National Security

De-Americanizing the Libyan War

By Mark Thompson | @MarkThompson_DC | March 24, 2011 | +
American Admiral James Stavridis

MARCH 30 UPDATE: Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., at Tuesday’s armed services committee hearing about the U.S. handing off the Libyan war to NATO:

When the U.S. turns responsibility over to NATO, it’s not like we’re taking a hot potato and throwing it to somebody else. We’re NATO.

Lots of push now underway, including Thursday morning’s editorial in the New York Times, calling for NATO to take the handoff and run the second phase — whatever it ends up being  — of the Libyan war. The goal: make the enterprise appear less American. That’s what happens, despite all the French chest-thumping, when only your Tomahawk cruise missiles and B-2 bombers can hit Libyan targets without exposing pilots to danger.

“NATO leadership best serves American interests,” the Times asserts. No kidding. Unfortunately for the perception police, the world’s most powerful military organization always has been run by an American. Its current chief is Adm. James Stavridis, a top contender to be the next chairman of the (U.S.) Joint Chiefs of Staff (he’s the very model of a modern general — oops, admiral — you can even follow him on Facebook). Here’s the official list of officers who have served as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe — SACEUR — since NATO was launched shortly after World War II. It begins with Dwight Eisenhower, a Kansas (U.S.) boy who went on to bigger things.

Related Topics: libya, National Security

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  • newfreedomblog

    More like the “Coalition of the Un-willing” as has been said by Der Spiegel
    .

    “But it is still unclear whether the NATO members would also support the alliance taking part in targeted air strikes against Gadhafi’s troops, something that is allowed under paragraph 4 of the UN resolution, in order to protect civilians. Several NATO countries are concerned that the organization could get bogged down in a drawn-out conflict that might involve ground troops.”

    .

  • newfreedomblog

    Oh, and follow the oil or money. It will lead you to those who have the best interests of the Libyan people at heart.
    .
    Also, when will you do a comparison on this war versus the Bush II war in Iraq, Mr Thompson? I for one would love to read your take on the differences between this war based on humanitarian reasons versus the difference between humanitarian reasons which were also given about Sadam Hussein’s atrocities against his people.
    .
    How do they stack up? What has Gaddafi done that far and exceeds what Hussein did to his people? How does that make this a “just war” in Obama’s mind, but in Iraq, he was totally against it?

  • http://phd9.blogspot.com Paul Dirks

    Too easy Rusty. Saddams atrocities, while substantial were NOT concurrent with the invasion. The difference between preventing something from happening and avanging something that happened years before is significant, to say the least.

  • http://tisias.wordpress.com tisias

    I don’t like the direction this war is going, not because we are acting multilaterally nor because of our right to intervene, it’s the fact that we haven’t defined our goals. Ousting Qaddafi? Of course, but we can’t do that alone with air strikes. We have to diplomatically help Free Libya create is government, so that they can defeat him. But does that entail weapons shipments and training? What tactics will Obama’s coalition use to end this stalemate? And to what end?

  • hippooath

    I find it funny that the same people who said we should do ‘the right thing’ and bomb the Egyptian protesters and bomb Gadaffi are the ones who now care about the constitutionality of declaring war or even why we’re there. Even newfreedom above finds it amazing that we’re actually attacking Libya because it has to do with oil; duh, earth to the eardwellers – that is the one reason I and others are against this to beginwith.
    .
    Even more hilarious is that the some ‘bomb now and he should have done it a lot sooner’ is attacking Obamas ‘against the Iraq war’ but ‘for attacking Libya’. I guess anything for hatin’ Obama, regardless if it means bending all ways front and side to do it.
    .
    I’m still against this war. All wars and civil wars are horrible, but we’re not doing anyone any favors by taking sides and wasting our resources in a conflict that might have an outcome less desireable that seeing Gaddafi continue to lead and brutalize the Libyan people.

  • jlbrumb

    This looks and sounds like a massive misdirection. I suppose if our “allies” don’t have the means to conduct this attack; they will reimburse the U.S. for their share of the cost.

