Image via WikipediaTimes Of India: US flexes muscle, sends warships to Libya: The United States began moving warships toward Libya and froze $30 billion in the country's assets as the administration declared all options on the table in its diplomatic, economic and military campaign to drive colonel Muammar Gaddafi from power. ...... conferring with allies about imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. Such a move would likely be carried out only under a mandate from the UN or Nato, but Hillary's blunt confirmation that it was under consideration was clearly intended to ratchet up the pressure on Gaddafi and his dwindling band of loyalists...... USS Kearsarge had left the Red Sea to transit through Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, close to Libya. USS Kearsarge has armed helicopters and harrier jets on board as well as around 700 Marines ..... USS Enterprise had also been kept on 'high standby alert' in the Red Sea ...... A no-fly zone would require removing "the air defense capability first" ..... Anti-regime leaders said they have formed a military council in Benghazi, which has become the hub of efforts to topple Gaddafi. The council, comprising officers who joined protesters, will liaise with similar groups in other freed cities but it was not clear if there were plans for a regional command.For America to send ground troops into Libyan territory would be a huge mistake. For one, America can't afford it. Two, I doubt the UN would authorize such a move. Three, that would send a very bad signal. It is for people power to oust dictators, that is not the job of the US military.
I have never advocated that the US send ground troops into Libya.
But the movements of US warships in international waters are legitimate acts. They are not war acts, but they are acts that send all the right signals to the people braving the streets in Libya. That maneuvre is smart.
But if push comes to shove, you have to be willing to make aerial strikes to decapitate the regime. You enforce a no fly zone over Libya. Gaddafi should not have the option to bomb his own people from the air.
You conduct aerial strikes to prevent a civil war situation in Tripoli.
But you don't go to the ground level. You don't send in troops. The only thing you are protecting is a people's right to peacefully demonstrate. The regime change part the people will have to do on their own.
The forces that have taken over much of Libya want democracy. They are not trying to impose military rule or sharia law over the country. These are people who want a modern democracy in Libya. They are upto the task as long as the world does not let a mad dog butcher them.
Threat of force might be enough. Even aerial strikes might be unnecessary as long as that threat is openly flashed. The forces that took east Libya will take Tripoli too and will deliver the entire country to the people.
Libya is on its way to becoming a modern democracy. And the world has to play a role. The world has to play a midwife role. We have to pitch in and help.
But ultimately this is about people power, this is about nonviolence. Protecting a people's right to peaceful assembly is non violence. Just like ending Hitler's genocide in World War II was right.
If Gaddafi is not ousted, Mugabe will continue to be in power, the Saudi king will not go, the mullahs of Iran will continue to run the show, and Bin Laden will continue to be the most famous Arab on the planet. This is not about Libya no more. This is about momentum for the rest of the Arab world.
This is how you uproot the Al Qaeda, by saluting people power in the Arab streets.
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