Wars Without End
I don't think we should be the world's policeman. In the WSJ, Peggy Noonan argues for caution in that department as well:
The biggest takeaway, the biggest foreign-policy fact, of the past decade is this: America has to be very careful where it goes in the world, because the minute it's there--the minute there are boots on the ground, the minute we leave a footprint--there will spring up, immediately, 15 reasons America cannot leave. The next day there will be 30 reasons, and the day after that 45. They are often serious and legitimate reasons.So we wind up in long, drawn-out struggles when we didn't mean to, when it wasn't the plan, or the hope, or the expectation.
We have to keep this phenomenon in mind as we chart our path in the future. It's easy to start a war but hard to end one. It's as simple as that. It's easy to get in but hard to get out. Even today, in Baghdad, you hear that America can't leave Iraq because the government isn't sturdy enough, the army and police aren't strong enough to withstand the winds that will follow America's full departure, that all that has been achieved--a fragile, incomplete, relative peace--will be lost. America cannot leave because Iraq will be vulnerable to civil war, not between Sunnis and Shiites, they tell you now, but between Arabs and Kurds, in the north, near the oil fields.
America is scheduled to leave Iraq this December, of course, but everyone seems to be waiting for Nouri al-Maliki's government to request an extension. (A longtime observer told me he thought Prime Minister Maliki would not ask, in part because he assumes that if he gets in trouble the U.S. will come back.) Meanwhile, another observer told me, the December hand-off from the U.S. to the Iraqi government will actually be more like a hand-off from the Defense Department to the State Department, with the part of U.S. security forces played by contractors from Uganda.
I still say this should be an Arab League problem. Not even Europe's (and it hurts a bit to say that). For instance
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/gaddafi-calls-off-raids-on-rebels/story-e6frg6so-1226024344245
"Belgium was ready to take part in military action with six F-16 fighter planes stationed in Greece and a frigate in the Mediterranean"
For fuck's sake, Egypt have over 200 of the fucking things. And they're right there. Saudi Arabia flies F-15s. What the hell is Belgium, a thousand miles away, involved for?
Ltw at March 19, 2011 5:34 AM
Arab states have given their support to a no-fly zone despite the difficulty of turning against one of their former allies.
With the council calling for "co-operation" from Arab countries, Qatar said last night it would join the action. The United Arab Emirates is expected to participate.
Translation - they'll send a couple of translators and liaison officers. If were Barack, I'd be on the phone saying "we haven't got the resources right now, but we're happy to send you satellite photos and intelligence so you can do the heavy lifting. Hope it goes well. Good luck."
Ltw at March 19, 2011 5:39 AM
George Orwell, through Emanuel Goldstein (roughly): "The point of the war is not to win - in fact when it is possible to win it must not be. The point of the war is the consumption of human output."
War is one of the best ways for a government to remain in power. You can invoke all sorts of Mencken bugaboos in the process.
Losing lets you show your populace how sorry they are, and how much they need government!
We even call the charade in the ME a "war". No, Congress has not declared war. Therefore, "we" are not in one.
"We", in such cases, sit at home in the air conditioning wondering what we can go buy at WalMart and cluck at the news that somebody else's neighbor's kid got killed playing police officer, ordered not to win!
Radwaste at March 19, 2011 6:03 AM
So I must confess I still have a fair amount of the neocon in me. Nonetheless, I'm leery of this. First of all, I'm not convinced that there is a "good" side in Libya. As I understand it, Libya does not have the degree of educated populace that Iraq has/had, and an educated population is a necessary condition for any form of self-government. And, Khadafy has been in power for a long time there, and likely has had anyone with leadership or thoughtful qualities in the political sphere eliminated, which leaves the field there wide open for provocateurs from Iran and al-Q. Second, I think it's pretty clear that most of the American public is tired of us being involved in the ME, and if Libya turns out to be a long-term involvement, it's quite likely that in a future situation where we really need to do this sort of thing, the public support won't be there.
I will say this, though: To paraphrase Glenn Reynolds, I don't want to hear one goddam word about how Iraq was blood for oil, but Libya is a humanitarian mission.
Cousin Dave at March 19, 2011 7:02 AM
"To paraphrase Glenn Reynolds, I don't want to hear one goddam word about how Iraq was blood for oil, but Libya is a humanitarian mission."
Oh, c'mon, Cousin! This administration only does things for humanitarian reasons!
Even when it's the exact same thing the previous war-criminals-should-be-shot-in-the-head did!
Radwaste at March 19, 2011 8:51 AM
Libya sold 85% of it's oil to Europe, most of the rest to Asia, only a trickle to the US. Sending Americans to die for America's oil is a war crime. Sending Americans to die for someone else's oil is a humanitarian mission.
Egypt has an enormous army & air force by 3rd world standards. Every year the US borrowed billions of $$ from China to give to Egypt to build that enormous army & air force. Egypt is next door to Libya. Go figure.
Martin (Ontario) at March 19, 2011 9:27 AM
Exactly my point Martin.
Ltw at March 19, 2011 9:40 AM
So now the US, UK and France are shelling Libya.
Damn.
From CNN:
"But Gadhafi defended his actions in his note to Obama. He said his opponents are from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the group's North African wing, and asked Obama what he would do if such an armed movement controlled American cities."
I personally like this question, which will go unanswered, which will be dodged:
"Tell me, how would you behave so I could follow your example?"
Radwaste at March 19, 2011 4:29 PM
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