Why Not Syria and Iran? Hell, Why Not North Korea?
What does he say? He takes us through the recent events in Libya, and he boasts that he saved the rebels, and prevented a huge refugee crisis that would have shaken Egypt and Tunisia. Perhaps; we’re not at the end of the Libyan thing, after all, and the Italians will tell you that they are dreading the North African boat people. But let’s say it’s true. And let’s agree with him when he says:
“To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and — more profoundly — our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are.”
To which the clear and obvious response is:
Are not Syrians and Iranians our fellow human beings? Yet you have done nothing for them in circumstances that do not require military assault. And are not our soldiers, sailors, pilots and Marines also our fellow human beings? Yet you apologize to their killers instead of aiding the oppressed peoples.
Disgusting. Get first things first. If we can get regime change in Damascus and Tehran — missions worthy of America and its president — then the things we face in Libya, as in Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, yes, Israel, and, still, Egypt and Tunisia, will get much easier. Because if you defeat your enemies, your friends will be braver, and your enemies’ friends will suddenly discover the virtues of prudence.
One last thing: just how vigorous are we prepared to be with the Libyan thing? What if it drags on? Are we and NATO ready to take the next steps? Because if we somehow find ourselves losing…
So it’s not that the Libyan thing is a bad thing. It’s that it’s not the main thing. We still are not even beginning to talk about the main thing.
Obama’s admin does not have a grand strategy of any type. The world can’t wait for 2012.
Obama’s grand strategy, is to do whatever it takes to damage America.
What this administration has at its helm is a Grand Amateur.
We’re watching the world being turned upside down.
If the likes of a President Clinton can be impeached over “liaisons” with the likes of that White House seductress-intern, then why can’t some wise lawyer (s) do us all a much more significant favor and at least have a very public inquiry into a review of Omama’s much more dangerous liaisons on the international scene?
The ‘effing’ Nobel Prize “award” so shortly after he first stepped over the threshold at the White House front entrance has gone to his egotistical head.
I think we’ve just gone beyond a tipping point in Obama’s dangerous tenure in the Oval Office.
Sir!
The world is not turning upside down, its actually turning right side up. The youth in M.E (whom are majority BTW) want to join with their human compatriot all around the free world.
“wise” lawyers is nearly an oxymoron
Well, if Gaddafi is kicked out or killed, don’t be surprised if Obama gets a second Nobel “peace prize”. I think the politically-correct Euros can’t wait to make him the first 2-prize winner. And on top of that he is black (and Muslim?). They will be dancing in the streets of Europe patting themselves on the back for letting the Muslim world see how non-racist they are.
Clinton was not impeached because of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky (though he should have been).
He was impeached because of PERJURY committed while seated as President. (During his testimony at the Paula Jones lawsuit.)
The Lewinski scandal was exposed in order to distract America from the real problems with Clinton, and it worked beautifully.
Ken Starr was an old crony of the Clinton’s, with deep ties via the Lippo group.
The entire “prosecution” was a masterful piece of Potemkin theatre.
Thank you for saying this loud and clear. The US president is a blowhard, isn’t he? The ‘silver tongue’ signifying nothing. And while this latest hullabaloo consumes the media, Iran continues with business as usual.
America would be very much safer and better off if its leaders could keep their eyes on the ball. Definitely a vision problem. Maybe more.
Again, thank you for your sane commentary. No Alinsky’s ‘turn the world upside down’ rules operating here, which is satisfying.
The only vision problem that Obama has is his Marxist vision of the world.
Yes, Mark v, but IMHO, his group has many more vision problems, and to date, most of them are harming the version of America that existed a few years ago.
All this stuff is really starting to creep me out. I can only imagine how Israel feels…
“Why not Syria and Iran? heck why not North Korea”?
One size fits all Dr. Ledeen?
Ivory Coast anyone?
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/ivorycoast/index.html
“But I’m gonna wait, after the Baptism. I’ve decided to be Godfather to Connie’s baby. And then I meet the Don Barzini and Tattaglias, all the heads of the Five Families…”
Hell, why not Khartoum? (You know,longstanding genocide in Darfur. That is, black Africans massacred by you know who on account of their their race and faiths.)
Good question and the answer is what I have said all the time. It is the need for having bogey men; to keep the countries or more appropriately companies that benefit from fear of these bogey men, in business. It is like the drug problem, it’s not the growers, it’s the sellers.
Obama “supports the rebels.” Think about that statement. By him just saying that, we have now taken sides in a civil war. Why is he so afraid to call this what it is, a civil war? Our planes and missiles are right now being used to destroy Gaddafi’s tanks and troops, which doesn’t sound like a “No-Fly Zone” operation to me. We have now chosen sides in a civil war and we are actively supporting that side with military action. This could be Somalia all over again. As in Somalia, we went in for “humanitarian” reasons and then we started supporting one side in a civil war. And we all saw how well that turned out. If you really want to get technical, we supported South Vietnam in its civil war against North Vietnam. And we also saw how well THAT turned out, too.
