UN Approves Action In Libya

From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of... Benghazi?

Following UN approval Obama, or anyway, Hillary will be sending in the Marines, or the Navy, or something to stave off defeat for the Libyan rebels.

The National Review editors support this adventure; Andrew McCarthy has a long post wondering just how many Americans should die to create a new regime that will probably be as anti-Western as the current one.  Ross Douthat wonders just how open-ended a commitment we are contemplating here, given Qadaffi's support among some of the Libyan tribes:

This means that National Review’s preferred course would necessarily commit us to either a direct attempt at regime change by American forces (we would be acting “in support” of the rebels, to be sure, but it seems clear that we would have to do all the heavy lifting) or else the creation of semi-permanent U.S. client state on the Gulf of Sidra, which would depend on Washington not only for its legitimacy, but for its very existence. We would be making an open-ended commitment to babysit the losing side in a civil war, in other words, out of a vague hope that eventually our support would enable the rebels to evict Qaddafi and reunite the country. And in geopolitics, eventually can be a very, very long time.

Well, we propped up the Kurds for quite a while (and eventually went to war to end that stalemate.  Geez, maybe we can fight in Libya someday, too...). And just from looking at a map one would infer that the natural protector of eastern Libya is Egypt, which may create its own problems.

I assume Hillary is analogizing to Rwanda (bad!) and Kosovo (good!) in making the case for American involvement.  Of course, Republicans didn't broadly support the Kosovo effort, but that is ancient history.

Well - is a military effort over Libya really going to simply commence, with no Congressional debate or Presidential address?  Amazing - I would not expect that from the First Ditherer.  And frankly, starting something that looks like a war with no public support, debate, or preparation is absurd.  On the other hand, this is a huge weekend for the NCAA March Madness, so we can't really expect Obama to emerge until early next week.

 

Comments

[Ranger]

Hmmm... very interesting. It looks like Russia and China just called Obama's bluff.

[clarice]

I expect the French fighters are on their way and sometime between his trip to Rio and his trip to Dublin Obama will get around to doing something . I'm sure his crack legal training has shown him that if the UN Security Council okays this, he doesn't need Congressional approval
Meanwhile the rebels are hoping around all happy and such cause they don't know him like we do.

[Gmax]

How about the gall and brazenness of John Kerry calling for immediate action!

[bunky]

To the idiot mobile!

[Captain Hate]

Lurch never fails to sink beneath the occasion.

[Danube of Thought]

...commit us to either a direct attempt at regime change by American forces (we would be acting “in support” of the rebels, to be sure, but it seems clear that we would have to do all the heavy lifting) or else the creation of semi-permanent U.S. client state on the Gulf of Sidra

I don't think it commits us to either one, if we simply preserve the Benghazi stronghold and suppress further Gadaffi airstrikes. But I don't know what assets we have available, other than the Nimitz air group and one DDG (with cruise missile and anti-aircraft missile capability).

It seems implausible to me that the US can do very much in the next few days, and that may be too late. But I don't know...

[Bay of Tonkin, OK.]

The Gulf of Pigs Resolution.
============

[Army of Davids]

Inflation is our friend.

[We deal with quakes and tsunamis better.]

The world has just invented a game in which everyone loses, no matter the outcome.
===========

[Comanche Voter]

Hey once his picks have gone bust, and there's no longer any chance to win the office pool, The Won may look around and wonder whether he ought to come back to work from his now 26 month long coffee break.

[Ranger]

Hmmm... this is really a Korean War style blank check:

Libya: UK forces prepare after UN no-fly zone vote

UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed "all necessary measures", short of an invasion, to protect civilians.

"all necessary measures" can be streached a very long way. And though the lede says "short of an invasion", it wouldn't techically be an invation if the recognized government invited troops in. And since France has recognized the rebels as the government... well, things could get interesting.

[Cecil Turner]

Last I checked, Obama doesn't need UN authorization to conduct military operations . . . but he does need congress's.

[clarice]

HehRoger Simon at the Tatler
Early reports indicated British and French war planes would be over Libyan skies as early as Friday morning, but the BBC is now saying: “Downing Street have cautioned against earlier suggestions that British planes could be in action ‘within hours’ and declined to put a timetable on it.”

Meanwhile, the Times of India reports Gaddafi is calling for a truce in the face of the developing united front against him. The Times continues: “The international debate on what action to take may have dragged on too long to help the anti-Gaddafi uprising, now struggling to hold its ground one month after it started.”

