Where will the conflict in Libya lead America in the future? How long will it last and did we go in with a short range plan or no plan at all?
The successful no-fly zone enforcement, by U.S. Marine Force jets and NATO’s UK and French planes, bombed Gadhafi’s government buildings, tanks and military forces to help the Libyan rebels. American navy submarines and other ships launched over 200 missiles which inflicted heavy damage on targets in Libya.
Serious problems are afoot in the entire mid-east, with the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and other neighboring countries. At the same time, we are still locked in military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, where we still have our armed forces deployed. Toss in the shooting of dissidents by the Syrian government, mobs demanding changes in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Morocco, along with the Hamas regime’s renewed shelling of Israel from the Gaza Strip. Even Iran and Pakistan present threats to America’s safety and security.
Unanswered questions linger in many people’s minds. Did the President enter us into another war before plans and objectives on Libya were discussed with Congress for their approval and consent? Or did those who made the decision realize that it would cost us nearly one hundred million dollars a day to fight in Libya? And who knows how long Libya’s internal civil unrest will go on, with additional monetary costs and lost lives.
We do not know these answers. Worse, it is not clear that our leaders know the answers, either. Even with the turnover to the NATO coalition, American military leaders will be involved in making major military decisions and shouldering major costs. There will be no quick fix to get out of this mess.
Of course, American support is said to be on humanitarian grounds, a worthy and commendable reason. Oddly enough, Obama, as a senator, was against any wars, especially when the Bush administration was at war in Iraq. But his views seem to have dramatically changed over time. Both supporters and opponents of our involvement in yet one more foreign war come from both sides of the political aisle.
Before going to war, one must have an objective. Libya does not supply us oil and has given up its nuclear program. Its population is mainly poor and ruled by independent tribes. From these facts alone, Libya should not be of vital interest to us. The administration has stated that no American ground troops will be used in Libya and should its rebels prevail, they will make their own decisions in ruling Libya. Perhaps freedom from dictatorship, living in a new democracy, economic opportunities and more employment are the driving forces for change. Yet, American security may be at risk in the future.
There is concern by a lot of liberals and conservatives, that we do not know whether Libya is facing a civil war or an uprising for democracy. Until we know who might replace Gadhafi, evil dictator that he is, we are on a potentially dangerous path.
After all, who do the rebels represent? If we supply guns and military gear to them, will it be used against us in the future? At one time we supplied guns and armament to the Afghanistan rebels, to fight the Russians. Later, those same weapons were used against our own military forces. Will this happen if we help the Libyan rebels win with arms supplied by us? Many middle east countries are basically collections of tribal societies, while others have centralized leadership.
Meanwhile, we are paying for new wars, while the administration has not addressed the serious budget problems for the balance of this year and 2012. The President visited South American countries this past week, but the real priorities faced by our nation are not being adequately addressed. There are the current looming fiscal budgets, the huge deficit solutions and job creation problems. The government continues to wildly spend money when we need to cut back on spending and rein in expenses. Another war will only increase that debt.
Change and turbulence in the mid-east countries are happening fast. Whether it is too late or not, we must determine what our mission is in Libya. We need honest explanations on what our role is and how we will be involved. Whether we stay or leave, we need a plan and an exit strategy.
We do not need another war. America’s greatest priority is to solve its own internal problems right now.
— Bernard Featherman is a former president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce, who now resides in Florida.
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