    Looks like OIL for Europe to me, we say we are protecting the civilians from the Libyan military., OK. Whose protecting the Bahrainians from the Saudis , the Yemenis from their government and the Palestinians from the IDF?

    It does occur that in all these cases the “suppression” is being conducted by U.S. supplied arms.

  • allthingsinaname

    “‘re not doing anyone any favors by taking sides and wasting our resources in a conflict that might have an outcome less desireable that seeing Gaddafi continue to lead and brutalize the Libyan people.”
    .
    And is we did or do nothing, what are the results? If we do something it MIGHT not work, if we do nothing it WILL not work. There is the choice.

  • conversets

    It begins with Dwight Eisenhower, a Kansas (U.S.) boy who went on to bigger things.

    Just curious: Is there some other Kansas? Or is the “(U.S.)” necessary because of all the Eisenhower “birthers?”

  • freeinpa

    Maybe it designates it as one of the original 50 states before Obama expanded the US to 57 states.

  • newfreedomblog

    “Too easy Rusty. Saddams atrocities, while substantial were NOT concurrent with the invasion. The difference between preventing something from happening and avanging (sic) something that happened years before is significant, to say the least.”

    .
    Wow, do you mean that Sadam and his two brutal Sons somehow saw the light right up and until the point they died? That Sadam wasn’t a ruthless dictator right up until the rope cinched around his broken neck and he took his last breath?
    .
    No raping of young girls, sodomizing of young boys until the “Mother of all Wars” started? That food for oil was nothing more than an embezzlement program? That children, babies suffered from malnourishment because Sadam would not back off his threats so sanctions could be lifted and he could feed his people? That all of the prisons were shut down and all of his political enemies were set free? That torture of these same political enemies had somehow magically stopped? That Sadam’s goal of ethnic cleansing of the Kurds was just a figment of their imagination?
    .
    Is that what you mean by “NOT concurrent”?

  • newfreedomblog

    I could be wrong, but I heard in order to commemorate the birthplace of Obama, there is a little strip of land in Kenya called “Kansas” in honor of his mother giving birth to Obama. Even has a ring to it, “Kansas Kenya”.
    .
    (Note: This is snark, we are in no way responsible for libtards reading this and their heads spontaneously blowing off their shoulders)

  • nflfoghorn

    W invaded Iraq – and convinced others to let him do so – based on lies compounded by half-truths, sandwiched by more lies. Saddam hadn’t done anything to us in years. WE started it.
    .
    The people directly impacted by Libya asked us to help.
    .
    Do you not see the difference?

  • m0mentom0ri

    FreeinPA and RodinPA? It’s a Pennsylvanian birther convention!
    .
    Now that there’s two of you, any luck finding that Kenyan Birth Certificate yet? Maybe George Soros is hiding it under his pillow.

  • nflfoghorn

    Confusion, Denial, Lying, Apprehension, Atrocity, Fatalism and Willful Ignorance.
    .
    Are those the extra states on which you guys are apparently well-versed?
    .
    RustFreep, my head remains on my shoulders. Yours, on the other hand, must be tucked away somewhere else on your body.

  • charlieromeobravo

    I love watching Rusty and Freep hi-five each other over their Tea Bagger snaps. It reminds me of Beavis and Butthead cartoons in the 90′s.

  • newfreedomblog
  • newfreedomblog
  • freeinpa

    “Are those the extra states on which you guys are apparently well-versed?”
    .
    You will need to check with the First Tourist because he was the one who claimed to visit them.
    .
    “It reminds me of Beavis and Butthead cartoons in the 90′s.”
    .
    Let’s see in the 90s were you in elementary school or were you doing that for extra-credit for you Junior College courses? I am just trying to gauge why someone here wants us to take him seriously was watching B&B.

  • newfreedomblog

    “Saddam hadn’t done anything to us in years. WE started it.
    .
    The people directly impacted by Libya asked us to help.
    .
    Do you not see the difference?