[Ranger]

I don't think the US will do much except maybe fly some high altitute CAP missions. This will be an Anglo-French operation for the most part, with a few Arab nations providing some cosmetic support.

[Tim K.]

The House and Senate should vote to support the measure, but we shouldn't wait for such a vote, especially considering both Houses are going on vacation next week and the rebels don't have that long.

[Ranger]

Meanwhile, the Times of India reports Gaddafi is calling for a truce in the face of the developing united front against him.

Not too surprising actually. He is operating at the end of a very long logistics chain right now, and I doubt his forces have done much to prepare against air attack up to this point. His entire offensive could probably be totally halted at this point with one good strike on his logistic base near Bengazi. Best to ask for a ceasefire now, than risk losing his forward logistics bases and having momentum shift back to the rebels.

[Out of the Egypt, Into the Libya.]

Hmmm. Friday Morning is after Ghaddafy's 'We are coming for you tonight'.
=============

[I'd very much like to be wrong.]

Benghazi down, then truce. You watch.
==========

[Ranger]

The House and Senate should vote to support the measure, but we shouldn't wait for such a vote, especially considering both Houses are going on vacation next week and the rebels don't have that long.

Posted by: Tim K. | March 17, 2011 at 10:37 PM

Well, the President could pospone his vacation and ask congress to stay an extra day or two in order to debate and pass a AUMF resolution. That is what a real leader would do if he thought it was important.

[Once more for the Gipper.]

I hope the memory of iron rain on his tents makes Ranger end up right.
===========

[Danube of Thought]

I don't think he even needs congress's--Bush sought and got it just for cover.

My money says no US or European boots hit the ground.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Meanwhile, the Times of India reports Gaddafi is calling for a truce in the face of the developing united front against him.

Like all bullies, he is really a coward. We've had proof of this more than once and should have taken advantage of it, by threatening imminent action if he started his rebel genocide. We didn't, so being the sicko he is, he assumed everyone was just fine with whatever he did. Obama was obviously fine with it, the French not so much.

[Ranger]

My money says no US or European boots hit the ground.

Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 17, 2011 at 10:48 PM

Definately no US troops (that would require an entire new set of decisions from a man who can't pick his own ties). And probably no overt European presence. Though I have a feeling there are already some SAS guys with eyes on a few targets right now. And I could see some French Foreign Legion being sent into Bengazi to secure the delivery of humanitarian supplies in the same way the Canadians were sent into Sarajevo Airport.

[Ranger]

From the Corner:

The resolution was sponsored by Britain, France, and Lebanon, with the late addition of the United States.

That is just pathetic. The US wouldn't even sponsor the resolution until we were sure it would pass.

[clarice]

DoT, If we keep agreeing like this, people will start to talk.

[Ranger]

Or maybe it just occured to the Obama political team that it would be bad optics for him to be seeing the sights in Brazil why the rebels in Bengazi were slaughtered on live TV.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

it would be bad optics for him

I think that ship has already sailed.

[Ranger]

Another interesting rumor:

Mubarak Still in Charge?

While the media has eagerly accepted the “happy ending” of Hosni Mubarak’s abdication — after all, the uprisings were dragging on and the media needed a quick denouement so it could return to Lady Gaga — an increasing number of Egyptians are convinced that he never abdicated and is still in charge of the military he bred for over 30 years, only behind the scenes.

Probably not true, but it does say something about how much has actually changed on the ground since Mubarak resigned.

[Danube of Thought]

Clarice, I liked the one about getting a room.

[clarice]

Here's my hunch..Susan Rice didn't want to do anything. Neither did Obama. Hillary did. They yanked her around and agreed that the UN Security Council had to endorse intervention. China and Russia agreed they would't oppose it which excited Hillary and infuriated O and Rice who were counting on their opposition.

The entire thing is meaningless unless we lead it..We all kow that. The French might do enough to get their mitts on some oilfields held by the rebels but Gaddafy won't be ousted. At best he'll throw in the towel or pretend to until he gets away to Venezuela.

[DebinNC]

NYT: "That support is likely to consist of much of what the United States already has in the region — Awacs radar planes to help with air traffic control should there be airstrikes, other surveillance aircraft and about 400 Marines aboard two amphibious assault ships in the region, the Kearsarge and the Ponce. The Americans could also provide signal-jamming aircraft in international airspace to muddle Libyan government communications with its military units."

