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The Spectacle Blog
Last week Christopher Hitchens argued that NATO’s failure to remove Gaddafi makes a mockery of the stated humanitarian goal of the mission in Libya. In the wake of the successful raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, this passage has new resonance:
The special forces of almost any NATO state-most certainly those of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France-are more than equal to the task of taking him out on their own. If he can’t be arrested, he can certainly be killed. This doesn’t seem to me to violate the letter or the spirit of, say, the official prohibition on assassination of foreign leaders first promulgated during the administration of President Gerald Ford. Qaddafi is now the commander and symbol of a depraved armed force with which we are engaged in direct hostilities. Like Mullah Omar or Osama Bin Laden, he is a legitimate military target and, if only the international courts would not also be so laggard, a legitimate legal and political one as well.
Assuming they can find him — and his location should be a lot easier to pin down than bin Laden’s was — there’s no doubt that Hitchens is right about the feasibility of a special forces mission. But conducted by whom? The other day Michael Totten laid out the case for unilateral US action on this front, and he’s not wrong. But of the three countries Hitchens mentions, surely the French have the most pressing interest in Libya. Yesterday an aid ship evacuating migrant workers from Misratah had to turn away hundreds of Libyan civilians, presaging a refugee crisis that will directly impact southern Europe if the stalemate in Libya continues. Gary Anderson at Small Wars Journal has predicted that French (and possibly Italian) boots will be on the ground in Libya soon enough. Let’s hope he’s right.
ncatty| 5.5.11 @ 3:32PM
Mr. Tabin, are you in favor of the US conducting the operation in the event France or Italy do not?
Alan Brooks| 5.7.11 @ 12:10PM
His own people (in his circle) will betray him. Where can he go? to Saudi Arabia?
Antarctica?
His days are numbered, which is why he clings so tightly to power.
Smirking Weasel| 5.5.11 @ 4:18PM
There is absolutely no case for the US to be involved in the current idiocy in Libya-much less to get further involved. If Tabin thinks its such a great idea to try to kill Qaddafi, let him create his own expeditionary force, including uber-chickenhawks like Totten and Cancer-face Hitchens, from donations and go have at it. Actual Americans will be rooting for Qaddafi. The only role for the Frog & Dago(and US) Hessians is to turn back the 'refugees'(i.e., cowardly filthy Muslim leeches) and make them deal with their homelands' problems themselves.
Occam's Tool| 5.5.11 @ 11:14PM
Mr. Weasel:
I agree with you completely on this issue. See my comments below.
WJ| 5.5.11 @ 5:03PM
It's hard to top the comments already posted.
However, I will just say, that since when did the TAS become a mouthpiece for a marxist, atheist, ultra-liberal worm like Hitchens? Other than Middle East issues, the man does not agree with one single aspect of TAS or it's readers.
General Tabin and his glorious efforts to clean up the Middle East.
Occam's Tool| 5.5.11 @ 6:06PM
I do not see where our National Interests would be served by letting the Islamist Rebels gain power. Gaddafi was cowable and malleable. It was a mistake to support the Rebels, who are certain to be worse.
In Syria, on the other hand, Assad is a complete toad and his rebels may be better---but we don't intervene there. Seems Obama only uses the US military in situations inimicable to US interests.
Clint| 5.5.11 @ 6:31PM
TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) -- An Israeli company is recruiting mercenaries to support Moammar Gadhafi's efforts to suppress an uprising against his regime, an Israeli news site said Tuesday.
Citing Egyptian sources, the Hebrew-language news site Inyan Merkazi said the company was run by retired Israeli army commanders.
The report claims that many high-profile former Israeli officers have been illegally trading weapons in several African nations, and have faced interrogations over their activities in the past.
The news site said the head of the company recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israeli intelligence chief Aviv Cokhavi. It added that the officials all approved the company's recruitment of mercenaries to help Gadhafi.
The leader's brutal crackdown has killed at least 1,000 Libyans so far, human rights groups say.
According to the report, Israeli officials approved the recruitment out of fears that if toppled, Gadhafi would be replaced by an "extremist Islamic regime."
During Gadhafi's four-decade rule of the north African state, he has been one of Israel's most vocal critics.
Company representatives recently flew to Chad to discuss the matter with a high-ranking Libyan intelligence officer Abduallah Sanusi, the report said. During the meeting, Sanusi agreed to pay the company to recruit up to 50,000 mercenaries from African countries, according to the news site."
