In respect to the initial operation Obama did much better in building consensus and Operation Odysseus Dawn was done as far as optics were concerned in accordance with a UN sponsored resolution. Bush went in with a coalition of the billing and only afterwards put on a fig leaf of UN approval.. Of course the UN resolution also demands an immediate ceasefire. Yet the rebels refuse a ceasefire and negotiation quite contrary to the first two clauses of the resolution. The rebels did not even bother to send representatives to a meeting to discuss a cease fire. Where is Ban Ki Moon's condemnation? Western commentators do not even talk about a cease fire as far as I have heard.
Cheers, ken
----- Original Message ---- From: Peter Fay <peterrfay at gmail.com> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Tue, March 22, 2011 9:16:29 AM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Libya
I agree that the case of Libya is very complex and western powers are still struggling to come to terms with it - they clearly almost believe their own propaganda about Libya and believe they must do something to save face and assert their domination regardless of the fallout. This also is nothing new - they do this all the time (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan).
I think what's new is that there is such broad and profound disagreement amongst them within only 48 hours of the launch, and partners are already pulling out. You may recall Bush did Iraq right - at least nine months of preparing the 'generation of consensus' amongst allies through lies at the UN, co-opting the media, buying many country's UN votes through foreign aid, throttling dissent, etc. Obama and his advisers apparently are neophytes and grossly underestimated the need to manufacture consent. On the other hand, they will have plenty of time to work on this error - many years, if my assumptions are correct. -PF
On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 8:12 AM, Marv Gandall <marvgand at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> My impression is that the US military and foreign policy establishment,
> like everyone else, was taken wholly aback by the consecutive mass eruptions
> in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, and it has since been running to catch up.
> That may explain why it appears to have not thought through the long term
> implications. To the degree possible, I think it has tried to do so. But it
> has had to continually assess and reassess its policy because of the speed
> of events, which is characteristic of revolutionary outbreaks, as Paddy
> Apling and others have noted.
>
-- Peter Fay http://theclearview.wordpress.com ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk