UN authorises no-fly zone over Libya

[Plinker]

Interestingly, it appears as if Lugar wants to do it the right way. Congress declaring war. He also points out we are flat broke and that outweighs any "humanitarian" (read: oil) concerns.

Inside classified Hill briefing, administration spells out war plan for Libya | The Cable

Sounds like a conservative stance. He must be up for re-election this year...

 

[dross]

I say this doesn't go far enough. Let's do a no-fly zone over the entire middle east, including Iran. Our pilots hardly ever get to dogfight. Let's just take out all their air forces and all their military facilities.

Plus, they need to get their sand off our oil.

 

[Plinker]

Plus, they need to get their sand off our oil.

I don't understand this stance. Isn't it their oil???

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

I don't understand this stance. Isn't it their oil???

It _was_.. Not sure, but I'd bet on a bit of sarcasm....

 

[Expat]

Plus, they need to get their sand off our oil.

Think how purty that oil would look with a glass top over it.

 

[Westside]

Think how purty that oil would look with a glass top over it.

it would be the world's largest sight glass!

 

[dross]

I don't understand this stance. Isn't it their oil???

Hey, apparently it isn't MY money, because other people in this country need it to fund their lush government retirements and their social security that I'll never see.

I NEED their oil. By the same logic, I think it makes their oil MINE. Why do they have to be so greedy with it?

 

[Hoosier9]

I don't understand this stance. Isn't it their oil???

Their oil? That's crazy talk! You sound like one of those whiners that complained when we kicked Sitting Bull off of our farmland back in the day.

 

[Compatriot G]

If you think about it, all of the oil-rich countries in the Middle East owe the U.S. and the U.K. We were the ones doing oil exploration in the 20's and 30's. If it wasn't for our efforts, these countries would still be a bunch of goat-herding nomads.

 

[dross]

If you think about it, all of the oil-rich countries in the Middle East owe the U.S. and the U.K. We were the ones doing oil exploration in the 20's and 30's. If it wasn't for our efforts, these countries would still be a bunch of goat-herding nomads.

Word. When we first started their oil business you could buy a pretty woman for like twenty goats. Now it'd cost you thousands. F'n inflation.

 

[Ogre]

"F" Libya. Let them sort out their own mess, oil be damned. I wish our "leadership" had the balls to say, "sorry, this isn't our business, good luck now..."

 

[Plinker]

Hey, apparently it isn't MY money, because other people in this country need it to fund their lush government retirements and their social security that I'll never see.

I NEED their oil. By the same logic, I think it makes their oil MINE. Why do they have to be so greedy with it?

OK, I'm getting it. It's sometimes hard to read people on the web.

 

[gunowner930]

French jets sweep Libyan city besieged by Gadhafi - Yahoo! News

Looks like the French aren't wasting any time. The link also mentions that a Libyan fighter was shot down. No word on if it was the French that bagged it. I agree with most of the posters in this threas, if the French and Brits want to enforce this, let them do it and we should stay out. They're more than capable of destroying the Libyan Air Force.

 

[mrjarrell]

And so it begins, with the French firing the first shots.

BBC News - Libya: French plane fires on military vehicle

 

[Expat]

And so it begins, with the French firing the first shots.

BBC News - Libya: French plane fires on military vehicle

I am so pleased that our French friends have finally found someone that they can beat up... parked trucks in Libya

Who knows they may get through the month without surrendering.

 

[Expat]

War #3, and so it begins.
Libya: U.S. Tomahawk Cruise Missiles Hit Targets in Libya - ABC News

 

[rambone]

YouTube - Libya: Countdown to War?

 

[Hawkeye]

War #3, and so it begins.
Libya: U.S. Tomahawk Cruise Missiles Hit Targets in Libya - ABC News

Yes. I'm not very happy about this.

 

[mrjarrell]

So far the US and UK have fired about 110 missiles at Libyan targets.

BBC News - Libya: Coalition launches attacks

 

[dross]

My argument as to the morality of U.S. intervention:

There is one main reason to intervene in foreign affairs, militarily or otherwise. Our national interest. To me, we have to start there. Now, our national interest might take on different meanings. It could be purely defense, or it could be the defense of an ally, or it could be for humanitarian reasons. Understand I'm not arguing for or against any of these reasons, just pointing them out.

Nations don't have permanent friends or allies, only permanent interests - Lord Palmerston.

So, what are the moral justifications for military intervention? One is that we have been attacked - self defense. Another is that an ally has been attacked.

What if we just decide to invade another country? Is that justified? To me it is, if the leadership of that country holds its people against their will. In the case of a dictator, not elected, who holds his nation only by force of arms and oppression, we commit no moral breach if we depose him by force.

So, if it is in our national interests - and if the country's government is a dictator - we have a practical reason and moral justification to use military force.

So there.