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What Obama Needs to Do With Libya (Tom Ricks: Send U.S. troops to kill Qaddafi)
Foreign Policy ^ | Monday, March 7, 2011 | Thomas Ricks

Posted on 03/07/2011 9:37:55 AM PST by kristinn

SNIP

To help the president nudge the JCS in the ensuing discussion, here are the options he should ask to be put on his desk:

1. Best option: Give the Libyan rebels the aid they need to win. This may be no more than some secure communications gear and a couple of thousand rocket-propelled grenades to deter Qaddafi's tanks and SUVs. (This may be already happening in some form.) Can we start flying discreet charter flights of stuff into some airports in the east? This needs to be ready to go ASAP -- like yesterday.

2. More aggressive, riskier option: It is not in the interests of the United States, or the Libyan people, to see Qaddafi put down the rebels. So if Option 1 doesn't work, what more do we need to do? I think here we want to think about direct action: Using Special Operations troops to corner and then capture or (if he insists) kill Col. Qaddafi. You do need tactical air on tap for this, both to finish off Qaddafi if he holes up and also to cover the extraction helicopters. This needs to be ready to kick off in 72 hours.

3. Third: And yeah, sure, let's look at what a no-fly zone would look like. This is my least favorite option, because it is a half measure -- which by definition is an act that is enough to get us involved but by itself is not enough to promise to determine the outcome...

SNIP

But it might be worthwhile to throw up a no-fly zone if only as a cover for Option 2, because it would have the effect of throwing sand in Qaddafi's eyes. So the NFZ also needs to be ready to go in 72 hours.

(Excerpt) Read more at ricks.foreignpolicy.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hellno; libya; no; nonono; notjustnobuthellno; obama
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Thomas Ricks ripped President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for years over Afghanistan and Iraq. Now he wants us to wage war on Libya. Incredible.
1 posted on 03/07/2011 9:38:02 AM PST by kristinn
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To: kristinn

No matter which side we choose to provide arms to, those same weapons will someday be used against Israel or even us.


2 posted on 03/07/2011 9:41:05 AM PST by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: kristinn
Thomas Ricks ripped President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for years over Afghanistan and Iraq. Now he wants us to wage war on Libya. Incredible.

Isn't it interesting how those anti-war zealots suddenly become pro-war when one of their own is in the White House? I'm for sitting this one out. We gain nothing by killing Gaddafi, and lose nothing by letting him kill rebels. It isn't our fight.

3 posted on 03/07/2011 9:41:22 AM PST by ScottinVA (The West needs to act NOW to aggressively treat its metastasizing islaminoma!)
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To: kristinn

How about none of the above.


4 posted on 03/07/2011 9:41:59 AM PST by Prokopton
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To: ScottinVA

Quite correct. Let the bastards shoot each other.


5 posted on 03/07/2011 9:43:15 AM PST by RexBeach (There is no such thing as a good tax.- Winston Churchill)
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To: Prokopton

Amen. Gadaffi’s an SOB, but his ouster would likely lead to an islamist state there. Neither option is a good one. We should just stay the hell out of this one.


6 posted on 03/07/2011 9:45:09 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (A communist is just a liberal in a hurry)
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To: ScottinVA
Ricks was never anti-war, he's a another do gooder, who thinks our gov't can actually solve foreign countries problems.
7 posted on 03/07/2011 9:45:35 AM PST by Palter (If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it. ~ Mark Twain)
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To: kristinn

Why not let Obummer meet with Ghadafi “any where at any time without a preconceived agenda” as he claimed he would do with any leader dozens of times when he was campaigning.


8 posted on 03/07/2011 9:46:44 AM PST by MIchaelTArchangel (Obama makes me miss Jimmah Cahtah!)
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To: kristinn

>Using Special Operations troops to corner and then capture or (if he insists) kill Col. Qaddafi.

LOL Yes, thats it! Create millions of new terrorists in a second!
These fools act like Mo has no domestic support.
That is simply brain dead - and wrong.
He has plenty of support.


9 posted on 03/07/2011 9:46:49 AM PST by bill1952 (Choice is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: kristinn

Let Libya wither on the vine and go for Saudi Arabia.


10 posted on 03/07/2011 9:47:02 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: ScottinVA

Agree completely. Two no-win wars are more than enough for me, thanks very kindly.


11 posted on 03/07/2011 9:48:19 AM PST by Notary Sojac
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To: kristinn

How about Ricks going over there and doing it himself.


12 posted on 03/07/2011 9:48:32 AM PST by headstamp 2
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To: kristinn

Invading Libya seems to me a project best left to the private sector.


13 posted on 03/07/2011 9:49:01 AM PST by Walts Ice Pick
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To: kristinn

I guess the “Save Libya” bumpersticker will fit right underneath the “Save Darfur” and the “Free Tibet” bumperstickers.


14 posted on 03/07/2011 9:49:14 AM PST by MIchaelTArchangel (Obama makes me miss Jimmah Cahtah!)
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To: kristinn

Counting the days til The Saudia Royals get what they deserve including Fox/CNN/ABC Prince Al Waleed.


15 posted on 03/07/2011 9:50:02 AM PST by Frantzie (HD TV - Total Brain-washing now in High Def. 3-D Coming soon)
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To: kristinn
Here's our hero, Tommy 'Commando-Ass' Ricks in the flesh.

(Dare not making wise cracks about him looking like a soft pudgy faggot because his hands are registered as deadly weapons with the police department)

File:Thomas Ricks.jpg

16 posted on 03/07/2011 9:55:16 AM PST by The KG9 Kid
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To: ScottinVA

I totally agree. No more boots on the ground in the Middle East. Our kids are precious to us, not them.


17 posted on 03/07/2011 9:55:50 AM PST by RC2
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To: kristinn
Tell dumb-ass Thomas Ricks to get his army together and take off, but remind him a true leader leads from the front.

lots of luck Thomas, take several body bags.

18 posted on 03/07/2011 9:57:59 AM PST by org.whodat
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To: RC2

Why not send our home-grown muslims to clean up the ME mess?


19 posted on 03/07/2011 10:00:04 AM PST by 353FMG (Liberalism = Communism under the guise of compassion.)
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To: The KG9 Kid

LOL


20 posted on 03/07/2011 10:00:20 AM PST by org.whodat
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