Why Syria, Iran et al Are a Bad Idea, and Why Libya Was

Monday 19 March 2012 - Filed under Uncategorized

A cogent argument as to why supporting Libyan rebels was a bad idea, and why getting involved in conflicts which have no clear outcome for the United States is a TERRIBLE idea. The National Review:

Of course it is tragic that some innocent victims and authentic liberal democrats are caught in the carnage. It is not our burden, however, to prevent that or to become enmeshed in other countries’ civil wars – not when there is no vital American interest in one side’s prevailing over the other. It is certainly not in the vital interests of a country weary of war, out of patience with Muslim madness, and $15 trillion in debt to further insinuate itself so that anti-American dictators can be replaced by anti-American Islamists.

It’s a pity that they can’t both lose. But if they have to savage someone, better each other than us.

Simply put, we have very little substantive control over what happens AFTER the bombs stop. Iraq is still war-torn despite our having significant sway over their political process for the last 8 years. Afghanistan will still be a mess when we leave and will be no less hostile towards America (and no closer to joining the modern world). Libya was transformed from a place where there was one despot who liked things his way, to many of them, some of which who are even more brutal than Ghadaffi and which are sympathetic to Islamic extremism as a form of government. We have come in, fucked all manner of things up, and left these 3rd world shit holes in worse shape than we found them, or at least places that are no less hostile to America. The key is to LEAVE PEOPLE THE FUCK ALONE TO SETTLE THEIR OWN FUCKING PROBLEMS. It really is that simple.

2012-03-19  »  madlibertarianguy