PrintApril 5, 2011
The Children's Crusade
Both Russia and the Peoples Republic of China abstained on the vote for "UN Security Council Resolution 1973." It may turn out to have been a smart move for their national interests. It is now possible that no matter how the Libyan War turns out, it can accrue to their advantage.
Even though they abstained, they still have the right to criticize if the UN resolution is pushed beyond its intended scope of action. Prime Minister Putin has done just that by calling it a "crusade." But Putin was being kind; it is not just a Crusade it is now turning out to take on all the follies of the Children's Crusade.
However the Libyan War ultimately turns out, Secretary Clinton, NSC member Samantha Power, and US UN Ambassador Susan Rice have managed to build President Obama's Foreign Policy accomplishment in the Libyan mess into what the President in a moment of candor reportedly has called a "turd sandwich."
So far they have accomplished the following:
Nukes are now on the table to be considered by all thugs as a deterrence weapon. After all Gaddafi gave up his nuke program and Kim Jong-il didn't, and now the Dear Leader is looking like a strategic genius in stopping any combat action against his nation. The lesson being learned outside the beltway is that an atomic bomb might be the only thing between their survival and American "ready fire aim" diplomacy.
Iran's take away from all this is probably to quickly race for a demo burst -- and Israel should be extremely concerned.
Regardless of the evil potential of Gaddafi, US and NATO forces are surely trying to kill a secular leader who has by all reports been ratting out al Qaeda. Yes he is a killer thug but when has that stopped us before when we need info going up a real, clear, and present danger to America, Al Qaeda? As a Chicago reporter once told me, you do not get info from a car load of nuns.
President Obama and his three amigos, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Rice, and NSC's Samantha Power, bungled the launch of the Libyan War by cutting out Congress.
The Administration is rapidly destroying US credibility in Africa because we briefed to all African Leaders during the start up of AFRICOM that it would be non-kinetic and humanitarian focused.
Nathan Hodges just released superb book Armed Humanitarians, The Rise of The Nation Builders (Bloomsbury USA, 2011) and points out in Chapter 10, "Peace Corps on Steroids" that -- "U S officials were careful to always emphasize the ‘preventive' and ‘nonkinetic' nature of AFRICOM."
A priceless vignette was posted on the US AFRCOM website. A Libyan delegation visited on September 28, 2009 and this is what was officially said about the history of US and Libyan engagements:
"Ward (Commanding General) visited Libya twice this year, and met the Libyan leader, Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, in May.
"It was explained to him that we were there not to threaten the sovereignty of any nation; that we were there to work in close cooperation, but only among those things that the nations wanted us to do," Ward said of his meeting with Libya's leader. " ... it was about trying to enhance the stability and the security of the nations that we work with. We also discussed issues that concern security matters in Africa and how we look forward to working together in ways that help us achieve those common objectives for peace and stability."
As mentioned above, the current war has given "Pootie-poot" a forum to discredit US as "crusaders" and make nice with Arab countries.
It has also allowed the CHICOMs to become more deeply engaged in the Med and Africa to their advantage. It is a pure guess, but they will probably make a fortune rebuilding Libyan infrastructure after hostilities. Tactically the CHICOMS have dispatched a PLAN missile frigate, The Xuzhou, to the Mediterranean, while we pulled out our Carrier Battle Group (CBG).
US and NATO launched an Air campaign and have apparently created an unsustainable and expensive burn rate of weapons:
At the time of writing, the signs were that neither the MoD, nor the wider government had any firm idea of what the Libya operation was going to cost the UK, at a time when the country is still designated "Austerity Britain."
US Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz has testified himself into a dilemma on the deployment of F-22s, whose numbers are very limited, thanks to a cutback in their procurement supported by senior command and the Obama administration. Schwartz recently told lawmakers "Clearly, had the F-22s been stationed in Europe, both closer in proximity, and therefore, more available, they undoubtedly would have been used." But F-22s had been operational in that part of the world, but moved out. General Corley, call sign "Conan," Commander of Air Combat Command, bravely challenged President Obama and Secretary Gates on the number of F-22s needed for the AF global combat requirements. Libya represents part of the price we are paying for the cutbacks in their numbers.
The PRC and USSR really hurt the US in Vietnam with their logistical support to the Viet Cong and North Vietnam Army. They may be thinking of doing it again to help "the Colonel" so US and also NATO can now possibly have Vietnam, part deux.
President Obama's Libyan war regardless of his humanitarian posturing is ultimately about oil to Europe. It is going forward with two world class fig leaves -- a proven sham of a UN Resolution and NATO-command and Control (which is really the US).
This entire misadventure from what is being said took about two days to decide. The Three Amigos ride!
To paraphrase Churchill, if thugs around the world learn from Gaddafi's mistake and go nuke deterrence crazy:
"Never in the course of Human History have so few done so much damage to so many."
