tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719362718346107647.post7718862214090140133..comments2024-03-16T09:11:27.097-04:00Comments on GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD: Forgin'GrEaT sAtAn'S gIrLfRiEnDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09760252542953109449noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719362718346107647.post-58222385883629881352011-03-31T12:14:53.939-04:002011-03-31T12:14:53.939-04:00Uh, Ellsworth - the ME109 is correct about taking ...Uh, Ellsworth - the ME109 is correct about taking on al Qaeda in the Mahgrib. "44"s directive to disrupt and dismantle should be in full play here.<br /><br />Exum and Hosford's "Forgin'" paper may not have had the benefit of late breaking news about the 'flicker' of aQ or Hesbollah in Libya when written.<br /><br />Mike OAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719362718346107647.post-62251404861817478132011-03-30T19:02:42.767-04:002011-03-30T19:02:42.767-04:00Pardon me, a slight correction: I'm interested...Pardon me, a slight correction: I'm interested in hearingMichalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719362718346107647.post-33575147413185694712011-03-30T19:01:53.393-04:002011-03-30T19:01:53.393-04:00Uhh, hang on... is this argument, that was present...Uhh, hang on... is this argument, that was presented here, about affecting regime change?<br /><br />Wasn't this mission supposed to be about protecting civilians or somesuch? How exactly is the regime change going to protect the civilians, when the rebels are randomly arresting and robbing people, eg.: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8401787/Libya-it-wasnt-supposed-to-be-like-this-in-free-Benghazi.html<br /><br /><br />Now I'm perfectly fine with hauling Gaddafi off to a trial but...I'm interesting how exactly does the US justify breaking the very UN resolution it pushed for.Michalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719362718346107647.post-69794612276355626102011-03-30T18:45:43.395-04:002011-03-30T18:45:43.395-04:00GSG,
I agree that Mr. Exum and Mr. Hosford's ...GSG,<br /><br />I agree that Mr. Exum and Mr. Hosford's policy brief was the shit; I was likewise enthused. However I think their central argument of Libyan nonintervention -- that the US has little strategic interests -- is (implicitly) predicated on a faulty value they place on the long term costs of <i>not intervening</i>. Given: (1)our bloody history with Libya and Gaddafi's penchant to outsource his extremism, (2)our stern words concerning their rebellion quelling tactics, (3)Gaddafi subsequently telling us to go take a long walk off a short pier, we had to engage lest other nations think that America's two current wars have reduced our power projection capabilities to those of capons. Considering the length of time that our operations in Afghanistan will require to wind down, we cannot have little despots (and the bigger boys around the way) incorporating a policy of US military isolationism into their foreign policy frameworks. <br /><br />Also, Exum and Hosford's opportunity cost assertion is tenuous at best, not least because they didn't elaborate what the implications for inaction would have been, let alone detailing a better allocation of resources. <br /><br />If you accept the above view then obviously our "decision to go to war in Libya stands in marked contrast" to our "careful, deliberate" discussions to double down in Afghanistan. Even with UN Res 1973, pundits were saying that perhaps we were too late with Benghazi. The timing window to avoid a possible massacre argues itself. <br /><br />Their subsequent predictions and policy recommendations are sound.<br /><br />I think your idea of turning Libya "into a giant sucker trap" is entirely rubbish. And not like decent rubbish that freegans and their ilk are welcome to scrounge for as long as they keep away from me, but weird, what-is-that-thing refuse. Deploying more "unique assets" like special forces would be a disaster since that would run the risk of getting us mired in another tar pit of urban guerrilla shootouts in an area where the terrain heavily favors the enemy. See: Israel vs. Hezbollah, 2006. <br /><br />This is a limited war with limited goals. (For a limited time only!) Enough to send the message to any would-be ne'er do wellers but not too much to distract us from more important operations. <br /><br />- Ellsworth Toohey-https://www.blogger.com/profile/16396162227104718995noreply@blogger.com