On Gaddafi and the Balking States

In his recent editorial, Give Gaddafi a Real Message, Washington Post writer Eugene Robinson correctly and convincingly states that the United States must do more than condemn the recent actions of Moammar Gaddafi and his henchmen.  We must take immediate, tangible action to prevent further injustice and an impending genocide.

Robinson is clearly speaking to a broad audience, as he is an established journalist for one of the nation’s most well-known papers.  He prods the US government to take action by restricting military flight over Libya and vowing prosecution of all Libyan leaders guilty of warring against their unarmed citizens.  While such suggestions are for those in control of our war machines, the message encourages us to demand these actions of our leaders, and the author obviously expects for his words to become the words of constituents. 

Robinson lucked out when compiling evidence to support his plea; it’s all around us.  We know that Gaddafi has ordered attacks on unarmed protestors.  We know that Gaddafi has vowed to fight “to the very last drop of blood.”  We know that Gaddafi is paying foreign mercenaries to wage war against his own citizens and that he is urging supporters to root out opposition in house-to-house campaigns (recall Rwanda and the massacres there).  Once in a while, the network news services all provide the same information, and this is one of those times.  There isn’t a single honest person in America defending Gaddafi right now, so it shouldn’t be hard to see why Robinson insists that “watching isn’t nearly enough” and “consequences need to be spelled out.”

Right now, international news means Middle East turmoil.  Right now, foreign policy means Middle East turmoil.  The eyes of the world are upon the godless actions of this disgusting “leader,” and Eugene Robinson successfully argues that the United States still has the power, and the obligation, to set the standard for the rest of the world by taking real action against Gaddafi and those who enable him to continue down his path of ruin.  I firmly believe in restraint and careful consideration prior to the mobilization of force, but in the lead up to such moves, there are introductory steps that can be taken to cripple regimes such as Gaddafi’s.  Robinson clearly and correctly maps these steps for our people and our leaders to consider, and I agree with him, not only that steps must be taken, but that they must be taken right now.

-RW