Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Lauren Fink, Ed. ·
Mar 18, 2011 at 6:27am
After a U.N. resolution Thursday night (10-0, and five abstentions) authorized "states to take all necessary measures to protect civilians," and enforce a no-fly zone, rebels in Libya are celebrating, some in tears, saying their prayers are answered. French and British officials say military action will begin in the coming hours. In response, Gaddafi warns his people, "for those who resist there will be no mercy or compassion." (Sort of a theme, right?)
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that President Obama has been "energised finally" by the U.N.'s decision. However you spell it, I'm not sure 'energized' is the best word for him.
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Mar '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
I have very few kind things to say about President Obama, and would be more than happy to pour out paragraph upon paragraph about how his dithering has killed so many, but instead I pray that he is serious in this instance and protects the Libyan people.
Feb '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
An inital do-nothing response from the White House has allowed Gaddafi to remain in power. Remember how Gaddafi quickly changed his way when President Reagan sent a couple of planes shooting missiles his way? And now, as soon as the inept UN put forth a resolution for the no-fly zone, Gaddafi turned tail again, just as one would expect from a bully.
If only our country had leadership in the White House instead of a narcissist with diarrhea of the vocal cords.......
Sep '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Does the language in this resolution include supporting and/or endorsing the overthrow of Qaddaffi? Or is this purely a humanitarian based resolution? In other words, is this a resolution offensive or defensive?
It makes a very big difference.
My other thought is about the celebration of Obama and the UN, and how this calm, multilateral response is so much better than being a cowboy.
According to the latest reports, this dithering by the international community has allowed Qaddaffi to just about wipe out the rebellion. So who exactly will the UN and NATO be protecting once they get their bureaucracy in gear?
Jun '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Has Gaddafi changed his goal this morning, or just changed his tactics? We need to wait and see.
Jun '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
As a substitute for "energized," how about this (and some other news)?:
"The Sydney Morning Herald reports that President Obama has been "somewhat de-ditherized" by the U.N.'s decision. He intends to study the recommendation in his Cabinet meeting scheduled for March 25.
In other, far important news, the president was really "pumped" by Pitt's and Wisconsin's victories on Thursday. The president said the Pitt victory not only preserves his final four, but demonstrates that the people of Pennsylvania need universal health care, noting how quickly injured Pitt players received any medical attention necessary (which he attributed directly to the new health care law).
On the Wisconsin victory, he said, "This demonstrates the positive benefits of protecting pubic sector workers (noting that Wisconsin players are honorary members of the unions by virtue of under-the-table payments to them) and is a repudiation of Governor Scott (Adolf) Walker's efforts to destroy the lives of the hard-working bureaucrats of Wisconsin."
He reserved comment on Japan, indicating that he hadn't been briefed in a couple of days but that Jay Carney, his press secretary, would issue a statement "real soon."
Edited on Mar 18, 2011 at 7:18amMay '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
That was quick. Qadaffi has now ordered a cease-fire. He's obviously intimidated by the resolution of Sarkozy.
Y'know, a cease-fire might've been better when the rebels controlled half the country. We're coming to this a bit late. I guess we could air-drop supplies into Benghazi, but it looks like a siege at present.
Still, may God bless our pilots, and grant our President steadfast courage.
May '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
And so we start another war. We've accepted responsibility for the future of Libya.
I'll be interested in the Left's reaction. The media supported Clinton's bombing of the Serbs, but this time we're already engaged and supposedly ready to pull out of two other theaters. I suspect the Left wants to support Obama but will have to work up the enthusiasm gradually.
If we invade a country's airspace and bomb targets repeatedly, we won't be able to simply walk away when / if Qaddafi falls. This is a long, hard commitment.
Jun '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
When the going gets tough the tough fly to Rio.
Feb '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Richard VanderHoek:
Does the language in this resolution include supporting and/or endorsing the overthrow of Qaddaffi? Or is this purely a humanitarian based resolution? In other words, is this a resolution offensive or defensive? It makes a very big difference.
