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The Spectacle Blog
“My Twitter feed is full of Righties divided about war in Libya, but Lefties are oddly quiet,” tweeted GOP political consultant Joe Henke.
The Left has been quiet, even as allied military operations against Libya commence. Why?
One obvious explanation is partisanship: Obama, as John Tabin notes, is a Democrat. But so was Lyndon Johnson, and yet, that didn’t stop the Left from savaging him over Vietnam.
True, Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya are hardly Vietnam, which resulted in more than 58,000 American combat deaths. (In Iraq and Afghanistan, by contrast, fewer than 6,000 Americans have been killed in both wars combined.)
Still, I don’t think partisanship explains the Left’s silence about Libya. I think the more compelling reason is ideological.
Its rhetoric to the contrary notwithstanding, the Left doesn’t really oppose war; it simply opposes American-led wars. And, as President Obama has made abundantly clear, Libya is not an American-led war; it is an American-supported war.
In fact, no U.S. ground troops will be deployed to Libya. President Obama, moreover, has pledged that the U.S. military’s role in Operation Odyssey Dawn will be completed in days, not weeks.
U.S. naval vessels are launching Tomahawk cruise missiles at Tripoli to help set the conditions for a no-fly zone. And American command-and-control elements are involved, at least in these initial early stages of the operation. There even are reports now that U.S. military aircraft have belatedly joined the fray.
Still, the truth is that the heavy lifting and close combat here is being done by the French, the British, the Italians and the Canadians.
Some of our Arab allies — the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, and Morocco, reportedly — also are said to be involved. My guess is that they’ll provided boots on the ground to aid and assist the rebel forces.
We’ll see. In any case, from the Left’s vantage point, Libya is a “good war” because American power has been carefully limited, circumscribed and subsumed within a larger international framework led by the Europeans.
Such arrangement might succeed in Libya, which is not exactly a formidable military foe. I mean, this ain’t D-Day. We’re dealing with a ragtag, mercenary Army whose loyalty is not to Gaddafi and the state; it is to money and the tribe.
But for more significant and complex military operations, America must lead. And that is why you can expect the misnamed anti-war Left to protest the next American-led war, but not necessarily the next American-supported war.
In the meantime, all of us, I think, should give thanks and praise to the new sheriff in town, French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Viva La France!
UPDATE: links added, casualty numbers corrected.
View all comments (26) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by John R. Guardiano
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/03/20/why-is-the-left-silent-about-l
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Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 3.20.11 @ 12:20PM
Why is the left silent about war? If you don't understand it, don't or can't endorse it or otherwise it doesn't fit your agenda, it may be better to remain silent.
Timothy L. Pennell| 3.21.11 @ 10:07AM
It's like OPPOSITE DAY, every day, when the Democrats are in Power.
Remember that Senator from Washington State (or was it Oregon) who was giving "Unwanted KISSES and HUGS, to a coupla women? Remember? The DEMOCRAT Women, in the House, marched over to the Senate, and DEMANDED HIS RESIGNATION.
When Bill Clinton had to testify before a Grand Jury, because he pulled his pants down, and EXPOSED himself to a woman he didn't even know? When he was using an INTERN as a Cigar Humidor and a DNA Collector? When he was being accused of RAPE, on National Television, in Prime Time, on the #1 Show in the Country? When he was accused by ANOTHER WOMAN, of groping her Breasts and rubbing up against her, on that SAME SHOW?
The Democrats couldn't have cared less. "It's his PRIVATE LIFE", don'tcha know.
When BILL CLINTON and AL GORE and JOHN KERRY and MADELINE ALBRIGHT, all said that Saddam Hussein had WMD? It was GOSPEL.
When George W. Bush, said the same thing? He LIED.
When Bush was President, all we heard was: "WHERE"S OSAMA BIN LADEN." We don't hear that anymore.
All we saw on television was the DAILY DEATH COUNT of U.S. Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. We don't see that anymore.
And we watched as the Media became excited at the impending MILESTONE Number. They don't do that anymore.
Deficits used to be BAD. Now, they're not big ENOUGH.
Going on VACATION, PLAYING GOLF and THROWING LAVISH PARTIES, while we're fighting two WARS, while the GULF is inundated in OIL, and while the whole world BURNS, is back in Vogue.
Nice, huh?
Happy Opposite Day.
Happy End of our LIVES, as we know it.
JFGalt| 3.23.11 @ 1:03PM
Wow.
Well said.
southernsue| 3.20.11 @ 12:36PM
their guy is leading the war. they believe obama is all knowing and believe in everything that he does.
besides, the protesters are waiting for the unions to pay them to protest. if they aren't paid, how can they protest?
I feel bad for Americans| 3.20.11 @ 12:54PM
"their guy is leading the war."
