History is unfolding once again, this time in Libya.
I have not written for a while, partly because I was dealing with some family matters, and partly because I've barely been able to collect my thoughts as I try to keep up with the news.
I'm elated that the allied forces have finally, FINALLY begun their assault on Gadhafi's forces. This should have begun a long time ago, but at least it's happening now in time to prevent the imminent massacre in Benghazi that would have happened if Gadhafi's forces had reached the city. GADHAFI IS INSANE. He's been bombing his own country and his own people without focus or aim other than to terrify everyone. He bombed an airfield full of Air Libya planes just for the hell of it. Gadhafi didn't want to attack Misrata, he wanted to destroy it. Now as he's resorting to recycling leftover WWII weapons, forcing civilians to act as human walls around buildings he cares about, and trying to make the allied attacks look like an assault on the country of Libya and rather than his government. Gadhafi would level the entire country and kill every last opponent before giving up. I will be floored if he actually steps down. More likely, the allied forces will pressure him short of assassination until they force him to come out with his hands on his head. I hope.
It's also a relief to see President Obama delivering an ultimatum. If only he was this decisive on all other matters. And he was reluctant about this one too - at first he was insisting that US forces would only focus on protecting civilians, and it was only after Gadhafi's forces continued attack cities after agreeing to a cease-fire on the record that Obama escalated the objective. Britain and France were right at the forefront of this effort, and the US was a bit slow on the uptake (for once, the US is not acting as the self-righteous self-appointed savoir of the Middle East). But overall, I think Obama has been handling this series of crises very well. Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain... these circumstances are an administration's nightmare.
Interesting that Qatar and the United Arab Emirates decided to support the coalition against Gadhafi. I think Obama was absolutely right to encourage Arab countries to participate, and I'm glad a couple rose to the call, but I also question whether this may be a strategic move on the part of those governments to prevent demonstrations in their countries by building some good credit.
Yemen seems to be next in line for a revolution - I hope. Demonstrations have been going on there since a week after Mubarak stepped down. 40 demonstrators were recently killed. President Saleh has been there 32 years, even longer than Mubarak held power in Egypt. His days are numbered too. I hope that the revolution in Yemen will not be bloody. Yemen does have an actual army like Egypt, but there could be some tribal conflict involved. The revolution there will probably fall somewhere between Egypt and Libya.
Morrocco announced that it will transition to a constitutional monarchy. Wow.
I wonder how long it will take Saudi Arabia to do the same...
I have not written for a while, partly because I was dealing with some family matters, and partly because I've barely been able to collect my thoughts as I try to keep up with the news.
I'm elated that the allied forces have finally, FINALLY begun their assault on Gadhafi's forces. This should have begun a long time ago, but at least it's happening now in time to prevent the imminent massacre in Benghazi that would have happened if Gadhafi's forces had reached the city. GADHAFI IS INSANE. He's been bombing his own country and his own people without focus or aim other than to terrify everyone. He bombed an airfield full of Air Libya planes just for the hell of it. Gadhafi didn't want to attack Misrata, he wanted to destroy it. Now as he's resorting to recycling leftover WWII weapons, forcing civilians to act as human walls around buildings he cares about, and trying to make the allied attacks look like an assault on the country of Libya and rather than his government. Gadhafi would level the entire country and kill every last opponent before giving up. I will be floored if he actually steps down. More likely, the allied forces will pressure him short of assassination until they force him to come out with his hands on his head. I hope.
It's also a relief to see President Obama delivering an ultimatum. If only he was this decisive on all other matters. And he was reluctant about this one too - at first he was insisting that US forces would only focus on protecting civilians, and it was only after Gadhafi's forces continued attack cities after agreeing to a cease-fire on the record that Obama escalated the objective. Britain and France were right at the forefront of this effort, and the US was a bit slow on the uptake (for once, the US is not acting as the self-righteous self-appointed savoir of the Middle East). But overall, I think Obama has been handling this series of crises very well. Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain... these circumstances are an administration's nightmare.
Interesting that Qatar and the United Arab Emirates decided to support the coalition against Gadhafi. I think Obama was absolutely right to encourage Arab countries to participate, and I'm glad a couple rose to the call, but I also question whether this may be a strategic move on the part of those governments to prevent demonstrations in their countries by building some good credit.
Yemen seems to be next in line for a revolution - I hope. Demonstrations have been going on there since a week after Mubarak stepped down. 40 demonstrators were recently killed. President Saleh has been there 32 years, even longer than Mubarak held power in Egypt. His days are numbered too. I hope that the revolution in Yemen will not be bloody. Yemen does have an actual army like Egypt, but there could be some tribal conflict involved. The revolution there will probably fall somewhere between Egypt and Libya.
Morrocco announced that it will transition to a constitutional monarchy. Wow.
I wonder how long it will take Saudi Arabia to do the same...
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