Update on U.S. Efforts in Libya
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-03-24/update-us-efforts-libya
Allied air strikes continue to hit Libya-- from Tripoli to Benghazi to Misurata. Those strikes are now aimed at Colonel Moammar Gadhafi’s ground forces, tanks and artillery. A British commander said the allies have effectively destroyed Libya’s air defenses. But Gadhafi remains defiant. Earlier this week he appeared on Libyan television and declared, “we will not surrender.” As the sixth day of a U.S. led military mission continues, we get an update on progress, hear why there’s disagreement within the U.S. and among the international community, and discuss the risks associated with a prolonged conflict.
Guests
Mark Landler
White House correspondent, The New York Times.
Peter Bergen
CNN national security analyst, director of national security studies at the New America Foundation and author of "The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda."
Leslie Gelb
president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of "Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy”
Comments
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Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, William Kriston now have so much in Common with President Barack H. Obama
Eliminate Ghaddafi who has openly and continiously have criticized Tel-Aviv in the past. He had to be "Replaced"; even though the exagerated uprising does not add up to more than a few religious fanatics and ethnic opposition.
Peter Bergen has made millions and millions of dollars out of WARS at the expense of Lives, Legs, Arms and our Trillions of Dollars and yet he still wants more.
Why do they always get the microphone and air-time.
There are Millions of Peace Activists who has not made a penny and want nothing but PEACE.
When will one of them, just one person will be given air time and tell you and your audience something about NOT INVADING AND BOMBING OTHER PEOPLE, DAMN IT!!!!
If Obama had gone to Congress to get approval and waited longer, the conservatives would have cried and screamed that he won’t take initiative and that he waited too long, that he’s letting people die. Then they’d probably use it as ammunition against him in the next election. Second, I don’t remember hearing this much criticism when Bush invaded Iraq. He was given a green light and a blank check.
Let’s be honest, if there was a Republican in office, do you think we’d hear the same amount of criticism from Congress?
Dear 'Virtual' Diane,
Please ask your guests to comment on whether they view the beginning of this 'action' in Libya as the kick-off of Thomas Barnett's 2004 plan and book "The Pentagon's New Map" to walk across the entire "GAP" countries from N. Africa, through the Middle East, and to the boarders of India and China?
How would they compare Barnett's early and ambitious plan to change the map seven years after he wrote it and it's effect on strategic military thought in Washington compared to Pearle and Wolfowitz's 1990's plans of PNAC and "A Clean Break" which preceded the disastrous wars in Iraq and Afpak several years later?
Thanks greatly for raising this unaddressed and important issue with your experts.
Sincerely,
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
Mr. Gelb's sobering stance on the issue is very appropriate and necessary here. The premise that intervening in the civil war in Libya will send a message to other despots engaging in crimes against their own people that they risk similar interventions is a false one indeed. These actions have been taken before under the same guise of humanitarianism.
It's important to note that kosovo was mentioned as a prime example by one of the panelists on this and other talks. That too was an intervention on the part of the United States and Nato, without a UN mandate in that case, on grounds of genocide with claims of hundreds of thousands killed and mass graves. Credible international investigative bodies have since proven such claims to be grossly exaggerated. So it is sad to hear guests such as secretary Alrbright and others featured on this show still clinging to an idea that kosovo was a success for humanitarian intervention. That is unless one considers many more deaths during the nato bombing and half a million refugees exiled to this day than was prior to the intervention a success. History shows such dubious interventions are neither humanitarian nor do they scare despots into becoming more democratic.
Here's an article briefly touching Kosovo and how it is applied to the current Libyan campaign.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/kosovo-template-for-...