Obama is not a "leftist". Leftists don't consider him to be their guy because they reject anything to do with a laissez faire system.
But this article is very funny. So an American politician's friends on twitter refrain from tweeting about Libya. These friends are all leftist. What a way to start a political analysis. Then again, what can you expect from a blog that attracts people who still think of Obama as some sort of lefty?
Bobo| 3.20.11 @ 12:39PM
Praise the new Sheriff in town, Sarkozy. I don't think so. Action against Qadaffi? Big honking deal. Action against China, now that would be where I'd like to see the Sheriff get into it. Libya with 6 million people is freer than China's 1.2 billion people. Over 100,000 individual bloody incidents between the Chinese government and its people every year and the Nobel Peace Prize winner in jail. Libya is a playground for the idle and the foolish. What did anyone do about the Congo where at least 6 million lives have been terminated by Congolese Muslims, murdering their non-believing countrymen. Obama and The First Lady are all over "Bullying" in the US, but millions of deaths by knife wielding Muslims in the Congo and there isn't a word. Are we so stupid that whatever people in power pick to do we have to accept that that is the thing we either should or shouldn't have done...what about priorities, not just what is easy or supposedly possible? Use your independent mind please and think your own thoughts.
I feel bad for Americans| 3.20.11 @ 1:39PM
There's no problem in having independent thinking but that d0esn't mean that you should also formulate your own fact. The population of Muslims in the Democratic Republic of Congo is only 5% of the country. So that means that there are approximately 350 000 Muslims residing in the DRC. How is it possible for millions of Muslims to wield knives when they are almost an insignificant minority? There was never such an incident. The closest thing to a genocide in the DRC was the conflict between Hutus and Tustis during the 90's.
By all means, use your independent thoughts but don't use your own independent sources if you want to get your message across.
Oldefarte| 3.20.11 @ 1:50PM
Hah John, remember that GHWB's first Gulf War was an American SUPPORTED type military adventure [which was no doubt heavily critisized by the looney lefties of that time]. Liberals generally supported Clinton's Bosnian War, because of Wildbill pulled the trigger. Humanitarian missions like Reagan's using troops to rescue Grenada's medical students under siege got blistered also. It's all politics, dude! Whoever bees sitting at 1600 determines whether it bees THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN. If Hillary was the PANTSSUIT-IN-CHARGE, she'd get a pass too. Any/all Democrat politicians [including Harry and Nancy, who held bi-weekly meetings with the anti-war groups] know that they better stay clear of messing with them foreign head-honchoes who urinate on their peoples, otherwise lo-and-behold voting atomic bombs will befall them at election time. The loons know that have political power over their controlled Democrat politicians and that same won't venture far off the platfored reservation, if they know what's good for themselves!!!!!!!!!
bobmontgomery| 3.20.11 @ 2:28PM
Because Obama is a black man. If you are a liberal you can't criticize a black man for anything, even if he is an elite, harvard educated, pampered. coddled black man like Obama. You can't criticize him because your world-view of black people is that they are inherently inferior and incapable and victims, so to criticize them would be unfair, even if they are the President of the United States. Just like black people can't possibly be racists because they don't have power....oh, wait... well, anyway, the black men who it is okay to criticize are few and far between. Their names are Allen West, Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams and Grant Hill. The reason it is okay to criticize them is because they are Uncle Toms. Oh, it is okay now to criticize Herman Cain because he is now an Uncle Tom. And remember, if you play the race card in Cambridge , MA and play on your friendship with Barack Obama, you will be rewarded with a show on PBS. If you are an attorney and play the race card, you will be rewarded by becoming attorney general, where you can continue to play the race card.
Now, do you want to know why the liberals don't criticize Obama's ...economics policies?....education policies?.....social policies?....ability to think and speak on his feet?.........relationship with radical, anti-American Marxist-Leninists? ......lackadaisical regard of the office of the Presidency of the United States of America?
Tim| 3.20.11 @ 3:53PM
Who really gives a damn what the leftists think?
The United States and our allies will defeat this scumbag Qaddafi and Graham/McCain/Lieberman will be proven right once again on foreign affairs.
Kingofthenet| 3.20.11 @ 3:55PM
Hey buddy there have been over 6,000 US deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan,not to mention many times that Maimed but rethugs don't REALLY need fact do you?
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 3.20.11 @ 4:27PM
You're both wrong actually, there been more than 5,000, but less than 6,000 American deaths in both Wars, but you'll be correct someday soon, but just not today.
Skippy| 3.20.11 @ 5:03PM
There was a time when we would lose that many in a month, and it would only steel our resolve.
My soldier pals are the only ones who consider this fact relevant, and who can place it in perspective.
My leftie pals can speak of nothing else.
Jonah| 3.20.11 @ 6:09PM
Listen up, LLL is a soldier. No lectures please.