When you support one side in a civil war, your side had better win. If not, a lot, and I mean a lot, of people are going to die, especially in a place like Africa. And if your side wins, you had better be sure that the people you’re supporting are not just as bad as the person you just deposed. If so, then you will simply get the bad will of the people in that country and little else.
Also, even if Gaddafi is deposed and dies, his really, really, angry supporters will still be around. What if they go on a personal jihad of terrorism against the people who threw them out of power, i.e., the US and NATO? This has SOMALIA written all over it. If, as Obama said, we are not into “regime change,” then what the heck are we doing there? And if Gaddafi somehow manages to stay in power, how many Lockerbie bombings are we willing to endure because of Obama’s miscalculations? I didn’t hear any answers to any of those questions last night, which is why this President doesn’t seem to know what he is doing, and that’s a very dangerous thing with the Africa we have today.
Iran and Syria are killing Americans? When? Who? Ledeen nakes the assertion numerous times and fails to deliver.
The details are classifed but they are actively supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents and the Taliban.
classified? our military officers say it alla time…
Yes they do Michael but many of the specific details are classified
If Obama listens to his own words, or rather, the words of whoever writes his speeches, doesn’t he realize how shallow and contradictory they are?
If he actually has the principle of ‘helping others’ – then why, why, why was he utterly silent during the Iranian 2009 demonstrations? Why did he take so long to react to the demonstrations about Mubarak (first defending him)? Why does he ignore the Ivory Coast, Somalia, Sudan, Darfur, N. Korea? Oh – and why does he ignore the beseiged farmers of Arizona who have to deal with thousands of illegals on their property?
So. We know. Those words spoken by Obama are just words. Empty. Their agenda is not to refer to any principles of belief. Their objective is to make you..like Obama. That’s all there is to Obama. He has no principles or integrity. His only interaction with the world is personal and it is to ‘make you his’, to control you, to make you choose Him as ‘the One’.
I suspect that Obama was shamed into going in by Sarkozy and the British. He himself has no capacity to deal with foreign relations or indeed, with any issue outside of the personal. He can play ball with children in Brazil, shake hands on a walk, do ‘shout outs’, give his vacuous hope/change rhetoric to cheers. But he’s mindless about policies and programs…
Obama was shamed into going in…and then, the people who really control him – his wife and a few other dominants among his czars, stepped in to make him withdraw. Obama is a programmed psyche; programmed by the dominant women in his life: grandmother, mother, wife. All the same: anti-American, anti-capitalist, anti-white. Obama’s foreign relations all show this attitude.
I suspect that he went in because of outside pressure and is trying to leave because of inside pressure. Obama? He just wants to go and give a ‘rousing campaign speech’ and play golf. That’s all there is to him.
ETAB,
I wish more Americans would understand the influence Michelle has over her husband. She’s running the show and wearing the pants.
She is meaner, smarter, and more impulsive than the wimp. And yes America, she hates her country and she hates caucasians.
I almost feel sorry for the wimp. Well, not really.
RIP the short lived American EMPIRE “BORN 1945 end of WWII DIED 2008 the election of Messiah Obama”.
The USA became rich by sitting on the fence in WWI and WWII and selling to BOTH sides and got its jump in to Space thanks to GERMAN NAZI Scientist like Werner Von Braun. Prior to WWI the USA found it difficult to deal with that great world power MEXICO. Then subsequent to WWII the USA used its ill gotten financial muscle to prevent the former Colonial powers France, Holland and the UK from reviving their Empires pretending they were anti Colonialist but in reality just so that the American FINANCIAL Empire could flourish unopposed. What a pity that Empire has only lasted just over 60 years one of the shortest lasting Empires in history and is now crumbling fast due to financial mismanagement of epic proportions and the USURPERS takeover.Now you have the US Military on call to militant Mohammedans EVERYWHERE. Just look at their credentials they ousted those pesky Christians from Kosovo and Bosnia to set up the first Mohammedan States in Europe and bombed the Christian homeland of Serbia too just to teach them a lesson how dare they hold back the Mohammedan hordes for centuries. Now the US Military and their Political Masters have made it easy for the Mohammedan Brotherhood to take over in Egypt and are well on the way to letting Al Queda take control in Libya and who can forget their outstanding performance in installing a SHIA and Iranian loving Regime in Iraq. Afghanistan is a work in progress but dont worry they will let the Taliban back in there too just wait and see. So Mohammedans got a problem just call Hillary and the Pentagon they are at YOUR service.
Thanks! That’s the second-best laugh I’ve had today.