Our participation sounds about as low risk and voting present as possible in a combat situation, especially if those 400 Marines are ordered to stay on board the ships.

[Rick Ballard]

Doesn't the UN have to pass 16 more resolutions before force can be used?

[MarkO]

"Clarice, I liked the one about getting a room." Now that's the South Beach Diet in action.

[PD]

Oh, we're already talking, clarice.

But it's behind your back so you don't hear about it!

[clarice]

Oh dear..It must be the SB diet talking..although I had a fantastic Sancerre with dinner yesterday night and it might have made me less prudent than usual...

[clarice]

I must be too cynical--with Gaddafi rather credibly warning the rebels he'd wipe them out in 24 hrs..help is on the way..sort of..

Toronto Sun:

Canada will send six CF-18 fighter jets to southern Europe to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, defence sources told QMI Agency. Fighter jets from CFB Bagotville in Quebec are expected to head to Europe as soon as various diplomatic clearances are obtained. A spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay, though, would not provide official confirmation of the mission. "We do not comment on speculation and this is an unconfirmed story," said MacKay spokesman Jay Paxton.

++++++

Maybe this is all a diabolical plan by O to get the world BEGGING us to be the cop again.

[Yep, they miss him yet.]

Bring Bush.
=====

[Flip a coin, heads we lose, tails we lose.]

It's a contest of the world's bluff and Ghaddafy's fears.
=============

[Remember the rain, Yellow Cake Man.]

Dang, I'm tired and want to hit the sack, but this is probably going on now, for better or for worse. Where is the reporting from Benghazi, because tomorrow night might be too late?
================

[clarice]

IBD More heartache for the Dems:
Regulation: Worried about job losses, Big Labor is demanding that the EPA soften new rules aimed at pollution associated with coal-fired power plants. They want to save their jobs, not the environment. It was one thing when those greedy tools of the rich, Republicans and conservatives, stood in opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's regulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as well as its tightening of ozone and mercury standards in violation of sound science and congressional intent

**Someone needs o write up the greenies and the unions should be friends from the song the farmers and the cowman should be friends..

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I thought Mubarak had been flown to Saudi Arabia for treatment. Is he back in Egypt?

[PD]

Big Labor is demanding that the EPA soften new rules aimed at pollution associated with coal-fired power plants. They want to save their jobs, not the environment.

They obviously didn't get the memo from Lisa Jackson that this will create jobs.

That, or they think she's just a liar.

[Stephanie]

The United States made the offer immediately after the disaster caused damage to Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant, the Yomiuri Shimbun said, quoting a senior official of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

According to the unnamed senior official, US support was based on dismantling the troubled reactors run by Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) some 250km north-east of Tokyo, the mass-circulation daily said.

We'll help your country in recovering from a 500 year disaster if you agree to these demands first? You gotta be shitting me...

Impeach the bastard now.

LUN

[fdcol63]

This Libya debacle is showing just how hypocritical all the opposition to Bush, the Iraq War and the removal of Saddam Hussein actually was, and will prove the utter fecklessness of the UN, the EU and the "international community" without solid US leadership.

[Danube of Thought]

You got it, fdcol.

[Danube of Thought]

Via Insty:

"Dear news media:

"Remember back in '50s and early '60s, when we set off something like 900 atomic bombs in Nevada? And how we just let the fallout blow wherever and it landed all over the eastern US? And how it wiped out life as we know it and all that was left from Colorado to the Atlantic were six-legged rats battling two-headed cockroaches in the glowing ruins?

"Yeah. Exactly. So shut up with the panic already."

[Janet]

Jane's posts on the 2nd meltdown thread sum up my sentiments exactly -

"For some reason my anger and angst has ratcheted up to a new level this week. I don't know if we should be in Libya, but to encourage the rebels and then wait until they are just about all dead really disgusts me.

I cannot believe what the unions are getting away with.

And my heart breaks for Japan, and the fact that our CIC doesn't appear to give a shit.

I know I am repeating myself. This feels like a breaking point,altho maybe I am the one breaking. Why aren't people at least calling for him to step down?"

I don't know how the libs ever got the "compassionate & for the poor" label. They are heartless pontificaters that do nothing. Hold a meeting or conference...demonize someone...raise money...take no action. Just sickening.

[Janet]

More thuggery from the unions in Wisconsin. Visiting Kapanke's home!

