ 7:47PM
Bob, now you went and did it. By suggesting we spend the money doing something smart you have just convinced the administration to enforce the no-fly zone. Way to go. :-)
PCC| 3.8.11 @ 7:47PM
Why should the U.S. get involved in a civil war in Libya?
The last thing we need is to declare war on yet another Islamic state.
Let Ban Ki-Moon and Lady Ashton sort this one out.
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