[paulycy]

Another hellhole heard from.

[stripes1776]

Thanks for posting. I really like Hanson. If only we had him as Secretary of State!

[camerongood210]

Unfortunately, this write-up seems to raise more questions than answers.

[ml/nj]

self ping - important artcle

[headstamp 2]

“I arrived the day Lionel Ritchie was playing a 20th-anniversary anti-American concert commemorating Gaddafi’s heroic resistance to the Reagan bombing.”

Fascinating.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

I like VDH. He is one of the more rational informed commentators.

[Lurker]

Cannot the administration at last state that it supports non-violent, gradual transitions to consensual government, institutionalized secular human rights, and an independent judiciary...?"

No, Mr. Hansen. They can't. It's not in their DNA.

[Lurker]

Cannot the administration at last state that it supports non-violent, gradual transitions to consensual government, institutionalized secular human rights, and an independent judiciary...?"

No, Mr. Hansen. They can't. It's not in their DNA.

[MotherRedDog]

IMHO, Obama was behind this and knows it will result in $10 gas. Just what he wanted. I’m sure he wasn’t thinking it would get this big this fast, but then he is the operating without a brain.

[MotherRedDog]

IMHO, Obama was behind this and knows it will result in $10 gas. Just what he wanted. I’m sure he wasn’t thinking it would get this big this fast, but then he is the operating without a brain.

[Cicero]

The headline is a bit misleading, since it presents a good picture of life under Qaddafi, but very little about what will follow—except that they will hate America, as usual.

[GOPJ]

...wet garbage and sewage in the streets; an oil-exporter with massive pot-holes and no asphalt to fix them; almost every room, office, or hallway in Tripoli with peeling paint, exposed wiring, and something broken; the airport a disaster; almost every human action a possible violation of some government statute.

"Hellholes" are the fruit of the Muslim religion... Great for the few thugs at the top - hell for the ordinary people...

[GOPJ]

Since all governments and figures in the Middle East seem transitory, it would be far better to establish a policy that is principled and constant, no matter the ideologies and authoritarians involved.

Sarah Palin needs to hook up with Victor Davis Hanson (politically)... he needs to be part of the team.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Why did it take so long...Finally...:

Libyan Muslim leaders order followers to rebel

[vetvetdoug]

Look at what was done when Wheelus AFB was abandoned.

[mrsmith]

Qaddafy: the Obama of Libya.

[Oatka]

5) Libyans seemed to me terrified of Egyptians, including the tens of thousands of illegal-alien Egyptians in their country.
Interesting to see someplace besides Europe and the US having an illegal alien problem.

The oil fields in their lightly populated country are a little too near for their comfort to the border of the oil-needy, overpopulated Egyptian powerhouse. The oil-rich border regions between the two countries will be of interest in the days ahead.
Interesting indeed. If the Egyptians make a grab, will Libya yell for help from the US? Just as importantly, would we do so?

[AmericanInTokyo]

IMHO, NOW is the time for JOHN BOLTON to step in and officially construct that Presidential Exploratory Committee for 2012, if he has not alread done so.

FOREIGN POLICY IS LIABLE TO BE THE FRONT AND CENTER ISSUE IN EARLY 2012 IN THE EARY PRIMARIES, particularly if that whole region goes to hell in a handbasket or nears such a horrendous possibility. Ambassador Bolton will wipe the floor with his GOP competitors on foreign policy and then Obama--for Soetero's complete incompetence, abject foolishessness and outrigh perilous danger in this current situation (or any other Democrat takers) due to his deep, saged, well-aged and thoughtful if not excellent, strategic grasp of what we as a nation need to do on the World Stage in the case of such anarchy, uprising, violence, destabilization and chaos, all emanating from Middle East, Gulf, South Asia and North Africa regions.

[Cronos]

1. Syria won't fall. Assad may be a dictator but he allows more economic growth and other freedoms than others. Also Syria is very diverse with 20% Christian (Maronites, Chaldean Catholics, Syriacs etc.) and a lot of Allawis, Druze, Shias, Ismailis, and various schools of Sunnis.

2. Iran is a different matter.

3. Libya is a paradigm -- there is a movement to separate themselves from Arabs and Islam by considering themsevels Imazighen (Berbers), but I doubt it has much strength, though I hope it could win.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks neverdem. All he has to do is last the next couple of weeks and the riots will run out of gas; then the real crackdown will start, causing a big outflow of Libyan exiles to neighboring countries, probably Tunisia and Egypt, and also to Europe and the US.