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

DOT,

Perhaps that explains Harry Reid.

Janet,

I'm still beside myself this morning. Not a good thing.

[Hugh Dudgeon]

Why aren't people at least calling for him to step down?

President Joe Biden

[Dick and Jane are in a Spot.]

As Jane goes so goes the Nation.
=============

[Jim Ryan]

President Joe Biden

Hmm. You mean they don't want the improvement in POTUS to embarrass Obama?

[centralcal]

Jane, I think we all had our "breaking point" with Obama many, many months ago with all that was going on domestically. Now, serious and dangerous world events simply amplify our angst.

It is his supporters that I wonder about - when do they find their breaking point? I know, dumb question, huh?

[Ranger]

Instapundit just posted this from a new WaPo story:

THIS COMES DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO AN ADMISSION: SEC Moves Toward Charging Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Executives. “The Securities and Exchange Commission is moving toward charging former and current Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives with violations related to the financial crisis, setting up a clash with the housing regulator that oversees the companies, according to sources familiar with the matter.”

I find it interesting that they are looking at current executives as well, given that it has been over two years since a certain person went to Washington to enact "Change." Also interesting that the WaPo is pushing this story. It seems the career people in DC have decided Obama is more trouble than he is worth at this point.

[Ranger]

And a couple more instapundit posts from this morning just hammer home how corrupt this administration is:

MORE ON THAT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INSIDER-TRADING SCANDAL: “A key watchdog group issued a legal filing Thursday demanding e-mails and other documents from Education Department Sec. Arne Duncan and his top aides under the Freedom of Information Act relating to the influence of Wall Street short sellers on a controversial new regulation governing for-profit or ‘career’ colleges.”

Posted at 8:03 am by Glenn Reynolds

ATF GUNRUNNING UPDATE: 25 ATF Agents write letter outlining scandals. “Stunning.”

Posted at 8:01 am by Glenn Reynolds

[Terry Gain]

On the heels of a UN No Fly Zone Resolution (which Sarah Palin called for on February 22) Libya has declared a ceasefire. How many thousands of lives would have been saved if Palin were POTUS instead of the grossly incompetent Obama?

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

I hope you are right Ranger. I'll believe it when Andrea Mitchell returns from Cuba to breathlessly report on it.

[jimmyk]

This Libya debacle

It's not just Libya, but the spillover on the rest of whatever freedom movement in the Arab world there is. This is potentially a historic failure of epic proportions that could have a negative impact for decades. I only hope that it's tied to Obama rather than to the US, and that our reputation and stature can recover with a new president.

[bgates]

I only hope that it's tied to Obama rather than to the US

That would require a change in how things are done. It's been my experience that problems in this country are blamed on either the Republicans or the Americans.

[Ranger]

Well, the Libyan crowds chanting for Bush to come and help them was pretty telling. People all over the world understand what a difference who the president of the US can make. Obama has done more to rehabilitate the image of W both at home and abraod in the last two years than I think anyone could have imagined.

[Danube of Thought]

The weakness of a no-fly zone without more is that it is purely reactive. When the aggressor says "OK, I won't fly anymore," what do you do?

The potato is now once again on the UN's fork: it can either say, "well, don't do it again, and we hope you've learned your lesson," or it can insist on all sort of concessions in return for--what?

[MarkO]

Jane, "I'm still beside myself this morning. Not a good thing."

I think having two of you would be a great thing.

[Ranger]

Well, it is more than a No Fly Zone. The "all necessary measures" to protect civilians clause is so wide, that the only real limit on action now is the boldness of the leader. Under this resolution, the French, who have regocnized the Libyan rebles as the government, could invade Tripoli if Gaddafi opens fire on protestors there again. They wont, but it is theoretically permissible under this resolution.

The shortsightedness of Obama and his team is such that they have no clue what to do next and produce the worst possible outcome. If we are not careful we will end up with an "East Libya" and "West Libya" defacto partition that will just be a thorn in our sides for foreseeable future and keep oil prices artificially high for years.

[hit and run]

The moment after a UN resolution,Qadaffi orders an immediate cease fire. Whether he is overestimating their ability or resolve to do anything -- he at least recognizes the wisdom in not provoking further action from them.

But when Obama says "he must go","the noose is tightening","this is unacceptable" or whatever,the madman dictator simply plowed ahead plowing down his own citizens.

