Libya

[StillettoDoll]

The U.S. is taking increased military action to remove Gadhafi from Power.

Favor
Oppose
Not sure

[girl_dee]

I am in favor of doing anything to stop the blatant abuse of the women of a population.

[Andrew, Jr.]

I am in favor of our taking military action in Libya. However, I do believe that other nations need to step up to the plate and take over in bombing missions, and giving arms to the people. The US cannot police the world. We are suffering so much ourselves. With the money being spent in Libya, we could have invested it in ourselves.

[Tommi]

Assasian: A murderer of and important person in a surprise attack. Whe he started the murders of the anti-regime where are the highly skilled heroes?

Oh, yeah, only happens in the movies. I guess I watch to many action movies.

Why are these nasty bad guys not taken out by a sharpshooter???. Why can't one single strike force do it before it gets to all the bombing, destruction, strafing, raping and international tensions reach boiling points and all just hate America.

Kill no more of their civillians and our soldiers who think they must do or die.

USAF Retired

[Kobi]

From what I can understand, it seems what is happening in Libya is
different from the revolutions that have toppled other dictators
in the region lately. In those other revolts, masses of people were
rioting, those guarding the dictator defected, there was a clear
intent of numbers wanting something different. And, they didnt need
NATO or anyone else to come to their rescue.

Libya seems different to me. This seems like a distinct group of rebels - not masses of people, perhaps trying to take advantage of the successful revolts in other countries. The military forces havent abandoned their leader, and are continuing to squash the rebels which seem to be in one area of the country. I dont see masses of people revolting all over the country.

Bad things are happening. Bad things happen in any revolt and in attempts to quell a revolt. It's a matter of perspective and collateral losses.

But, I am wondering if this is a clear cut revolution or if it is international powers, conveniently, banding together to get rid of another pita dictator.

And, it irks me when NATO decides IT needs to step in....IT meaning can it twist the arm of the USA to expend billion of dollars we dont have in forces and equipment to do NATO's bidding.

And for what reason? We, as a country, have stuck our head in the sand when we know and have evidence of ethnic cleansings going on in other countries. So, what is it about Libya that is of significance to the USA to the point we would allow ourselves to be dragged into this?

When I watched Obama's speech yesterday trying to justify what was and might be done, I had to shake off the feeling there was a caricature of Bush on one of his shoulders and Cheney on the other.

For a man who ran on a platform of "change", it never occurred to me that "change" was synonymous to "status quo".

[Andrew, Jr.]

On a talk show today, someone mentioned that arming the people (rebals) is really giving arms to Al-Qaida. Well, I think Tommi is right. Lets use the sharp shooters. Give 'em a job, and bring 'em home. How much money has to be spent on this? It reminds me of Husaain (sp?).

[Toughy]

NO NO NO oh hell NO

Let the Arabs deal with the Arabs.

How come we have not intervened in the Sudan? Millions have been massacred and we have not intervened. Why is the potential massacre of people in Libya more important than the millions massacred all over Africa?

We sold Gadhafi all the weapons he is using to kill his opposition. We need to stop arming the frigging world.

[Glenn]

When I saw my oppressed sisters finially in the streets in the middle east, raising their angry hands in protest after years of oppression, I cannot help but be in favor of this, there, or anywhere.

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by popcorninthesofa

When I saw my oppressed sisters finially in the streets in the middle east, raising their angry hands in protest after years of oppression, I cannot help but be in favor of this, there, or anywhere.

Libya is NOT Egypt. This is not a mass uprising of the population like Egypt and Tunisia. Our oppressed sisters are not in the streets in Libya.

The Egyptian people were not interested in violence, they wanted a change in leadership and they got it with almost NO bloodshed.

Who are the rebels? Where are they getting their guns and money? What do they want besides violently taking over the government? Who is the leader?

Besides the Arab League has plenty of bucks and military equipment to deal with what's going on in their back yard.

[Glenn]

T; I just read about it this morning in the Huffington News, and other websites like middle east online.com

[QUOTE=Toughy;310727] Our oppressed sisters are not in the streets in Libya.

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Toughy

Clip > Why is the potential massacre of people in Libya more important than the millions massacred all over Africa? < clip
.

I just said this a while ago. If we are going to fight for human rights who gets to decide where when and how?

[UofMfan]

The US, like it has in any other military intervention (and there have been many), only helps itself. Noam Chomsky does a great job of detailing these all the way back to the Founding Fathers.

Yes, Lybia needs some help from NATO.

Lybia has something to offer the US, oil, strategic location, etc. Africa does not, simple as that.

[Rook]

I honestly think this is one of those "out of the frying pan , into the fire"caveats..
Libya is not another Egypt or Bahrain uprising, those in power (ghadaffi) are slowly losing the battle against Allied Forces-supported rebels, which btw, reminds me vividly of another huge mistake..y'know, afghanistan (providing rebels with guns to fight soviets) & BOTH iran/iraq, paving the way for factions far worse than their deposed leaders..
I don't agree at all with the US intervention, via NATO..
We need to take care of our own issues, economy , education, our own political clusterfuck & most importantly, our own civil rights being blatantly violated in order to appease a conservative majority who seem to enjoy throwing their voting weight around...
Once my opression, my denied equality issues are resolved, I'll happily advocate investigating our "opressed" sisters worldround, and maybe fixing it w/o bloodshed from our troops in foreign lands, or the other countries civilians, not just those following Islamic law.
I think Libya is in the spotlight mostly because of their Oil..
Mostly, because Bahrein has similar issues, and not much being said.. Go figure

[Greyson]

I support the US and NATO being in Libya. I am not naive enough to believe that part of the interests of the US and others does not include oil. However, because we do have a monetary interest in being there, does that mean we should ignore the calls from civilian people for help? BTW, does anyone remember Lockerby?