Skippy| 3.20.11 @ 6:49PM
None intended. Soldiers can always have my place in line, seat on a plane, lunch, whatever they desire. Without them, I have nothing.
I am curious though as to why my local paper had a front page US body count for both wars daily which halted in Jan 2009.
Jonah| 3.20.11 @ 11:51PM
Why do you think? C'mon now, you're a smart boy!
Occam's Tool| 3.21.11 @ 10:47AM
True, Skippy. Is it in our interest to take sides in Libya, or just wipe it out.
Floyd Looney | 3.20.11 @ 6:33PM
Very true.
The left doesn't actually oppose anything, they simply oppose anything they don't control or benefit from.
Jonah| 3.20.11 @ 11:52PM
Power and control are the only things the Left cares about.
Timothy L. Pennell| 3.21.11 @ 10:08AM
It's like OPPOSITE DAY, every day, when the Democrats are in Power.
Remember that Senator from Washington State (or was it Oregon) who was giving "Unwanted KISSES and HUGS, to a coupla women? Remember? The DEMOCRAT Women, in the House, marched over to the Senate, and DEMANDED HIS RESIGNATION.
When Bill Clinton had to testify before a Grand Jury, because he pulled his pants down, and EXPOSED himself to a woman he didn't even know? When he was using an INTERN as a Cigar Humidor and a DNA Collector? When he was being accused of RAPE, on National Television, in Prime Time, on the #1 Show in the Country? When he was accused by ANOTHER WOMAN, of groping her Breasts and rubbing up against her, on that SAME SHOW?
The Democrats couldn't have cared less. "It's his PRIVATE LIFE", don'tcha know.
When BILL CLINTON and AL GORE and JOHN KERRY and MADELINE ALBRIGHT, all said that Saddam Hussein had WMD? It was GOSPEL.
When George W. Bush, said the same thing? He LIED.
When Bush was President, all we heard was: "WHERE"S OSAMA BIN LADEN." We don't hear that anymore.
All we saw on television was the DAILY DEATH COUNT of U.S. Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. We don't see that anymore.
And we watched as the Media became excited at the impending MILESTONE Number. They don't do that anymore.
Deficits used to be BAD. Now, they're not big ENOUGH.
Going on VACATION, PLAYING GOLF and THROWING LAVISH PARTIES, while we're fighting two WARS, while the GULF is inundated in OIL, and while the whole world BURNS, is back in Vogue.
Nice, huh?
Happy Opposite Day.
Happy End of our LIVES, as we know it.
Occam's Tool| 3.21.11 @ 10:46AM
Okay, guys, I'm open to reason. Here's why I have problems with attacking Q on this one: 1) His opponents are sponsored by the Muslim Brotherhood. They may be worse.2) We know how Q will respond, and we know what it takes to make him dance and cave. We do NOT know this with the rebels. 3) Expect NO gratitude from the rebels if they win. You will be sorely disappointed.
No, don't get me wrong---I would turn over and go back to sleep if Tobruk, Bengazi, and Tripoli were nuked tomorrow. But I'm not so sure regarding taking sides.
(Anybody here a Montgomery fan, like me? Any El Alamein flashbacks here?)
Alan Brooks| 3.21.11 @ 11:04AM
"Still, I don't think partisanship explains the Left's silence about Libya. I think the more compelling reason is ideological."
Can't speak for the Left as a whole; I just don't want another Ford, Nixon, or Bush presidency; and if you are using anti-Obama rhetoric to elect another lapdog, then I can see why the Left would want to pull every string it can in preference to Obama.
Oldefarte| 3.21.11 @ 11:50AM
Yes, you're correct for once....the left are WHOLES.......ARSEWHOLES to be exact!!!!
NoLib| 3.21.11 @ 6:47PM
Alan, you're a fool! Obama is GWB's lapdog. Are you so blinded by your liberal ideology that you can't see?
buckeyeman| 3.21.11 @ 11:09AM
Easy analysis. The Left is not anti war. They are just anti American. This is why typically atheistic Leftists are so supportive of the highly religious muslim influences in our country but so opposed to traditional American Judeo-Christian religious influences. Leftists generally support muslim (read anti American) causes worldwide but become conflicted when muslims oppose each other. This explains why little barry, our Leftist in Chief, has dithered so badly over the crisis in Libya. He simply had difficulty in determining which cause would be the most detrimental to American interests (so he could then support it). When he finally decided, the issue was still not completely clear to him so his response has been muddled, but he's at least trying his best to support the most anti American position. All anti American, all the time. This explains Leftists.
Attention Slut| 3.21.11 @ 2:36PM
Yeah, where's Cindy Sheehan? Susan Surrandon? Jane Fonda? Michael Moore? I guess they can't critique Obama-banana-fama-fo-fama....That would be RAAAAAAACISTTT!!!