Korean Job Discussion Forums

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

I am disappointed.

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

I don't know what to think of this, but the less American involvement the more I will be pleased. And as for American involvement, I agree as usual with the senior Senator from Indiana.

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

I want us (may I use that term?) to stop killing people. I really hate my taxes going to kill people I've got no beef with.

...

Let me say... Every bomb.. Every missile. It further radicalizes me toward an ethno-nationalism. I have have zero-nil-no-none beef with anybody. I want to be left alone. Kuros, how are we benefited from being the global war mongers?

What's good for us, as a people? This war? No. Absolutely not.

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

I can not adequately explain how I awful I feel about this. White people, do you want this? Do you want this to be our global face? Bombs and platitudes?

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12781682

Fox · Joined: 04 Mar 2009

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

The die was cast on this when Obama (rightly) didn't back Mubarak, like so many neocons were calling for. The Libyans saw how 'easy' it was to get rid of a long-term dictator and took to the streets just about exactly a month ago. Qaddafi, being very possibly a psycho (you did see that speech from the truck in the burned out palace, didn't you?), didn't bolt. Obama crossed the second line when he said Qaddafi had to go�but he couldn't possibly have said 'stay'. The British and French led the way in the UN and Obama didn't go along until the other day.

If Qaddafi stays, there is every chance he'll revert to type and send out terrorists to blow up bars and airplanes again. I think this is why Brazil, India, Russia, and China abstained in the Security Council. They don't like intervention, but they also see no alternative.

At this point it is not at all clear how actively involved the US will be. For some amusement, you might want to read some Andrew Sullivan. He's being well-nigh hysterical. However, he's asking the right questions. He's one war too late, but oh well.

Qaddafi said the attack on Benghazi was to come today and be over in 48 hours. I don't see that that leaves a whole lot of time for more dithering. Since the Cherokee, Seminoles, Sauk, Cheyenne, Dakota, Apache and a host of others are still waiting to receive notification of an act of Congress before the US military was sent in, I don't see that it's especially vital (although it's a nice gesture and politically useful) to get the permission of Congress. Not only that, given that the GOP has been in a remarkable if-Obama-likes-it-we-hate-it mode for two years, I don't think the situation allows for time for them to turn into adults. Best of all, according to The Telegraph:

�The decision at the UN appeared to have an immediate impact on Col Gaddafi�s thinking. Saif al-Islam, one of his sons, said there had been a change of tactics and that as a �humanitarian gesture� the Libyan army no longer intended to march on Benghazi, the rebels� last major stronghold.
�He said that the army is not going to go into Benghazi. It�s going to take up positions around the stronghold,� said Nic Robertson, a CNN reporter who was telephoned by the son.�

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8389639/Libya-celebrations-in-Benghazi-as-UN-backs-no-fly-zone.html

Qaddafi has been stalled with just the threat of intervention. The rebels get a reprieve. The British and French are going to do the fighting. The Arabs maybe will pay the bills. A significant number of Libyans are in favor. The Egyptians are smuggling weapons (ammunition and small arms) across the border. And we don't yet know the type or extent of American involvement (stay small! stay small!).

No war ever goes as planned and there are certainly some important questions to be answered, but at this point, it looks to me like the right move just in time.

So... Go Franco-British-Arab League State-to-be-named-later Coalition of the Willing!

comm · Joined: 22 Jun 2010

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Those wily e. Lybian dudes:

Libya offers cease-fire after UN no-fly zone vote

Turkey was calling for a cease-fire a couple of hours ago, now Qaddafi is.

"Libya declared an immediate cease-fire Friday, trying to fend off international military intervention after the U.N. authorized a no-fly zone and "all necessary measures" to prevent the regime from striking its own people. A rebel spokesman said Moammar Gadhafi's forces were still shelling two cities."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110318/ap_on_re_af/af_libya

Ain't buyin' it. After four weeks of giving the right wing Qaddafi a chance to cut and run, now he calls for a cease fire. This is Hugo Chavez-style shenanigans.

Can anyone explain Turkey's siding with Qaddafi? Is it 30 years of being cold-shouldered by the right wing European you-ain't-joinin-my-EU-you-darn-darky kind of thing?