We know Obama doesn't carry a stick. Qadaffi knows he doesn't carry a stick. The whole world knows he's utterly stickless. Perhaps Obama should consider only and at all times speaking softly.

[OldTimer]

Hey, Jane's not the only one cringing in doubt and despair. Each day brings more evidence of a world falling into chaos--the USA is MIA and little Barry stubbornly loiters at the playground making friends with our mortal enemies.

I must have reached my saturation point, since now my day-dreams consist of visions of GWB, Cheney and former cabinet heads, aghast at our precarious dilemma, preparing an immediate playground intervention plan.

[clarice]

Sputter all you want, the Won is on his way to RIO having done the backbreaking work of making and explaining his bracket selections.

http://www.lucianne.com/images/lucianne/DailyPhoto/2011-03-18.jpg

[Army of Davids]

Waiting for Superman

Michelle Rhee..."it's not about the children...it's about the adults"

[Danube of Thought]

He's back "up" to minus 14 at Raz today.

And if you're not discouraged enough, contemplate this from John Fund:

The Obama White House is sharing its internal polling with private Democratic audiences to explain its remarkable detachment from the federal budget debate on Capitol Hill. White House aides say that the polling shows the public isn't focused on the battle over continuing resolutions to fund the government and is confused by the details.

That inattention will allow Democrats to delay responding to GOP demands for spending cuts until House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan reveals the GOP's spending priorities for next year's budget in early April. "That's when we jump 'em," a Democratic strategist told me. "There will be Medicare cuts and other things we'll be able to talk a lot about."

Think about it. Inside the White House, their planning about the debt crisis consists of deciding when to "jump 'em."

[Rob Crawford]

The weakness of a no-fly zone without more is that it is purely reactive. When the aggressor says "OK, I won't fly anymore," what do you do?

Then the question becomes whether the intent was to remove the aggressor's air power or simply not let them use it.

If they don't destroy the helicopters and planes on the ground, all they're doing is delaying Gaddafi's return to total control of the country. I can't see Europe maintaining a no-fly zone for more than a year.

[clarice]

Heritage has 5 questions about Libya for Obama:

So far, the only firm commitments are a naval blockade, AWACS for air traffic control, and signal-jamming aircraft. U.S. officials said that it would probably take several days for a full operation to be undertaken and that President Obama had not yet approved the use of U.S. military assets. Will he? Will the U.S. be using military force against Libya?

If establishing a no-fly zone in Libya is so vital to U.S. national security, why did the Administration waste a week getting approval from the U.N.?

Imposing a no-fly zone entails substantial costs for U.S. armed forces and risks diverting scarce U.S. military and intelligence assets. Will the vital missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and the Horn of Africa suffer?

Are the rebels free of terrorist elements, and what precautions will we require them to take to ensure that weapons we supply are not sold or diverted to other groups?

Will we rule out supplying arms (“Stinger” anti-aircraft missiles, for example) that could pose a potent threat to U.S. forces if they end up in the hands of terrorists?

[hit and run]

Clarice:
Sputter all you want, the Won is on his way to RIO having done the backbreaking work of making and explaining his bracket selections.

He seems to have done very very well,too.

From Geraghty:

“On Day 1, Obama correctly picked 14 of 16 winners and is in the 99.7th percentile in ESPN.com Tournament Challenge.”

See how smart he is!

But wait...

UPDATE: Campaign Spot reader Michael adds, “I don’t believe that Obama filled out his own bracket. That would have required him to make 63 decisions in a short period of time.”

Good point.

[MarkO]

No need for a "no fly zone" if no one is flying. This guy is so much smarter than the shrunken spectator in the White House.

[memomachine]

Hmmmm.

As a Marine in the 1980's ....

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
To the shores of Tripoli
To the shores of Tripoli
Back to the damn shores of Tripoli
Back again to Tripoli
(What are we tourists?)
Again to Tripoli....

[Terry Gain]

The moment after a UN resolution,Qadaffi orders an immediate cease fire. Whether he is overestimating their ability or resolve to do anything -- he at least recognizes the wisdom in not provoking further action from them.

The mad man is sane enough to understand what happened to Saddam Hussein. He is likely working on his exit strategy.

The big fear now is that Qaddafi will be replaced by an Islamist. Going forward the United States should insist that membership in the United Nations is conditional upon on member nations guaranteeing freedom of conscience (religion) to all citizens. It is understood that the current president of the United States has more pressing concerns.

