printThe following is from my new, WND column, “Libya: A War Of The Womb”:
… “Libya is a war of the womb. A product of the romantic minds of women who fantasize about an Arab awakening. It is estrogen-driven paternalism on steroids. … In Libya, the casus belli for war consists of nothing but silly assertions. This “angels and demons” approach befits a children’s Disney production: Once upon a time an evil dictator was killing his noble people. Then Lauren of Arabia rode to the rescue. …
Power panted as hard for this latest war as did Palin – with one exception: Power was hot and heavy in the president’s ear. But bossy ladies on the left and the right are agreed: A good war must inspire. During an “On the Record” broadcast, with host Greta Van Susteren, Palin expressed her disappointment that the president’s war euphoria did not match hers. …
American foreign policy is something that could have been dreamed up on Oprah’s couch. Follow your feelings. Never say no to a rebel without a cause. American warriors, in arms and in armchairs, are convinced that repeating the word “rebel” enough times will transform the factions we are fighting for as a princess’ kiss transforms a toad. …”
Read the complete column, “Libya: A War Of The Womb.”
The very second American boots put their toes into Afghanistan and Iraq, the cry from the left was: “What’s our exit strategy?” I guess so we could announce to the enemy how and when we were leaving. Apparently, we’re not leaving. In any case, one has to wonder aloud on the Libyan adventure: What’s our entrance strategy? And along with that, what’s our foreign strategy, policy, attitude?
I felt that Obama wanted to get in on Monday and out by Wednesday or Thursday, just in time for another weekend trip with the family. Qaddafi has to go, unless he stays, and we need to defeat him, or not, or have a stalemate and perpetually divided Libya, or maybe just bomb both sides, but no arms to the “rebels” and no American soldiers on the ground, unless we change our minds.
How about if we had just kept our noses out? How about if perhaps we had let Europe deal with it? And how come the Left isn’t asking what the exit strategy is? Oh, but this is for humanitarian purposes to save lives, an oft ignored collateral effect of bombing.
Maybe the new Obama policy is: easy in, never out. A policy pursued by others since the Korean War. Boy! Thank goodness that one is over.
Korea 1950-53, Vietnam 1960-75, Grenada 1983, Iraq 1990, Bosnia 1993-94, Afghanistan 2001, Iraq 2003, Libya present day. Without counting the lesser forays into Grenada, Lebanon and Somalia this nation has and is actively engaged in eight wars for reasons other than the one vital U.S. interest our Department of Defense is chartered with; protecting our country from foreign incursions. Ironically, attacks on our interests and person in the U.S. are not worthy of due diligence by our elected officials, who deem that foreign nation’s grievences should take precedence over ours.
I think it’s high time we call it what it truly is; the Department of War.
Ilana, you have nailed it once again. The only problem (not yours) is that the “new government” promoted by Obama will be the “Muslim Brotherhood.” Not a pretty thought.
“estrogen-driven paternalism on steroids”
Wow!
We might have learned by now why the standard government in the mid-east is oppressive dictatorship. Because when you remove the heavy lid of that bubbling, steaming, malodorous pot, decades of rage, hatred and barbarity burst forth like bats out of hell. These people are gifted orators, rapidly turning docile gatherings into seething mobs praying to die avenging the black wickedness of other religions. For heaven’s sake, put the lid back on and keep the hell away from that pot.
Good article. May I also say you can turn a phrase like no one I know. “Estrogen-driven paternalism on steriods” – now that’s a power packed phrase!
I’ve gotten more trusting of one of history’s great losers, George Mc Govern, who said:
“I’m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.”
Now, it is middle aged women sending young men off to die.
It is the Eloi and the Morlock of H.G. Welles’ Time Machine with the brainless childlike women (Eloi) who control the educational system, dominate law schools, are now sending the disposable apelike men (Morlocks) off as these
women kick sand in some minor bully’s face and then send their macho men out to take on the minor bully:
http://alvanista.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/eloi-and-morlocks-guess-which-gender-is-which/
Meanwhile, the Libyan “rebels”, the Afghan “Northern Alliance”, and the “South” Vietnamese are always the proverbial “weak” side in the conflict who wind up growing completely dependent upon the American War Machine to be viable politically in their own countries. America leaves and their tent folds. I watched the South Vietnamese puppet government with their 1,300,000 man army (on paper) collapse completely in 55 days in 1975:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh_campaign
This is the general state of “allies” who become complete dependents on America to maintain their local political power. It is the future of Afghanistan, Libya, and Iraq.
“American foreign policy is something that could have been dreamed up on Oprah’s couch.”
I can’t think of a more horrifying or more accurate assessment of our situation today. The preeminent global military power with 12 aircraft carriers and hundreds of nuclear missiles at its disposal being steered by touchy-feely types who can be duped by any rag tag tribal rebels claiming to be democrats… how horrible.
Libya is a tribal society that probably wasn’t meant to be one country. We should get out now and let Cyrenaica and Tripolitania go their separate ways. If the Europeans care so much, let them deal with it.
I thought all along that the French want to integrate North Africa into the EU and that is why they are so gung-ho about intervening there. Of course Northern European countries with no Mediterranean ports or interests want nothing to do with this mess. Why should the United States be in the business of corralling Germany to do the bidding of the French? It’s such a farce it would be numerous if the stakes weren’t the lives of Western soldiers.