Syria has the problem of being landlocked. If we are going to have any pretense at respecting international norms, we would need to get flyover rights. Who’s going to give us those rights? Because to do so, that would effectively mean that that country has declared war on Syria, and Syria’s ally Iran.
Libya at least has the benefit of being logistically easy for Europe to get involved. The others, not so much. Plus Gadhafi’s military is weak, outside of a few special brigades. And Britain has been publicly humiliated over releasing the Lockerbie bomber. And we still don’t know how to spell his name. That’s about it.
Um, Syria is actually NOT landlocked. It has a nice little Mediterranean coastline that would be just perfect.
It also has a nice, long border w/ Iraq, if we could work out the diplomatic details. We could even just use talks to get permission to go through Iraq as a feint, if needed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LocationSyria.svg
I strongly suggest you look at a map of Syria.
“Small humane victorious war” is the attractive peace of popularity for EU conservatives and Obama`s boost of Islam World forces of resistance(to the West and Israel). I don`t think Obama whishes the military opposition,but the recognition of the role of united Muslims!
Another thing – about Obama not listening to his ‘own’ speeches.
How could he boast about the US as a leader, when the Libyan leadership fell on France and the UK? Obama didn’t do a thing until they forced him into it.
And how can he, yet again, sneer at Bush, saying that ‘regime change’ (Iraq) is ‘not the way to go’. Then, why does Obama say that Ghadaffi must go? Isn’t that regime change? Or does Obama think that one of Ghadaffi’s sons should take over?
And what about Bush’s going to the UN for ‘permission’, and to Congress? Obama ignores that, just as he ignores that Bush’s coalition which he, unlike Obama, put together, was larger than the coalition put together about Libya by the French and British.
It never ceases to amaze me how embedded Obama is in his ‘virtual words’. He’s so smothered in words that he can’t see the reality, the contradictory reality, outside of his endless words.
I don’t think he particularly cares one way or the other about Libya. What DID galvanize him into action (after finding cover behind the UN, NATO, the Arab League and everyone else except Congress) was the fear of lots of bloody photos of butchered Libyans on posters at every campaign appearance come 2012.
This is merely Obama’s aspirin factory.
Look beyond this to see what is really going on.
I wonder if we are there to avoid confronting the main thing (Iran and Syria)?
It is funny to see Hilary and Obama trying to explain why we need dialog with Iran and Syria (while ignoring their rebels) and Ghadafi gets the bombs. But I also see golden opprotunities to get rid of the Assad family and the Ayatollas slipping away.
Another bash Obama excuse.
The truth is that anyone that spouts off as this post does is either ignorant or a hypocrite or has a political agenda to push.
No one country can change the entire world. George W. Bush invaded Iraq based on misleading evidence that there were WMD, and that war has dragged on more than eight years and cost more than a trillion dollars.
We fought North Korea and Mao’s China in the 1950s in Korea and ended up with a stalemate and no peace treaty.
We fought in Vietnam for more than a decade to defeat North Vietnamese Communists and the Communist Vietcong and what happened? More than fifty thousand American dead, two million Vietnamese dead counting civilians and combatants and today in 2011, Vietnam is united and ruled by a Communist government.
Out of patriotism, I joined the US Marines and fought in Vietnam only to learn years later that Johnson lied to start that war, that JFK had signed an order to pull US Special Forces out of Vietnam and LBJ reversed it after the assassination.
US Presidents and both houses of Congress have supported dictators for decades—maybe more than a century. When Sun Yat-sen, an American trained medical doctor and a Christian, started the democracy movement in China in the early 20th century, he asked the US for help to establish an American style democracy in China after the Qing Dynasty collapsed and the US turned him down. He turned to the British, French, Germans (all democracies) asking for help. They all turned him down. He turned to the USSR and they said yes. Then the Communist Party was established in China and people like Mao, who was a Nationalist, joined that party and helped establish it.
Sun Yat-sen was on his way to build a democracy with several political parties involved. The Communists were one of those parties then Sun died early in his 50s and the US backed Chiang Kai-shek to take over China. The US armed him. He launched a war against the Communist Party, which was one of the political parties that Sun Yat-sen had brought into the democratic republic he was building modeled after the US.
With US help, Chiang Kai-shek started a Civil War in China that lasted from 1926 to 1949 (with a break to fight the Japanese during most of World War II). When the CCP won that Civil War, the US continued to support Chiang Kai-shek who ruled over Taiwan as a brutal dictator under martial law all his life until 1976 when he died and his son took over. The first democratic presidential election would not’ take place in Taiwan until eight years after his son died.
And now, suddenly, the US is interested in building democracies in oil rich states while ignoring genocide and brutal dictators in countries that have no oil.
