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March 20, 2011 09:27 PM UTC

What's One More War Among Friends?

  • 24 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

The New York Times reports:

The Libyan leader has not been seen in public since the United States and European countries unleashed warplanes and missiles in a military intervention on a scale unparalleled in the Arab world since the Iraq war. On Sunday, American B-2 stealth bombers were reported to have struck a major Libyan airfield.

In a first assessment from Washington, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the first day of “operations yesterday went very well,” news reports said. Speaking to NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he said a no-flight zone over Libya to ground Colonel Qaddafi’s warplanes – a prime goal of the attacks – was “effectively” in place and that a loyalist advance on the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi had been halted.

Despite those major setbacks, Colonel Qaddafi said his forces on the ground would win in the end…

Earlier, President Obama, speaking during a visit to Brazil, reiterated promises that no American ground forces would be used.

“I am deeply aware of the risks of any military action, no matter what limits we place on it,” he said. “I want the American people to know that the use of force is not our first choice, and it’s not a choice that I make lightly. But we can’t stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people that there will be no mercy.”

In a statement, Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado says, “Like all Americans, I deplore and condemn the violence against Libyans who are asserting their rights to basic freedoms.  Colonel Qaddafi has been a brutal dictator and is viciously attacking his own people in order to maintain control, and he gave the international community no choice but to act.”

In other local-angle news, we’re told that ex-Sen. Wayne Allard’s lobbying firm ended its multimillion dollar lobbying contract with the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Great Jamahiriya some time ago–so despite the fact that he might have been pretty good at it, Allard will not be appearing as Muammar Qaddafi’s “Baghdad Bob.”

Also, no response yet from local radio talk show hosts (or Rep. Doug Lamborn) to news that French warplanes were the first Western forces to arrive over Libya, making an arguable case that their fries love freedom as much as we do. Stay tuned for drive time tomorrow.

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24 thoughts on “What’s One More War Among Friends?”

  3. we had not gotten ourselves entangled in 2 unnecessary wars maybe we could afford to be more involved in Libya, a more honorable cause. I hate war. I am a vet and descended from a long line of vets.

    I still know how dangerous it is for the US to be seen as leading the way in a Muslim country. But, I’d sure like to see Moammar in Florence.

  4. It appears that between taking out Libya’s air power and air defenses (necessary to enforce a no-fly zone safely) and targeting Qadaffi’s ground forces who were attacking Bengazi, the combined air strikes have pretty much decimated Libya’s armed forces.

    Qadaffi is now saying he’ll arm the citizenry for the long war.

      1. From what I can see, Libya appears to have a strong propaganda arm and many of its citizens grow up with the same monoculture loyalty to Qadaffi as the North Koreans do.

        I didn’t know this before, but they refer to Qadaffi as “Dear Leader” just as the people NK do.

  5. Now is the time to install a new federal gas tax that kicks in whenever gas pump prices fall below, say $3.00 per gallon.  The proceeds would be used to accelerate development of alternative energy resources that will reduce our reliance on foreign oil.  

    1. You should seriously push it everywhere. It is a fantastic idea, unless of course, the oil companies get wind of it and decide to always keep prices higher…

  6. You’re still sore over freedom fries? As to the article, I’m taking bets on how long the left continues to support Obama now that he has vindicated every single one of Bush’s foreign policies (Guantanamo, Iraq, etc.) My gut tells me they will continue to blame Bush while praising Obama… for the exact same things. Is it because he’s black? Young? Republican? The world may never know – there is no logic in a liberal’s mind.  

    1. What the hell do any of us care? It’s pointed out to remind everyone of the incredible stupidity perpetration by the war happy right.

      You seriously don’t see any difference between this situation and Iraq? At all? Where’s the vindication? Did Obama make some shit up and spend a few years pretending he didn’t? Where the fuck was I for that?

      I do think it’s fabulous you’ve managed to bring race into the discussion. That’s why everyone thinks you’re so fucking dumb; because you’re white! Hey, I’m shocked, too. I thought it was just because you’re fucking dumb and go out of your way to prove it. Truly. Shocked.

      1. The anti-war left argued that we had no national security interests in Iraq.  What is the threat to us from Libya?  What is the exit strategy?  What are our victory conditions?  Can’t you see the irony of what is going on now, on so many different levels?

        The man who argued that he would not take military action unless the U.S. was threatened is now dropping bombs on a nation without any capability to attack us.  He started on the anniversary of the war that he used his opposition of to get into the White House.  And he did so in a way that accomplished what many though would be impossible.  He made a French President look like a decisive leader in comparison to an American one.

        Friday I saw a group of war protesters at the intersection of Bijou and Cascade down here in the Springs.  And one of them had on one side of his sign the words “Stop Obama’s Wars”.  It seems that the non-hypocrites on the left don’t see the difference you do either.  

        1. There is no threat to us from Libya. However the decision to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya was made by the U.N. and we are acting as a member of the U.N. while the decision to invade Iraq was made by the U.S.

          There is no exit strategy because there is no entrance strategy.

          Victory conditions? From Defense.gov:

          The goal of the military coalition is to prevent further attacks by regime forces on Libyan citizens, officials said, adding that the coalition also wants to degrade the ability of Moammar Gadhafi’s regime to resist a no-fly zone being implemented.

          There is no irony. Working as a U.N. member to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya is nothing like being in charge of a coalition to invade Iraq.

          I don’t see where Obama said he wouldn’t take military action unless we were threatened.  I found the quote you have in your post, but he wasn’t completely right. The War Powers Resolution “requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.” (Wikipedia) I know it may be surprising to you, but Obama CAN be wrong sometimes.

          Although I am curious as to how President Sarkozy is more decisive than President Obama.

          1. That’s just ugly.

            I was especially lost on the Sarkozy thing as well. Our Secretary of State JUST said that we wouldn’t be doing anything without the International community’s support because it’s not our job to act unilaterally with guns blazing. France… that’s outside the US, right?

            Anyway, this is the third or fourth time I’ve seen one of the hard right on this site complain when evil liburls do what they want. BJ said that the hard left would continue to support Obama, cologeek pointed out how they are not. Stupid liberals!

            It couldn’t be that most people decide how they feel based on the actual facts and not on the party designation of the one doing things, could it?

        1. 🙁 Pity. ScottP just covered that little detail. It’s the second comment up from yours. Link, quote, it’s got it all!

          Now, how did Obama not follow the Constitution?

    2. Since Obama cannot be reelected without support form the left, I’ll bet that Obama wins in 2012.

      Said another way – the R nominee will not win.

  9. I don’t understand why my liberal friends cheered Mubarak being ousted while they cringe at taking action against Khaddafy. Then again,I don’t understand why the war in Mexico is ignored. Well, I do understand. It’s called selective attention.

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