Posted on 03/13/2011 7:17:43 PM PDT by TheConservativeCitizen
As the momentum of the Libyan rebellion has ground to a halt, and Gaddafi has begun to slowly reassert his control over the nation, there is a growing international chorus for a no-fly zone over Libya. Arab despots and European socialists, get-er-done conservatives and no-blood-for-oil liberals, all agree that its time to provide air cover for the rebellion. Well, here are 5 little reasons to think twice before starting our third concurrent overseas adventure.
1. Me, Myself, and I
Lets not beat around the bush, whatever the Europeans, the Arabs, and the UN will tell you, this is going to be an American operation involving American airmen, American planes, and American dollars from American taxpayers. Remember the coalition of the willing in Iraq? Whatever happened to Spain? Oh, they elected a socialist government following a series of terror attacks and promptly fled with their tails between their legs. What about the Philippines? All it took was one hostage for them to withdraw from Iraq in exchange for his release. We are going back into battle with these people behind us? A collection of third world banana republics and broke European welfare states do not make for good allies. And do not get me started on the Arab autocrats whose regimes are on the precipice of collapse. Make no mistake, this air war will be fought with American arms, American treasure, and American blood.
2. Limited Conflicts and Half Arsed Wars
The no-fly zone has all the hallmarks of something politicians love, intense activity designed to achieve nothing. Gaddafi’s air-force is only a small part of his overall arsenal, the rebels in Az Zawiyah and Ras Lanuf were pushed out with tanks and infantry, not air power. There is no indication whatsoever that shutting down Libyan air operations would hand victory to the rebellion, hence America and its allies will either be flying over a low intensity civil war for the next decade, or will be watching from the skies as Gaddafi massacres the rebels. Mission accomplished.
3. To the Shores of Tripoli
Since the no-fly zone is little more than a fig leaf to mask the worlds impotence when dealing with the Libyan regime, there is a danger of the no-fly zone transforming into an air campaign or even a ground war. If Gaddafi is victorious on the ground, there will be huge pressure for the coalition to stop the carnage happening below. This will be a no win situation where the US is forced to either send its overstretched army into yet another battle, or to coldly watch the massacre taking place on the ground. The US has seen both scenarios play out in Iraq in 1991 and 2003, neither worked out very well.
4. One Man’s Hospital is Another Man’s Missile Silo
Make no mistake, a no-fly zone involves the bombardment of ground targets. Gaddafi, a man whose moral compass points towards what's good for Gaddafi, will undoubtedly relocate his SAM and radar facilities to schools, hospitals, and thousand year old Mosques. As Libyan camera crews are rushed to film civilian corpses being taken out of the rubble, or the collapse of a seventh century minaret, the same Al Jazeera host who is currently chiding America for not getting involved, will be calling us butchers and demanding a war crimes tribunal.
5. A Little Help from My Foes
Nobody likes foreigners. Especially armed foreigners who stick their nose in your country. Military intervention risks awakening an anti-colonial sentiment in the Libyan population and retroactively legitimizing Gaddafi’s violence. Nationalism is a powerful force, especially in Islamic nations, especially ones with long histories of western domination. Gaddafi has always fashioned himself as Africa’s answer to Che Guevara, and by getting involved in the Libyan conflict we risk transforming a tyrant who hires mercenaries to murder his countrymen into some kind of revolutionary. It will not be difficult for the butcher of Tripoli to cast himself as a freedom fighter waging a desperate battle against the Crusaders, the Zionists, and their collaborators.
Leave Lybia alone! No, I don’t love Gaddafi, I just understand what a cat fight looks like and don’t want to get turned upon by both beasts!
I’ve got a better idea-—let’s arm both sides and give them both intel against each other. Why not? Face it-—they both suck and they all need to go take a bath and learn how to use toilet paper.
Libya has tanks and arty, it takes a few days to get them in position, but they can be far more devastating than a few airstrikes. The rebels have AKs, some heavy machine guns, and some rocket launchers they have no clue about how to use properly.
Ground based armor will destroy the rebels once it gets on scene.
The no fly zone will only be our invitation to the dance, we will be up to our ears in yet another PC unwinnable police action.
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LOL Now that's funny.
“If Europe wants a no fly zone, then let Europe and France and Spain and the other half-ass liberals in Europe do it.”
Yep, I agree. This is not our fight. Let Europe and the UK do it. After all wasn’t it BP oil and the UK that got the “plane bomber” released.
Qaddafi surviving in a neutered and weakened condition may be the best of all possible outcomes.
Looks like it`s going to be a moot point anyway. The Libyan military re-took Brega and is moving toward Benghazi. Should be over in a few days.
A lot of folks, 0bama included, grossly underestimated Gaddafi`s ability to hold power. He said he was staying and he meant it.
Gaddafi, as bad as he is, is the only barrier to a radical islamist takeover there. His overthrow will cause a devolution into tribal warfare along the lines of Somalia.
So true!!
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