Iran had a democratically elected government when the CIA managed to overthrow it and put a brutal dictator on the throne to rule as the Shah of Iran. When it comes to American interests, most tin-pot dictators are easier to buy off. Because of the brutal Shah of Iran, we eventually got the Islamic revolution that drove him out, and the American hating government in Iran that rules that country today is a theocratic Islamic fundamentalist government, which the US cannot buy as it cannot buy China or North Korea.
This story repeats in country after country for more than a century. The US was behind a revolution in Hawaii that overthrew Hawaii’s royal family. Then a few years later, Hawaii became a US state. Even today, there is a non-violent Hawaiian native separatist movement.
The US brutally occupied the Philippians for decades after defeating the Spanish in the Spanish American War and the US ruled with an iron fist. US troops fought democracy movements in the Philippians and killed at least a quarter million people to maintain control. Then after the US allowed the Philippines to rule itself soon after the end of World War II, the US supported a brutal dictator there for decades.
We are in Afghanistan because we created the Frankenstein monster that wants to destroy the US. During the USSR’s war in Afghanistan, the US backed and trained the same Islamic fundamentalists we are fighting today. After those Islamists defeated the USSR, the US pulled out and left a war ravaged Afghanistan to rot opening the door for those Islamic fundamentalists to step in and take over. Then those fanatics looked around and found another target leading to 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Regarding Tibet, the CIA supports Tibetan separatist movements and supported the Dalai Lama for years. In fact, the Dalai Lama told a US congressional hearing how much the CIA paid him. He the promised to stop taking those payments, which added up to millions.
If you want to learn how the US came to have such a serious drug problem, check out how the CIA ran a black ops operation supporting KMT (Chinese Nationalist) warlords that took their Chinese armies into the Golden Triangle. To do this, the CIA traded weapons for opium and heroin and with help from the US mafia smuggled those drugs into the US to sell in the inner cities to African-Americans and other minorities. While you are at it, check out CIA’s private airlines called “Air America” that was used to move many of these drugs. The CIA also used the dead bodies of US service members killed in action to smuggle drugs into the US by filling the dead body’s cavity with dope. That way the drugs got into the US easily after the dead solider was sent home and it was removed before his burial.
In 1950, when China reoccupied Tibet, that country was a feudal kingdom ruled by Lammas and landowners, which made up about one percent of the population. The rest of the people were serfs/slaves. If you don’t believe that, look up a copy of the October 1912 National Geographic and read all about the real Tibet that China invaded in 1950. From the 13 century until 1911, the Emperor of China who appointed political governs and sent troops to Tibet to occupy it ruled Tibet. Moreover, you don’t have to accept the evidence the CCP claims it has to support this fact. That evidence exists in the letters that Sir Robert Hart wrote while he lived in China from 1954 to 1908. Hart’s original letters are kept at the Queens University of Belfast and in the 1970s, Harvard University Press published them in several volumes. More than 50 of Hart’s letters written in the 1880s make it clear without a doubt that Tibet was ruled by the Emperor of China and had been for centuries.
As long as the US owns the brutal dictator and that dictator does what the US wants, it’s okay but once a regime rules a country the US does not control, that is not okay. In addition, when convenient, for political reasons to discredit a president you do not like, that makes it okay too.
You may call me a liar or other insulting names if you want in an attempt to discredit me, but anyone with curiosity and an open mind may use Google to verify everything I’ve said. The information is out there for anyone that looks and it is backed by solid research and evidence.
Your history is a little flawed.
Kennedy started the Vietnam war, not LBJ. His hamhanded Coup against President Diem which resulted not only in the assassination of President Diem but his wife as well started the downward spiral. Johnson never wanted to fight in Vietnam.
The KMT was backed early on by the COMINTERN. The Chinese Civil War can be said to be an internal fight between Communists Chiang Kai-Sheck and Mao. Chiang reinvented himself as a nationalist. Mao was never a nationalist and always a Communist. As Chiang moved out of the Soviet orbit, Stalin switched his allegience and support to Mao.
Half truths. Also, Google doesn’t verify, but links to respected historical sources would be a start.
In any case, it’s irrelevant. Even if you’re stories were true, US president X having done Y in the past has no necessary bearing on why a different US president is doing something today.
I heard Col. North list no less than THREE WMDs in Iraq. Their names were Saddam, Uday and Quday Hussein.
His sons were nuttier and far more dangerous than the old man, so don’t write off the Iraq War just yet. Let history decide whether Bush’s actions were appropriate.
“The truth is that anyone that spouts off as this post does is either ignorant or a hypocrite or has a political agenda to push.”
Including you.
A lot of what you say would be believable if you provided a source. Yet you don’t. Makes one wonder if you have any.
Your understanding of history could use some work.
The US and UK’s intervention in Iran was not to depose the government. They wanted the Prime Minister Mosaddeq out because he nationalized Iran’s oil–a joint venture that Great Britain had developed over nearly 30 years, was heavily invested in, and saw as theft.
