We Should Never Have Wasted Money Overthrowing Gadaffi: Here's Why!
Being a commentator "against" a war is a very easy position to take, especially once the war has reached its messy conclusion and things haven't worked quite out as planned. The obvious example of this was the Iraq war: the anti-war crowd can point to disasters like the pillaging of the art treasures in Baghdad museum, the factionalism, the war crimes, the civilian (and military) casualties, and (a particularly bitter one with me) the abject humiliation of the British army in Basra - and crow about how wise they were to oppose it all along.
And they can get away with this, secure in the knowledge that there is no parallel world - visible through a handy viewing screen - in which we can observe what would have happened had we chosen not to go to war and had Saddam Hussein remained in power. I'm not saying they're right or wrong; maybe it would have been better if we hadn't wasted all that manpower and money making ourselves so unpopular. All I'm saying is that it doesn't make you the King of Wisdom to boast you were against a particular war. It's the safe, easy position to take.
That said, I'm going to boast now that I was against the Libyan intervention from the start. I argued against it at my Telegraph blog. I think I even argued against it here at Ricochet. And after what has happened since, I feel thoroughly vindicated.
Have a look at this video and see if you agree. The graveyard they are desecrating is a Commonwealth war grave yard in Benghazi.
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Apr '11
Re: We Should Never Have Wasted Money Overthrowing Gadaffi: Here's Why!
Paul A. Rahe
Making an example of a man who massacres Americans is in our interest. That was my point. Our rule should be: Lay hands on an American, and you will never be safe. The example concentrates the mind wonderfully. · 3 hours ago
The issue that I have is that making an example of him is not the stated reason for deposing Gaddafi. If it was I'd be more enthusiastic. Obama's speech justifying the action is full of talk about democracy for Libyans, refugees causing problems for Egypt, humanitarian catastrophe, oppressed people yearning for freedom etc. Based on this criteria I see the intervention as misguided at best.
The most believable explanation that I've heard of the real reasons for intervention in Libya is Southern European concern about being flooded with refugees. If this is the true reason (and if it worked) then it's possible that it was in our or Europe's interest but seeing the Libyans destroy the graveyard after the whole freedom/democracy song and dance is disgusting.
Feb '12
Re: We Should Never Have Wasted Money Overthrowing Gadaffi: Here's Why!
jt
Paul A. Rahe
Making an example of a man who massacres Americans is in our interest. That was my point. Our rule should be: Lay hands on an American, and you will never be safe. The example concentrates the mind wonderfully. · 3 hours ago
The issue that I have is that making an example of him is not the stated reason for deposing Gaddafi. · 5 hours ago
But even if it were the stated reason... everybody can take any example he wants to take. For example, Assad might take an example that giving up nuclear weapons and paying compensation to terror victims is a bad strategy, and it's better to stay with Iran. New Egyptian rulers may come to even worse conclusion. It's certainly difficult to conclude that he was deposed because he massacred Americans. Ahmadinejad is not shaking in his boots
Mar '11
Re: We Should Never Have Wasted Money Overthrowing Gadaffi: Here's Why!
I'd be in favor of that, and with as much collateral damage as possible, but fat chance when the west is too mired in self-loathing to effectively protest, let alone act, when evil savages are murdering christians and jews. In comparison, desecrating seventy year old graves is small potatoes.
Humanitarian intervention in islamic in-fighting is absolutely ridiculous. I believe any attempt to promote islamic fratricide would be too dangerous to contemplate, but when it does occur, it is frankly in our interests and we should not interfere. And they're so good at it.
Dec '11
Re: We Should Never Have Wasted Money Overthrowing Gadaffi: Here's Why!
I think the thing that offends me the most is the ethnic cleansing by the rebels. That alone makes the invasion a waste.