A world wide debate on the Muslim laws of apostasy is long overdue. Otherwise we are wasting our time. Bush should have insisted upon freedom of religion in Afghanistan.

[Janet]

Perhaps we should censure M'oa'mma'r G'ha'd'aff'i? That's what the left does when it is serious about punishing someone, isn't it? Maybe Obama's waiting to use that "stick"?

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

The potato is now once again on the UN's fork

I've never heard that before. It made me laugh.

And thanks Mark O for also making me smile.

We need some republican to stand up and say we need an adult in the White House - over and over and over again.

Boy that island sounds really good.

[Janet]

Bush should have insisted upon freedom of religion in Afghanistan.

Totally agree!!!...or nothing really permanently changes.

[Ranger]

A world wide debate on the Muslim laws of apostasy is long overdue.

Actually, that debate seems to have already begun:

Infamous Anti-Blasphemy Resolution Doomed by Bhatti Assassination

Since 1998, a U.N. resolution to universalize Islamic rules against blasphemy, introduced by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, has been annually adopted in the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, or both.

This year, however, this atrocious “Defamation of Religions” resolution appears to be a non-starter. A high-level State Department official has told me that the March 2 assassination of Pakistani minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, who had sought repeal of that country’s blasphemy law, has doomed the anti-blasphemy push in the Human Rights Council, now meeting in Geneva.

[Dave (in MA)]

Hmmm.

[Janet]

A short video of Bhatti before he was gunned down.

[Danube of Thought]

Then the question becomes whether the intent was to remove the aggressor's air power or simply not let them use it.

And I wonder whether the UN is even certain what its intent was to begin with.

[anduril]

My favorite Neocon, Stanley Kurtz, has a very sensible piece at NRO this morning: Against a No-Fly Zone. Here's what is probably the long and the short of Kurtz' argument:

I think the West is badly misjudging the motives of many of the protests sweeping the Arab world right now. I do not think we are witnessing a liberal democratic revolution, and I don’t think active attempts by the West to turn the unrest in that direction will succeed any time soon.

To me, what Kurtz is saying is a no-brainer--nothing new. What's rather interesting to me is how similar Kurtz' arguments are to those that appear in a series of articles by the flamboyantly gay Justin Raimondo:

The Benghazi Bubble: It's sure to burst

In the course of this article, Raimondo quotes the conclusion of Leslie Gelb:

"There’s the ultimate punch line: The United States of America will do it. Boy, the world really has our number."

‘Libya’ Does Not Exist: It was a fake country from the beginning

Historical background is always useful in foreign affairs, and is as frequently ignored by most Americans.

Libya: Five Reasons Not to Intervene: Lead us not into temptation (but deliver us from blowback, amen)

So here are the five reasons (follow the link for details):

1) Because the moment we intervene, we’ll own what’s going on in Libya – just like we own Iraq.

2)Because we can’t afford it, either financially or militarily.

3) Because there are no half-measures in war.

4) Because we don’t know who we’re supporting.

5) Because actions have unintended consequences, and actions taken by governments are almost guaranteed to boomerang.

[Rick Ballard]

I certainly wish the Iran sponsored freedom loving Libyan traitors patriots the very best and hope that the French Foreign Legion's efforts to secure Libyan oil battle the horrid African mercenary armies employed by Daffy work as well as France's support of Iranian islamic theocracy in the overthrow of the shah did for the interests of Total/Elf Aquitaine democracy.

[Army of Davids]

Thomas Donahue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on the mandates, uncertainty, taxes and new regulation put upon business by the healthcare legislation..."it's a job killer"

[Ranger]

‘Libya’ Does Not Exist: It was a fake country from the beginning

Statement 2 does not preclude statement 1. See Germany, Italy, France, etc. as examples of "fake countries from the begninning" that certainly do exist today.

[DebinNC]

“On Day 1, Obama correctly picked 14 of 16 winners and is in the 99.7th percentile in ESPN.com Tournament Challenge.”

BO's time and attention is consumed by b-ball, but I don't get why the WH thinks illustrating that to a national audience helps him.

[anduril]

See Germany, Italy, France, etc. as examples of "fake countries from the begninning" that certainly do exist today.