Occam's Tool| 5.5.11 @ 10:41PM
Well, given that if Gaddafi is toppled, Libya will have a vicious Islamist regime worse than Gaddafi's, this may make sense. The US has "no boots on the ground," and has also stated that it will attack rebels if necessary.
Mercenaries are mercenaries, Clint.
You see, Clint, there is a little thing called reality---and the reality here is that Obama made a bone-headed decision. But, of course, the Jews are the enemy here. Always.
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 5:35AM
You see, Isreal Firster Traitor Bastard Tool Job, You're A Fanatic Agendist for The Foreign Nation of Israel & You, Traitor Bastard Israel Firster, show Your complete willingness to sell out The United States to a point, where You, now support Israeli Mercenaries fighting on the opposite side of U.S. Forces.
Occam's Tool| 5.6.11 @ 8:59PM
So, just to make this plain, Clint: when Gaddafi is replaced by a group of Islamic fanatics that attempt to mass murder Americans, that will be OK with you? That's not treason. OK, got it.
Name call away, invert.
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 10:20PM
Just to make this plain, Israel Firster Fanatic Traitor Bastard Tool Job,when Gaddafi And The Israeli Mercenaries oppose Our Military and attempt a Mass Murder of Americans, like Lockerbie Pan Am Flight 103, that will be OK with You.
That's Treason & You're A Traitor Bastard Israel Firster Punk Ass, Tool Job.
Got It Goat Humpin' Sand Monkey.
Occam's Tool| 5.7.11 @ 11:45PM
Aaand, that's why the Obama government is requesting amnesty for these "mercenaries" if they kill civilians.
Something's going on. It probably is not what you "think." The US government is aware of, and encouraging, these people.
Clint| 5.13.11 @ 7:24PM
It's about United States National Inteersts Trumping Israel's National Interests, Israel Firster Traitor Bastard, Tool Job.
"The news site said the head of the company recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israeli intelligence chief Aviv Cokhavi. It added that the officials all approved the company's recruitment of mercenaries to help Gadhafi."
JimH| 5.6.11 @ 8:23AM
This report, if true is unsurprising. One should expect Israel, a master of real politik to do what it can to stir up trouble between its enemies. This is an old game. Britain used to be a master of it. It should serve as a reminder though that countries do not have friends. They have interests. And ours and Israel do not always coincide.
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 1:51PM
The United States has to Treaty with Israel.
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 1:52PM
TYPO:
The United States has "No " Treaty with Israel.
Occam's Tool| 5.5.11 @ 10:45PM
They also aren't the only mercenaries involved, Clint:
"← News you may have missed #503News you may have missed #504 →
Hundreds of European mercenaries ‘fighting for Gaddafi’
Posted on April 28, 2011 by intelNews| 1 Comment
Libya
By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Hundreds of European mercenaries, including large numbers of European Union citizens, have voluntarily enrolled in the armed forces of the Libyan government, and are fighting under the command of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi. According to criminologist Michel Koutouzis, the Greek CEO of a French-registered consulting firm with connections to Libya, up to 500 European soldiers-of-fortune have been hired by the Libyan government to provide “special services”, particularly in heavy weaponry and attack helicopters. Koutouzis says that most of the European mercenaries, who sell their services for thousands of dollars a day, come from Eastern Europe, especially Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and Serbia, but there are also French, British and Greek nationals currently in Libya. He also claims that Gaddafi is supported by serving military personnel from Russia, Syria and Algeria. It is believed that the Gaddafi camp is also employing thousands of non-specialist mercenaries from various African nations, including Somalia, Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Unconfirmed reports have surfaced in the American press that the Gaddafi forces are employing female snipers from Colombia. But Koutouzis’ claims, initially published by a Paris-based correspondent of United Press International, and later elaborated in the Brussels-based EU Observer, have been the most detailed so far. The Greek expert suggested that the pro-government Libyan army has shrunk to about 25,000 soldiers, due to desertions. But this number does not include the 35,000 to 50,000-strong militia units commanded by Gaddafi’s sons.
Research credit to Strategy Report."
The situation is a clusterfu#@. Our interests aren't served by being there. And Gaddafi has been predictable and cowable. How's the revolution in Egypt working out for ya, Clint?
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 5:51AM
Let's Review.
Israel Firster Tool Job thinks Israel Firster Mercenaries fighting on the opposite side of United States Military Forces in Libya is ""Understandable".
What also is "Understandable" is that Israel Firster Tool Job is A Traitor Bastard Against The United States.
"- An Israeli company is recruiting mercenaries to support Moammar Gadhafi's efforts to suppress an uprising against his regime, an Israeli news site said Tuesday.