“US troops fought democracy movements in the Philippians and killed at least a quarter million people to maintain control.”
WTF??
What sentient person is going to take you seriously when you regurgitate this Che Guevara crap? Think about it? Would the Philipinos be our best allies in WWII if we had “brutally ruled” for decades, and put down their democracy movement? They ARE a democracy, thanks to the US. The only land we took was to bury our soldiers–less than 20 acres.
Your assessment of Afghanistan suffers from the same faults. There is no connection between the US aiding the Mujahedin against the Soviet Army and “supporting Islam”. The USSR was an enemy of peace, and the Muslims in Afghanistan were fighting their aggressors. Simple as that. Same as in Bosnia. Same as in Viet Nam, same as in Korea. The fact that we lost the will to finish the job in the latter two says more about our politicians than about our principles.
While we’re on the subject, can you name any nation that the US has invaded to confiscate their resources or to subjugate their people? Be honest now.
OBAMA TAKES CREDIT FOR REGIME CHANGE IN IRAQ
Last year Joe Biden on Larry King took credit on behalf of the administration for stablizing Iraq and moving it toward a representative government. But last night in his speech on Libya Obama exceeded Biden’s lies by actually taking credit for regime change in Iraq.
Click my name and read my piece: Barack Obama’s Claim Game, or Taking Credit for Regime Change in Iraq.
Other than the existence of it affording you an opportunity for gratuitous self-promotion, how does your comment relate to the article above?
Ho hum.
Oh, bother. This was supposed to be a reply to #17.
Heh – I was going to reply to Lloyd Lofthouse #17 as well and then decided that his post was so superficial and narrow on facts and analysis that it belonged ‘only in the coffee house’, i.e., the type of mindless babble one gets into in partisan ‘seminar talk’. I decided to forgo and forget it..
The answer to your question seems rather obvious. It is a game we learn in kindergarten, which of these things is not like the others. In Libya, there was already a parallel government and a full fledged rebel army. Neither of these things exist in Syria, Yemen, North Korea, or China. Additionally you had the people asking for our help, with Mideast countries willing to help out. In Libya, we get a regime change without putting troops on the ground and we don’t look like puppet masters. We tried being king makers in the Mideast for a long time now, and it did not really work out well. We have helped along these leaders for 30+ years, and not we can help shape the region in a more authentic democracy. You are so simple and shallow minded on the topic. This could be really helpful for our country and stabilization of the region over the long term. I think it is a gamble, but I think it is worth the gamble.
‘..it did not work out real well’. Seriously?
Spoken like a true out-of-touch-with-reality illiberal.
I recommend having a REAL discussion or sit-down with the active duty folks doing their 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc., rotations in the M E and ask of the progress, declines made. The progress far outweighs the declines, Brian. Not to mention it’s been only 9 + years since boots have been on the ground. Plain and simple, it’s astounding.
Yeah, helping the same al Qaeda garbage who try to kill our very same soldiers East of Libya are our ‘allies’ now? ‘Great’ strategy, Bri. What color is the sky on your planet?
Right on, right on, right on (yet again, Dr. Ledeen).
libya is obama’s attempt to “appear” hawkish toward those wavering nincompoops, i mean, “moderates”
his base will never leave him– where would they go? and they provide the insanity that allows obama to appear more towards the middle
syria, iran, and north korea would involve leadership and tough decision making that has been absent since ww2 (reagan gets a pass as the scoundrels went back to their holes for fear of getting their heads handed to them)
libya allows obama to demonstrate all this multilateralism, u.n. approval and typical “touchy feely” hogwash
everything obama has done since his first day in office is an effort to parlay a second term— end of story
I do not think he is gonna get his wish. He is looking worse and worse all the time, of course this is my opinion, but I will be voting for anyone but Obama in 2012!
Obama’s admin does not have a grand strategy of any type. The world can’t wait for 2012.yep yep
I’m not sure that Mr. Ledeen fully understands the Obama Doctrine.
Here it is: WTHIFLD, WTHIFLDI, (wiffle dee wiffle di), or in long form:
“Whatever the hell I feel like doing whenever the hell I feel like doing it.”
Dealing with Iran is job #1. An unavoidable confrontation with Iran is coming. Hopefully, this President will be out of office by then, because it is not clear whose side he is on.
so…you want us to unilaterally intervene everywhere there is an injustice in the world?
what a tired, gruesome, unconstitutional and un-American fantasy.
The man is a complete fool, pure & simple. O couldn’t pour urine outta a boot with instructions printed on the heel!
Keep thinking that while this traitor continues to dismantle America.
Deliberately and with malice aforethought.
And with frightening COMPETENCE.
This president is looking for an easy “victory” to pump up his poll numbers.
And the “victory” will not change anything in the ME (al qaeda instead of Gaddafi ? psychos instead of psycho ?).