Two points to this reasonable enough argument:

1) The reason Germany, Italy and France exist today is that there was a perceived overarching cultural unity that took precedence over local differences, i.e., the Germans, Italians and French all self identified as such before their countries came into existence, and that's also why they still exist today. Tribal differences were not a factor, as they remain throughout most of the Arab world. IOW, Germany, Italy and France never were "fake countries" in the sense that most Arab countries are. Most Arab countries involve the hegemony of one dominant tribe or tribal coalition over other tribes.

2) The unifications of these three countries were not brought about by outside forces. To the contrary, they were in many cases brought about in the face of opposition from outside forces.

[anduril]

Good news on the spam front? Biggest botnet takedown in history sees Rustock go offline.

[bgates]

I don't get why the WH thinks illustrating that to a national audience helps him

Some fraction of the populace thinks all politicians are basically the same, but if you can find one who knows about ballin', that's pretty sweet.

Another finds his participation in and mastery of a ritual of the common man to be a perfect synopsis of the President, in that he is one of us yet more than us.

A third believe it reveals how spiritually centered he is that he can relax and take some "me time" while dealing (according to the magazine covers at the supermarket checkout) with a whole lot of problems very successfully.

You see, Deb, the White House is betting that those three groups of assholes add up to an electoral majority. They've been right once.

[Danube of Thought]

The chicken begin to roost in California:

Costa Mesa has sent layoff notices to nearly half of its employees in a dramatic austerity program being closely watched by other cities struggling with ballooning pension obligations.The move was sharply criticized by union leaders, and it stunned city employees, one of whom apparently committed suicide by jumping off Costa Mesa City Hall hours after layoff notices went out Thursday.City officials said the cuts were the first step in a plan to outsource many services to the private sector and significantly reduce the number of workers at City Hall.

[Ranger]

the Germans, Italians and French all self identified as such before their countries came into existence, and that's also why they still exist today.

I suggest you read "Peasants into Frenchmen," which points out that most of the rural populaiton of France didn't see themselves as "French" until after roughly 1890.

[Danube of Thought]

See Germany, Italy, France, etc.

See, also, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and innumerable 'Stans.

[Rob Crawford]

And I wonder whether the UN is even certain what its intent was to begin with.

Almost certainly not.

One part of the UN wants to be seen Doing Something, another part wants it to disappear from the front page so Libya can get back to chairing their "human rights" committee and condemning Israel for provocatively putting sleeping people near a Palestinian with a knife.

[cathyf]

According to the unnamed senior official, US support was based on dismantling the troubled reactors run by Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) some 250km north-east of Tokyo, the mass-circulation daily said.

Ok, to be fair here, that was a paraphrase, and journalists notoriously screw those up. Perhaps the official was explaining that the US engineers got with the Japanese engineers right away, and since the Japanese had already decided to abandon any hope of salvaging the reactors, they started from the assumption that they were engineering a "kill" solution.

Because that's what happened -- as soon as the Japanese started pumping sea water in the reactors were never going to be returned to service. Perhaps the only significance of the "unnamed senior official's" story is that the Japanese had made that decision pretty quickly, even before the US engineers came aboard.

[Ranger]

The unifications of these three countries were not brought about by outside forces. To the contrary, they were in many cases brought about in the face of opposition from outside forces.

And how exactly was the French occupation of Germany from roughly 1806 to 1813 different from the Italian occupation of Libya (except that it was obviously shorter), given that it was that French occupation that is generally credited with "awakening" the German national movement?

[Rob Crawford]

Bush should have insisted upon freedom of religion in Afghanistan.

The entire State Department would have resigned.

[MarkO]

I'm willing to bet a substantial sum that Hillary was heavily (of course she was) involved in Model UN in high school. Any takers?

[Ignatz]

A good metaphor for Barry seems to be a rolling snowball halfway down the hill.
Feckless ditherers always accumulate more and more problems as they do their best to ignore the tough decisions.
Which is one reason they always think of themselves as victims, because circumstances always seem to overtake them; never seeing it is their irresponsible "above the fray" crap that inevitably causes the problems.
By 2012 when he's at the bottom of the hill I suspect he's going to be one heck of a big snowball of accumulated disasters that are going to be pretty tough to roll any further in any direction.

[clarice]

In the Midwest at that time, it's more likely t was model Congress. In any event if someone told her an activity would speed her on her way to Wellesley she would certainly have done it.

[Threadkiller]

Here is what they get paid in Costa Mesa. Click the “W-2” box to put in order of actual pay. How do these Firefighters and Policemen always top the lists? Curious.