I too ask the same questions as many of you do that oppose any US involvement in Libya (part of Africa) or the Mideast. I do realize that the US needs to work on domestic problems as well. When the young people of Iran and China, (Remember Tenemin Square?) asked for intervention, why was there none offered by the US or the West for that matter?

I too share a concern about the US arming the world. But I also have the same concern about Russia, China and unscrupulous greed mongers across the planet plying their trade.

[AtLast]

I support this action fully. This isn't a popular, leftist position. However, i feel the US should have gone into other areas in the past to help stop the slaughter of people by their government or class systems.

Prior to the US joining allied nations in Europe during WWII, there was more than enough evidence of what Hitler was doing in the death camps to Jews. Yet, many dismissed this evidence on isolationist grounds. This was acting much the same as German people living near the camps- just looking the other way as far as I'm concerned. How many Jews could have been saved from their fate in the hands of the Nazis if we would have acted sooner and helped?

Sometimes, it really is about humanitarianism. Also, there is quite a different force going on in the middle eastern and north African countries going on via a new generation of rebels and protesters as far as I'm concerned. Young people realizing that their future deserves a free society. are critical in these struggles and I see a very different kind of battle for women's rights going on in this region than I have in the past. Women's Rights These protests and demonstrations and taking up arms by common people are not the product of past dynamics- there is something very different going on. Social media has brought the goals and desires of the people to a new state of awareness worldwide. And younger generations are not going to accept oppression.
I in no way think that the US or any other western nation should be involved in the forms of democracy that the people in Libya (or other countries) form.

My consciousness about this action has shifted. Seeing Arab people in several countries losing the fear they have had for decades and say enough across this region has a very different meaning to me than ever before. And the fact that women are out there- is significant.

[Words]

I don't understand the question.

''Does Libya need our help?''

What 'help' exactly are we talking about and, more importantly, are we sure it's the 'help' the majority of Libyans want? When someone can answer those questions - and I doubt that any one person on this site can - then I'll be in a position to decide.

Words

[Toughy]

The entire continent of Africa (including Libya, Tunisia) is rich with all kinds of resources important to the US. Ask Pat Robertson why he has had a 'christian humanitarian' presence in Africa for decades. He has been getting stinking rich in the diamond, gold, oil and 'rare-earth' minerals found on the continent.

Who is gonna make money off us bombing another damn country? The Apprentice musical theme 'money' is going through my head.

NO NO NO..........no more bombing and killing people with USA stamped on the weapons.

[Rockinonahigh]

I voted not shure..Why? I vividly remember Vet Nam..it was supose to be only a policeing action by helping the the people of vet nam fight for freedom.Insted we got drug into a 10 year war that cost way to many lives,cost bazillions of dollars.
We are in two simular wars right now they both cost to many lives as well as big bucks we really dont have.Now do we really need to get involved in another one?I know we should do something but nato need to stop looking at the U.S.A. like we can save the world,others need to step up to the plate and hold there fair share of the load.Yes,Kadafy needs to be put out of power quickly...a fue snipers do the job..a multi national force of snipers could stop the whole thing or a well aimed bomb if we knew where Kadafy was so it could be put in the right place.This is just my humble opinion.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Words

I don't understand the question.

''Does Libya need our help?''

What 'help' exactly are we talking about and, more importantly, are we sure it's the 'help' the majority of Libyans want? When someone can answer those questions - and I doubt that any one person on this site can - then I'll be in a position to decide.

Words

I understand your view of the structure of the poll question. However, you might be waiting a long time for Libyians to have the right to free speech outside of those that support (or fear, thus state agreement) the present dictatorship. And, I'm guessing tht queer Libyans are not going to rush to the Planet any time soon.

There are several organizations that do protect and keep secret the identity of Libyan rebel supporters in an attempt to get information out to the rest of the world. It is this very element of the oppression of rights to free speech and to assembly that is needed if we are ever going to hear what the majority of Libyans want.

I do have some contact with 2 families from Libya. No, they certainly do not represent the entire country. But they have given me some new perspectives to consider (including quite a few myths about th role of oil and US interests that we seem to swallow, especially in the left and progressive political realm). Yes, this does influence my support for this revolution and US involvement as well as a better understanding of how young rebel women are experiencing some kind of role in political and social structures emerging in Libya and throughout the region.

This is difficult, as I have a hard time appearing to agree with some GOP right-wingers. but, I have never let affiliational prejudice stop me from researching and considering new stances.

I have much more to learn

[StillettoDoll]

I guess in the perfect world Gadhafi could just pack up his bags and leave. It would save alot of people alot of trouble.
Voted not sure.
if we can get in and out very quickly I'm for it.