When asked once about decisions he would do over, President Clinton stated that he wished he would have acted against the advice of his cabinet, and flown military aid to Rwanda.
In a visit to Rwanda in 2005, he expressed regret for his personal failure to prevent the genocide. His wife, the current Secretary of State, had urged him to intervene.
That was 1994.
Now, another Democratic President is sending mixed signals, while Libyans struggle to rid themselves of Gaddafi. Barely armed civilians are fighting organized and well armed troops, and holding their own. For now.
As Libya's bloody conflict rages on, important lessons for U.S. foreign policy are emerging from the past month's Middle East turmoil. Starting with Tunisia, the Obama administration has seemed repeatedly surprised by anti-regime demonstrations, unsure of the stakes for America and its allies and unprepared conceptually and operationally to deal with the consequences.”
Indeed. Our allies in Europe wait for this administration to lead, for surely as the military power of the day, if America steps in, they will, but only if we do. Yet Obama seems to timid to unsheathe what the NY Daily News calls the "terrible swift sword” of the United States
Yet Gen. Merrill McPeak, a former Air Force chief of staff is not dissuaded. He flew more than 6,000 hours, half in fighter aircraft, and helped oversee no-fly zones in Iraq and the Adriatic, is currently mystified by what he calls the “wailing and gnashing of teeth” about imposing such a zone on Libya. His take on a no-fly zone:
“I can’t imagine an easier military problem,” he said. “If we can’t impose a no-fly zone over a not even third-rate military power like Libya, then we ought to take a hell of a lot of our military budget and spend it on something usable.”
He continued: “Just flying a few jets across the top of the friendlies would probably be enough to ground the Libyan Air Force, which is the objective.”
As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot”
Question is, will Obama do it?
So you are chomping at the bit for the USA to start world war three? Mmm, do I sense that you think this will accomplish the end of the Muslim world as you so often hint at in your posts? Come on, don't be shy here.
ReplyDeleteMiddle East politics is so mixed with religion it is just a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. No matter what the outcome, it will always be the fault somehow of the great Satan, the USA---even when we do nothing.
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