    .
    Oh and Gaddafi had done something to the US recently? When was that?
    .
    And there were no calls from those opposed to Sadam Hussein’s tyrannical regime who called out for the US to help them prior to the invasion?
    .
    Don’t make yourself look so foolish, foggy. People may finally understand exactly what you are.

  • textee

    That hair-plugged leftist buffoon named Biden has called for the immediate impeachment of Obama because Obama did not seek congressional authorization before the “kinetic military action” in Libya. http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/03/028667.php

    Is anyone surprised that there has been complete silence from Obama and Biden’s useful idiots at ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, NPR, CNN, A-Mess-NBC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, ESPN U, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN The Magazine, the New York Times-Democrat, the Washington Post-Democrat, the Associated (with terrorists) Press, et al.?

  • newfreedomblog

    I think in the 90′s, good-time-charlie finally figured out what it really means to elicit self-fulfillment and enjoyment.
    .
    I’ll bet he was still dancing to Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” too.

  • charlieromeobravo

    “I am just trying to gauge why someone here wants us to take him seriously was watching B&B.”
    .
    Don’t strain yourself. You say the things that you say and expect to be taken seriously, so it appears the barrier to qualify as “serious” is pretty low.

  • nflfoghorn

    When will you stop leaving off Sports Illustrated? (The swimsuit issue alone is surely idiotic.)
    Or Good Housekeeping?
    Martha Stewart Living?
    Rachael Ray Everyday?
    Nick Jr.?
    Highlights for Children?
    Disney XD?
    .
    Curse you Tex for falling down on your job.

  • freeinpa

    “FreeinPA and RodinPA? It’s a Pennsylvanian birther convention!”
    .
    MoronMom you claim Rusty drinks. Either you are a hypocrite or are you just mentally impaired. Never mentioned in the above post anything about Obama’s birth certificate. I posted to you yesterday I have no idea or proof what Obama’s birth certificate says. And neither do you unless of course some of those voices you here told you.

    But its a nice mis-direction from Obama visiting 57 states. Were you tripping with him then?

  • freeinpa

    “When will you stop leaving off”
    .
    Maybe the more important question is why are you tracking this? If you think this is irrational, then what can we assume about your ongoing analysis of it then?

  • freeinpa

    “Don’t strain yourself. You say the things that you say and expect to be taken seriously, so it appears the barrier to qualify as “serious” is pretty low.”
    .
    And yet you still don’t qualify! Mom must be so proud

  • charlieromeobravo

    Wow. If I don’t qualify then the Tea Bagger alternatie reality dwellers like yourself are in *really* bad shape.

  • m0mentom0ri

    Freep’s so random today, I’m going to have to break this up into chunks.
    .
    “MoronMom you claim Rusty drinks.”
    .
    He does. The tone of his posts in the evening are much different than the longer posts he makes in the morning. He’s either a drunk, or two different people.

    “Either you are a hypocrite or are you just mentally impaired.”
    .
    Not sure where the hypocrisy kicks in. And generally you think anyone to the left of Attila the Hun is mentally impaired.

    “Never mentioned in the above post anything about Obama’s birth certificate.”
    .
    Your boy Rod at 6.2:
    .
    “there is a little strip of land in Kenya called “Kansas” in honor of his mother giving birth to Obama. Even has a ring to it, “Kansas Kenya”.”
    .
    Birther Rod, supported by birther Freep.
    .
    “I posted to you yesterday I have no idea or proof what Obama’s birth certificate says. And neither do you unless of course some of those voices you here told you.”
    .
    Birth announcements from two August 4th, 1961 Hawaiian newspaper seems pretty incontrovertible. Unless your hatred is so unreasonable as to completely blind you to an obvious truth, or you are such an ideologue that you’re willing to lie to deceive others. Again, Obama was born in Hawaii. Period. Want proof? Here:
    .
    http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/obamabirth.php
    .
    Disprove that, Free/RodinPA.
    .
    “But its a nice mis-direction from Obama visiting 57 states. Were you tripping with him then?”
    .
    It’s really cute how you and your friend Rod never let the 57 states thing go. Petty and juvenile, but cute.

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