Of course he doesn’t touch the enemies of America, he never does.
The big picture ? He thinks he is the big picture !
And for this administration the regime in Iran is an “anti-imperialist” ally, not an enemy.
In Obamaworld, the United States is the enemy. Marxist/Muslim countries are a means to an end. Re-election in the short term and the financial and cultural collapse of the US in the long term.
Preventing us from developing our own god-given energy resources is another tool in the “destroy America’ toolbox.
Americans are idiots with short attention spans. They are already turning against the austerity measures imposed by republican governors in cash-strapped states. Obama will be re-elected in 2012 51% to 49%, the difference being the result of massive election fraud.
Our country is lost. And time will prove me right. No way we have the national will to step back from the brink.
Since I suspect that Obama has no principles and is incapable of the development and/or analysis of policies/programs..and functions only within his narcissistic need for personal adulation..then..
..I suspect that the current and sudden ‘leaking’ of hints that the Libyan rebels might, just might, have a few al qaeda sympathizers amongst them…will lead to Obama, shocked, withdrawing from Libya! After all, that’s what he wants to do. Obama is incapable of empathy; he’s a clinical narcissist after all. He doesn’t give a fig about massacres or violation of human rights or…whether it’s in foreign nations or in protecting US citizens against illegals swarming over their farms.
Obama was shamed into going in by Sarkozy who understands Obama very well. Sarkozy in 2009, dealing with Obama about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, shocked about Obama’s ‘formulations devoid of content’ and his ‘immature’ concepts and his inability to make decisions..and claimed that Obama lives in a ‘virtual world’ rather than the real world. Obama, who cannot, absolutely cannot, handle criticism, later snubbed and insulted Sarkozy at various times.
I’d say that Obama is now looking for a way out – and also, a way to ‘get even’ with Sarkozy and the British. Does Obama care about Libya, about the people there? Heh – absolutely not. For Obama, everything is always about and only about: Obama.
Obama’s looking for a way out of Libya? Over Samantha’s dead body.
you said, “…I was the first kid on the block to call for bombing the Libyan air force.”
this is true but there ought to be a hot link to your late feb post that proves it.
THE CAULDRONIZATION OF THE MIDDLE EAST
“One can only hope that we turn the region into a cauldron, and faster, please. If ever there were a region that richly deserved being cauldronized, it is the Middle East today.” Does Michael Ledeen recognize these words? He should they’re his, written for NRO in 2002 in his dispute with Brent Scowcroft over Iraq. The cauldronization of the Middle East is at hand at long last.
yes, apollo, i do remember. proud of it. but we’re not even close until we focus on the main targets.
We’ll need regime change for that.
Iran and North Korea, respectively. Once they both have the bomb and a dependable delivery system, and considering they are under the protective wings of Russia and China, the United States won’t be able to do a damn thing to stop the coming conflagration.
Regarding Israel, their hope resides solely in the prophecies foretold in the OT books of Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jeremiah. They will receive no help from Obama.
The world is unraveling right before our very eyes.
Like my home state, CA, the Middle East has some learning to do. The rebels asked for help – but their sincerity and objectives are very questionable.
Interfering in the learning process of others is rarely justifiable, and in this case, the motivations of the ‘allies’ are also shaky. (Can’t say ‘our motives’, since we weren’t asked.) Much less are there rational objectives, plans, or scoping to the intervention.
I wish we lived in a world where a President could say “I was wrong, and am backing away from this”. I’d actually respect Ø more for doing so. But it won’t happen.
Iran, Syria, Lebanon dictatorship has been around for a while. What was George Bush’s policy towards these dictators ? Wasn’t he the one who declared Qaddafi as a “Friend of the West” ? I am so sick of this obvious bias toward Obama. This is just irresponsible journalism
Give Bush some credit, even though I’m sure you’d rather slit your wrists. His actions in Iraq and Afghanistan scared the mcnuggets out of Qadaffi, who then voluntarily gave up his nuclear weapons program. It was at that point Bush referred to Qadaffi as a friend of the west. And he was pretty placid until Obama gave his now infamous Cairo speech encouraging the youth of Egypt to “rise up.” But that’s just irresponsible journalism, right?
Just for you to know, Obama ALSO called Ghaddafi a great friend of US and hey they even have one of those historical “best friends hand shake and hugs” photo ops. Bush called Ghaddafi a friend AFTER scaring him to his death which made Ghaddafi stop his nuclear pursuit and be a good boy so as not to piss Bush off! So Bush acknowledged that and welcomed his decision.
So don’t make a judgment by its face value. It is worrisome that now in the age of mass media and mostly superficial biased media, most people have very short term memory. As short of one week even!!!!