According to the latest reports, this dithering by the international community has allowed Qaddaffi to just about wipe out the rebellion. So who exactly will the UN and NATO be protecting once they get their bureaucracy in gear? · Mar 18 at 7:04am
Richard,
This BBC article gives an analysis of the UN resolution text, and to answer your question, Gaddafi isn't mentioned. The focus is protecting Libya's people.
Who will be left to protect? Gaddafi is moving fast:
Our Air Force says other countries are estimating an unrealistic time frame for helping Libya.
It is scary the debacle this decision has created -- it's bolstered the Libyan rebels against a swift-moving dictator, without the security of immediate help from other countries.
Dec '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Agreed. Cease fires can be used to gain time, re-group and re-assess. Question - what will NATO, UN do if Gaddafi decides to stick with a ground campaign for the remainder? Additionally, which groups make up the rebel forces?
Dec '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
There's an old Pablo Cruise tune that I'm waiting to have someone lampoon Pres. Obama..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zbSnoQHLDM
Feb '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
If anything, US foreign policy should never need to be "energized" by the UN.
Humiliating.
Also, I agree with Dan Foster over at NRO, everything about the timing of this decision is wrong. Intervention, if there should have been any at all, should have happened at the beginning, while the rebels were matching on Tripoli, while the regime was tottering. Now we're trying to underwrite a movement we have no national interest in.
Feb '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
As an update, here's an article highlighting Libya's cease-fire against rebels, as Kennedy mentioned. It says, "Koussa's announcement of a ceasfire followed a fierce attack by Qaddafi's forces against Misrata, the last rebel-held city in the western half of the country...at least six people were killed."
No word from Gaddafi yet, at least from what I've read.
Would it have been this easy if we had done something weeks ago?
Dec '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Qaddafi may be hesitating.
He may be thinking about Saddam, 11 years of no-fly zones, and what happened after that.
Feb '11
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Richard VanderHoek:
Does the language in this resolution include supporting and/or endorsing the overthrow of Qaddaffi? Or is this purely a humanitarian based resolution? In other words, is this a resolution offensive or defensive?
It makes a very big difference.
My other thought is about the celebration of Obama and the UN, and how this calm, multilateral response is so much better than being a cowboy.
According to the latest reports, this dithering by the international community has allowed Qaddaffi to just about wipe out the rebellion. So who exactly will the UN and NATO be protecting once they get their bureaucracy in gear? · Mar 18 at 7:04am
Themselves
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
These things come down to a test of wills. The winner is the one with the most to lose, and the most intense willingness to fight. Which is why when we bestir ourselves to get involved, it's either late in the game, when the parties are exhausted and broke (like the former Yugoslavia) or incrementally, like in Libya.
Qaddafy isn't going to stop killing the insurgents. He just won't be able to do it as effectively. All the no-fly zone will do is encourage the rebels to expect help and support that's never going to come.
May '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Aaron Miller: And so we start another war. We've accepted responsibility for the future of Libya.
If we invade a country's airspace and bomb targets repeatedly, we won't be able to simply walk away when / if Qaddafi falls. This is a long, hard commitment. · Mar 18 at 7:44am
How do you figure that? We won't have to walk away, when we can just fly.
Sep '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
After Gadaffi's forces captured the last town, a large number of refugees were reported streaming towards Benghazi. A cease fire is as good as a siege. Just what will it be like in Benghazi two weeks from now with lots of refugees and rebels, all cut off from their normal supply lines in Western Libya? A no fly zone helps this in what way?
Sep '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Follow up: a no fly zone essentially puts the situation in stasis. Gaddafi has everything but Benghazi. Look for massive, retaliatory slaughtering of civilians in the recaptured towns while the Western press reports them breathlessly every night. Dipping your toe in a tarpit leads to ...
Oct '10
Re: Libya: We're No Longer Alone
Welcome to Ricochet Lauren! A friend of mine from church goes to Hillsdale right now. I really love that school and what it does.
I'm wondering if there's a chance that Libya will become Somalia II for the U.S. where Obama gets involved half-heartedly until something goes wrong and he has to escalate our involvement or pull out.