I’ve been watching the talking heads ever since Obama announced that he ordered the U.S. military to strike targets inside Libya in order to support the U.N. Resolution calling for protection of civilians. They’ve been all over the map with their opinions. It’s too little, too late. It’s too much, too late. Is it in America’s strategic interest to be involved in a civil war? If we are sending missiles into Libya, aren’t there other nations where civilians need protection? Is it possible for Obama to walk and chew gum at the same time?

The only thing I have to say is where were all you naysayers when Bush declared that preemptive war was a valid policy and then proceeded to attack Iraq without any real meaningful coalition? From my perspective, war only begets more wars. Violence never settles anything. Geez, look at the continued suspicions in the American South when it comes to any idea promoted by the American costal states. Our civil war didn’t settle our differences once and for all. There is no reason to believe that war is ever going to be THE solution, especially not in an area that has been fighting for about 2,000 years longer than there has even been a U.S.

And then this morning I read that Obama is trying to sell fighter jets to Brazil. To quote Sarah Palin, WTF? It seems that America’s most reliable export these days is war. We can’t seriously think that arming South America with our technology won’t lead to some dictator in some banana republic dragging us into a conflict that is a lot closer to our own borders than is Libya, or Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Pakistan, or Korea.

Homework

Obama Promotes F-18 in Brazil

Time Magizine Opines that America's #1 Export Is Debt

India #1 importer of arms, US #1 exporter

Yesterday the UN Security Council voted to go to war with Libya. Of course that isn’t what the resolution says, but it is what the resolution does. The resolution recognized that the government of Libya was involved in armed conflict where civilians were not being protected; condemned systematic human rights violations, which it noted had also been condemned by the League of Arab States, the African Union, and the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference; condemned the treatment of journalists; suggested that Libya was involved in crimes against humanity.

Then it set out demands:

·         An immediatea cease-fire and end to violence and abuses directed at civilians;

·         Iintensify efforts to find a solution to the crisis;

·         Demands that Libya complies with international law.

It discusses how civilians will be protected:

·         Member States are authorized “to take all necessary measures … to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack” other than occupation of Libya;

·         Requests that League of Arab States works with other Member States in the implementation of this resolution;

·         Bans on all flights in Libyan airspace, except humanitarian flights delivering medical supplies, food, humanitarian workers, or evacuating foreign nationals, or flights necessary to support this resolution;

·         Calls for the inspection, “at seaports and airports, and on the high seas, any cargo going to or from Libya to ensure that it does not contain “armed mercenary personnel” or any arms previously prohibited in another UN resolution;

·         Bans all Libyan aircraft from overflying the territory of Member States, or taking off or landing in their territory, unless it is an emergency landing;

·         Freezes all Libyan assets worldwide, and requires Member States to preserve them for the benefit of the people of Libya;

·         Restricts certain Libyans (high level officials) from any travel and subjects them to the same asset freeze.

The reaction from the Libyan people suggested that they were pleased with the resolution, and would welcome ground forces.

I’m not saying Gadhafi and his family don’t deserve all the attention, and I’m glad that the UN is insisting that the League of Arab States be assigned a dominate role, but this puts America into another war. A no-fly zone starts with an attack on government anti-aircraft installations. Gadhafi has already announced that he will respond by attacking vessels in the Mediterranean. That has the potential for disrupting a lot of international trade, including things like American supply ships destined for the Suez Canal and carrying supplies to the other two wars. American voters are being asked to pay for one more war, at a time when the GOP is insisting on cutting all domestic programs. When will the civilians here catch a break?

 Homework

Voice of America Report on UN Resolution

Text of the Resolution