Obama isn’t concerned with the death of our soldiers; they are after all soldiers, or as the left used to refer to them: baby killers. American “Kill Teams”, Abu Ghraib torture, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, you get the picture. The freedom fighters of Libya on the other hand are Michele Moore’s minutemen who not long ago were bravely fighting the occupiers of Afghanistan. Yet you miss the bigger picture, he didn’t go to Congress, he went to the UN and the Arab League to legitimize this humanitarian adventure. Susan Rice and especially Samantha Power were head cheerleaders for this no doubt awaiting the day a similar UN mandate authorizes a massive force to protect the Palestinians.
Why Not Syria and Iran? Hell, Why Not North Korea?
It is because the Obama Administration is planning on Israel next.
ApolloSpeaks! Today the whole region is turning itself into a caldron NOT by Dr. Michael Ledeen as you think!?
Iran has became a high-risk regime forms real threat to the West that since has ruled by mullahs in 1979. Mullahs had been waged war on USA more than 30 years that is since the Ayatollah Khomeini had been declared in 1979. They called USA in the great Satan, they sworn to combat the satanic influence everywhere on the earth. For a long time hardly a day goes by without pounding speeches and hatred declarations from the mullahs warning Jews and the United States and continually calling to destruct the great Satan and to wipe Israel off the map.
However, Why should being Syria and Iran? In fact, the Mullahs and Syrians were knowingly killed the US Troops, sometimes with covert help from Saudi Arabia. All those evil regimes were created the terrorist groups in the region and mightily backed it…ALL working together, that is a moment America went into Afghanistan. The cooperation increased when United States was to run-up to Iraqi freedom operation. they all is waging war against United States in Iraq and Afghanistan and sponsoring terrorist assaults against United States and its allies in the region. They actively supplied weapons to terrorists and insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan to murder Americans and to push out the United States from Iraq. Which is why the REAL BIG WAR have to wages on the major evil regimes in the region “Iranians and Syrians and Saudis”, especially both Syrians and Iranians are known as “the world’s biggest supporters of international terrorism” and also they are known to have spent considerable time, effort and money on acquiring Weapons of Mass Destruction and the ballistic missiles.
Let me get this straight. You men and women are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hands of jihadis of various stripes. Many hail from Libya. Now some of those Libyan jihadists have rebelled agains Gaddafi and…young American men and women are helping them in their fight? This is beyond the pall, and I was relieved to find my godson has decided not to join the American military. This from a vet and one-time staunch Bush supporter.
Maybe the folks at the AEI, The Weekly Standard, and the Obama Administration can spring for spotlights to shine on Manhattan buildings to guide the next 9/11-type attacks launched from Libyan terror camps.
Goddamn the lot of you fools.
“Why Not Syria and Iran? Hell, Why Not North Korea?”
They aren’t fruit hanging low enough. Don’t like that answer? Lump it.
Shoot, considering how much he hates America and drilling for our own oil, the wimp is far more likely to go after North Dakota than North Korea. North Dakota is pumping oil, creating jobs and making money the old-fashioned American way.
So, yeah, the wimp is way more likely to attack North Dakota.
I managed to get through half of this, Michael. I honestly think that you, Roger, and a lot of others have lost their marbles. We do not intend to lose our precious nation, Israel, because a corrupted United States half-sold into a One World theology plans to loose its morality on us, as a few posters have pointed out. I see us well on a way to a big showdown with you and your insane Administration, sorry to say.
The question I know the answer to.
In the case of Libya it’s been the interest of the Europeans to stop supporting Qaddafi. US always comes to the aide of its bastard child or better aid bastard parents Europe!
Europe milking the middles east for over a century is nothing new. And they are not going to stop that any time soon! They are happy just doing that with Iran ayatollahs and their troll Assad so far so why rock the boat? US does what Europe demands!
Yes,why not the others.The problem regarding Lybia is who are really the insurgents against Gaddafi.They are democrats?
By the other side,recently the brazilian maganize Veja publish on operations in Brazil made by AlQaeda-Hizballah on their ground.Recruiting followers for future terrorist action.
Named in the report is Mohsen Rabbani,accused by the Argentine prosecuters to be responsible in the bombings on Buenos Aires,1992-1994.
Argentina is the only country in the region who suffered two terrorist incidents.
The presence of AlQaeda in Brazil and vecinities was not confirmed during years in US officials reports.I wrote on this in 2003,about the infiltration on farmaceutical industry and the members of AlQaeda regular visits in the Tri-Border-Area.For me,not surprise here.Thanks Michael.
Michael,Iforget to include this link;
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/04/04/Report-Al-Qaida-active-in-Latin-Americas-Triple-Frontier/UPI-87711301952723/
Some critics on the report in based by the theological differences between AlQaeda(sunni-wahabi)and Hizballah(Shia).
A colution or alliance Hizballah-Alqaeda looks impossible.Tactics on global war may be focused in other parameters by the two groups.