Citing Egyptian sources, the Hebrew-language news site Inyan Merkazi said the company was run by retired Israeli army commanders.
The report claims that many high-profile former Israeli officers have been illegally trading weapons in several African nations, and have faced interrogations over their activities in the past.
The news site said the head of the company recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israeli intelligence chief Aviv Cokhavi. It added that the officials all approved the company's recruitment of mercenaries to help Gadhafi."
These Israeli Mercenaries will join.....
" up to 500 European soldiers-of-fortune have been hired by the Libyan government to provide “special services”, particularly in heavy weaponry and attack Koutouzis says that most of the European mercenaries, who sell their services for thousands of dollars a day, come from Eastern Europe, especially Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and Serbia, but there are also French, British and Greek nationals currently in Libya. He also claims that Gaddafi is supported by serving military personnel from Russia, Syria and Algeria. It is believed that the Gaddafi camp is also employing thousands of non-specialist mercenaries from various African nations, including Somalia, Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Unconfirmed reports have surfaced in the American press that the Gaddafi forces are employing female snipers from Colombia".
How's Treason workin' out for You Israel Firster Traitor Bastard Tool Job ?
Hmmmm Puke ?
Occam's Tool| 5.6.11 @ 8:57PM
Obama is threatening the rebels, too, Clint. In addition, we have no boots on the ground in Libya, and our intervention is purely to save civilian lives. We are on no side. That's our problem.
Furthermore, most of the other mercenaries are from countries allied to us, too.
The world is a complex place, little catamite. And States must sometimes do things to prevent their children from getting their heads cut off. Personally, I think we should NOT be supporting the rebels, and so do you. You've said so. Does that make you a traitor?
There are no Israelis shooting Americans. We (the US) are NOT allies of either the Rebels or Gadaffi. Our units are simply there to prevent civilian casualties.
Clint| 5.6.11 @ 10:29PM
You're A Slandering Liar Israel Firster Traitor Bastard Tool Job. I never said U.S. Forces should be involved in Another Middle East/Arab Conflict. Our troops are not Cannon Fodder to force spread democracy around that globe. That's Your Israel Firster Neo-Con Bastards Agenda.
When Our U.S. Military is anywhere involved in Libya, and You Support Israeli Mercenaries aiding Gaddafi , I call You The Freakin' Israel Traitor Bastard Punk Ass ,You Are Tool Job.
J.C.Eaton| 5.5.11 @ 11:28PM
This kind of stuff makes the head spin. I spent over thirty years in the U.S.Army and wept when I left. But suggesting that our guys be put into this oozing carbuncle of a country for no ostensible purpose save soothing French oil concerns[I'm a cynic] is crazy. What do recruiters tell new enlistees these days? "Sign up and board up for every Third-World dunghill on the planet." We are stretched thinner than a guard-house rat. Enough already.
Too Many Tims| 5.6.11 @ 10:47AM
There was a time when I might have supported this operation-back when Quaddafi was a terrorist sponsor, Unfortunately we normalized relations with him in 2006 having convinced ourselves that the old monster had reformed.
We take Quaddafi where do we stop? In Liberia, Gabon, Upper Volta? There's lots of folks who need killing ...
If a foreign nation tomorrow, fires an anti-tank missile into the White House what right will we have to complain? We've set the bar pretty low.
Thomas| 5.6.11 @ 10:50AM
All the impassioned rhetoric aside, exactly what U.S. interest is being addressed in Libya? None.
Gahdafi is a bad guy. This is undeniable. But, exactly who are the rebels? Are they Libian patriots who are going to sing "Hands Across the Water" with Europe and the U.S.? Or are they going to ally themselves with the anti-Western jihadists of the Muslim world? Is it possible that they ARE the anti-Western jihadists themselves?
Who knows? The media won't report on who, or what, comprises the rebels in Libya.
Remember, the Tsars were not nice people. But, the Bolsheviks proved to be even worse. The same things has happened time after time, through out history. It pays to be careful who you back, in these situations.
Wayne | 5.7.11 @ 12:58PM
I have an image in my head. I envision Obama and his cabinet getting obsessed with their new found power to assassinate at will. They move on to other Al-Queda targets and to Qaddhafi and then to the sons of Osama and the sons of Qaddhafi. They set a goal of killing one each night.
It becomes their new reality, which they believe eliminates the greatest evil in the world.
And of course while the killing goes on we just cheer and goad them on. This is the Obama we can identify with.
Until the lust starts falling on Americans.