I wrote this shortly after that misadministration had commenced bombing of Libya. I repost it now, to avoid having to do so in the near future as we repeat the previous farce,
"[A]ngry, irritated, and sad over our action in Libya.
We are now several days into the bombing campaign, and all we have is confusion--oh, yes, and death. Our superb military have, as we all knew they would, quickly established a No-Fly Zone. Was there any doubt they could do that? Now, what? We still have no end game, no exit strategy, no answer to the question, "How do we know when we've won?" Instead, we have bombing.
President Obama has said Qaddafi must go. OK. So we're going to target him? Apparently not, except when we do, but not really. Have we gone bear hunting with the idea of wounding the bear? Who are the rebels? Does anybody really know? Who's in charge of the rebels? Anybody? What are their goals? The US wants to pass command and control, so to whom? Will it be NATO? Who provides the bulk of NATOs resources and capabilities? One guess, and the answer is not the UK, France, Italy, or Spain . . . It's a bit like arguing whether a Ford is better than a Mercury. Same factory, folks. Will it be some other harebrained scheme for collective control that will leave the US with the responsibility but not the authority? No answers, so instead we have bombing.
Above all, however, the administration has not defined our interests. What was so pressing about Libya to excuse the manner in which we got involved? Aren't the people leading the charge into the Libyan desert the same ones who spent years deriding the idea of a threat from Saddam? No answers, so instead, we have bombing.
Obama and his hopeless coterie must understand that war must form part of a policy, it is not just mindless, bored vandalism. Meanwhile, we will just keep bombing until we think of something to do . . .."
Sigh . . . our King Obama and his Court so like what was said about the Bourbon kings, "They never forget, but they never learn."
Or as Nancy Pelosi might say, "We must bomb Syria to know what is in Syria." We are about to find out.
WLA
I think the Russians, having witnessed the bomb until we think of something campaign in Libya, won't make the same mistake this time.
ReplyDeleteAnd while I don't wish to see any of our men come to harm, the Syrians will shoot back, also having learned the Libyan lesson.
The Libyan campaign can't be duplicated because the opposition team has seen the play book this time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcW_Ygs6hm0
ReplyDeleteArkie
We need to get a million people into the streets of Washington yelling, "Hell, no, we won't go!" Do it especially every time some Dem over the age of 60 walks by.
ReplyDeleteLOL! What an evil, evil mind you possess! :)
Delete"They told me if I voted for John McCain, we would get an insane warmonger in the White House, and they were right, I voted for John McCain and we got an insane war monger in the White House".
ReplyDeleteIf you ever wondered what American foreign policy would look like if run by the Mad Hatter - this is it.
ReplyDeleteFrom the "I Wisht I'd Said That First" File:
ReplyDelete"the West behaves towards the Islamic world like a monkey with a grenade."
I don't know if the Islamics are the monkey, or it's the West's politicos. Either way, the monkey is owed an apology for this inapt analogy.
DeleteGreen Bear
At this point, what difference does it make (who we bomb)?
ReplyDeleteI do wonder if the POTUS will follow the Constitution and ask Congress for the authority before we bomb a soveriegn Nation?
President Present helped create the mess in Syria and has decided to see if he can make a bad situation even worse.
ReplyDeleteWhat part of "Russia has nuclear weapons" doesn't the White House understand?
These amateurs are going to start WWIII and no one in Congress is going to do a damn thing about it.
Well, we can only hope the first nuke hits Congress and we get a brief moment to rejoice before the rest of the country is turned into radioactive dust.
-Blake
You have to find the humour in this madness.
DeleteI particularly enjoyed the allusion to Clint Eastwood with the suggestion of a name for the proposed action-operation empty chair-with Obumbler voting present.
I also liked the lack of political correctness in the Russians comments-" acting like a monkey with a hand grenade"-not especially aimed at Obumbler, but near enough.
While I enjoy these it is awfully sad that the reputation of the USA is tied to these complete and wilful incompetents.
Will the military please prepare for regime change in the USA, overthrow the African king.
Good post here (Disclosure: Some few years ago somebody said "something" about me to the blog-author - that I "might" be able to answer/help with some questions - haven't corresponded in awhile though).
ReplyDelete[It's just possible he might've noticed "somewhere" me placing Slim Pickings ... excuse me, Slim Pickens, on some website.]
http://malcolmpollack.com/
Arkie
Does anyone notice Obama's numerous use of his stealth middle finger? Man, that infuriates me when I see a picture of him or see him speaking and he puts his hand up to scratch or hold his head with that damned finger glaring. Arrrgh. Just saw a picture on drudge showing it.
ReplyDeleteV
Reader #15
While members of the press have reported a bombing campaign of 2 (WAPO) or 3 (NBC) days, I think the White House is going to pull out all the stops. They're sending in Hans Blinx AND putting Lois Lerner in charge of compliance!
ReplyDeleteHah! That'll get their attention!
Green Bear
Not Lois Lerner . . . that is a crime against humanity.
DeleteNoticed something over on NW that Dip noted earlier.
ReplyDeleteNumerous pundits and experts have expounded on the need for the US to take action, the consequences of inaction, and the potential for a US attack to generate a regional conventional war. Curiously, they have not mentioned the probability of Iranian-instigated terrorist attacks in the US.
http://www.kforcegov.com/Services/IS/NightWatch/NightWatch_13000187.aspx
Arkie
Apologies Diplomad Sir.
ReplyDeleteI've taken the habit of landing here prior to checking in on my older, accustomed haunts. I did not notice Malcolm had "borrowed" (I do hope that's the correct term) from your post. That would therefore, of course make my above comment, superfluous.
So to remedy my comment of 1949, there's this bit of irony:
http://warontherocks.com/2013/08/obamas-birthday-gift-to-mccain-war-with-syria/
Arkie
Finally the Obumbler state department analyzes the options:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theonion.com/articles/so-whats-it-going-to-be,33662/
Kidding, they could never produce such in-depth analysis. Besides it was MLK day today, can't have two balls in the air at once, ya know how difficult that is?
Just found this blog and I really appreciate it. I wish you weren't retired -- it's truly lonely as a classical liberal FSO these days.
ReplyDeleteI see you've made Instapundit, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteDiplomad,
ReplyDeleteCheck out this transcript of Valerie Jarrett yet again making the mistake of allowing Obama to talk off teleprompter:
"..but if we are saying in a clear and decisive but very limited way, we send a shot across the bow..."
Full transcript here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/july-dec13/obama_08-28.html
This has to be the most surreal statement I've ever heard a president say.
The Chinese and the Russians are going to have a field day with that statement. Of course, the local press won't cover it.
I'm completely appalled at the arrogance and stupidity of the current crop of idiots in the White House.
-Blake
Apparently our Maltese relations are at a low ebb.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z5q3acDm-rw
H/T Skeptical Bureaucrat