Mr Leeden asks an important question when he asks “First, if it’s right to intervene to save Libyan lives, then why isn’t it right to save Iranian, Syrian, Congolese, Sudanese, North Korean and Chinese lives, as well as millions of others?”
What is the basis of our actions. I claim no one has shown why it is in America’s interest to depose Gadaffi – A neutered American enemy. No one is saying Gadaffi is an American friend. He is a neutered American enemy. The same cannot be said of the forces trying to oust him.
Lebanon sponsored the UN resolution to authorize intervention. Lebanon is a significant partner in the Iran/Hezbollah/Hamas/Syria universe. They are not friends of Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda forces are the main beneficiaries of the moves against Gadaffi.
The Iran/Hezbollah/Hamas/Syria alliance AND Al Qaeda are our enemies. In this configuration I cannot see why deposing Gadaffi is in our interests.
To imply that just because Iran, Hezbollah, Syria, Al Queda are all our enemies so deposing Ghadaffi being in our interest does not make sense, is looking into the affair of the past 1 century in the middle east very simplistically. We all should know that wherever there is “Allah O Akbar” mantra there is “Oil Cartel”. It is not the politicians personally that set the policies, the plans in the middle east per say. It is Oil Cartel, Arms Cartel that set the agenda.
Do you all know that already both England the mother of all the Islamic rulers and systems plus France have gathered their might and will into grabbing Libya’s oil wealth and they are indulging themselves into this crazy competition? Unfortunately it has always been America because of its decades of naivete and may I say even stupidity has come to sacrifice its own interest for the safe guarding of it naively believes its European allies specially and specially England. America never realized and better said decided to forgive and forget that it was England who wanted to colonize it and it has never been and never will be its ally in the true sense. It is and always has been an adversary a big competitor at best. It is very disturbing to see what kind of history is being taught in our schools here in America.
To explain this better, you see the West by the wish of the Europeans and the support of America the forever benevolent friend, had by the mid 20th century put in powers big dictators in the Middle East and Africa, however secular they were in order to clamp down on their own citizen’s will for freedom. All in exchange for absolute military and political support, safeguarding their dictatorial rules. You may ask why? Well a free people with free wills would not stand for the deals the West was making in their oil wealth. A free people of the middle east meant death of oil cartel and the West’s hegemony in the oil rich region. So they gave all the support to these dictators for so long until when their people decided they won’t stand. At this point once again the West (mainly Europe again with their colonial baggage) and the oil cartel decided that a free people is still detriment to their vast interests, so it is better to pop up Islamic regimes instead of the old dictatorial rules, this way using Islam and Islamic rule will deter people from any real democracy or freedom. They will lose the dictator and gain a cleric. This is exactly what was envisioned in Egypt,in Iran of 1979, in Libya, and Lebanon all secular regimes at one time. Once these people rose up for their own freedom, the West rolled up their sleeves quickly, really quickly demanding the departure of their dictators Mubarak and Ghadaffi (and of course the Shah some 33 years ago) while making sure the FREE people do not take control of their oil fields. This has been the game of the past 1 century. And that is why when the Iranian people and when the Syrian people, 2 of the most secular and educated people of the middle east rose up to fight their Islamic rule (of course Syria’s Assad is not a cleric and his rule not Islamic but nonetheless the biggest puppet of the Islamic regime of Iran and does what he is told)the West stays SILENT. The West has kept SILENT towards Islamic regime for the past 33 years. Why? Because the oil cartel says so. Islamic Regime can defecate onto the faces of the UN, the whole world, and still the West specially Europe kneels down and bows to them, they bark but not bite, they keep showing their “concerns” but it is all a game, and yes we still will have Hillary saying we do not want a regime change but we do want a change of behavior, or even may be possibly wishing for another terrorist but a smiling terrorist to replace that ugly Ahmadinejad one. The same scenario in Syria. The West is silent when it comes to Syria and their people quest for ousting Assad and his puppet rule. The West was definitely silent when it came to Iranians when they rose up bravely to fight the barbarians. They never asked the terrorist regime to step down or even any mention of regime change.
So what to do?
To get peace once and for all this is what needs to be done: Islamic regime in Iran must be toppled in its totality, Europe has to understand that it must pay a fair price for oil and stop playing the evil game they’ve been plying for decades in the middle east and we as people should decrease the consumption of oil in our lives. Europe should change its ways of running their economy so that they do not depend so much on oil from middle east and Africa. Instead of having nanny states which they have now, they should open up their economies so that their citizens get off their lazy couch and start working and pump their economies so much so that they can afford the price of oil from middle east and that is the middle east run by free people with true democratic institutions. No more dictators, no more Islamic regimes, no more clerics and no more ayatollahs. Let the region flourish and peace and security rule.
Peace!