Libya and the Use of Force

As a gay uber-liberal, I must admit that there are times when I do not understand my own country. However, recent events in Libya and the American public’s reaction to them have downright perplexed me. Poll after poll seems to suggest that Americans are closely divided, possibly even slightly against, the current use of force against Moammar Gadhafi. I understand that many Americans don’t want to see us bogged down in a third ground war, but I do not understand why Americans overwhelming supported a massive, ill-advised and internationally condemned war in Iraq in the beginning while having reservations about a targeted and internationally backed mission to protect civilians from being massacred.

Maybe it’s because I’m a young idealist, maybe it’s because I have a more international worldview than most Americans. The war-weariness is understandable, especially in this time of “austerity” and budget cutting. But I will never agree with those people who think that we should only worry about American problems, because we live in a global world that does not respect borders.

I have often wished I could be a pacifist, but I have never been able to make that leap of faith. I supported the War in Afghanistan (and still do with some reservations) because there was no other way to respond to such a barbarous attack on our soil. I opposed the Invasion of Iraq because it was bound to create more terrorists than ever where in Iraq before the invasion and there was no way to guarantee that more lives would be saved by America invading rather than if we had just let Saddam Hussein be. I support the current action in Libya because under the current strategy of using air power to weaken a murderous regime and allow organic opposition forces to do the actual fighting, there is a very good chance that more lives will be saved by our actions as opposed to just sitting back and letting events unfold as they will.

One way that American public opinion may be swayed is if more stories like that of Iman al-Obeidi are broadcast and published. She is the woman who barged into a hotel to tell foreign journalists about how she had been brutally imprisoned and gang raped by Gadhafi’s henchmen. In front of reporters from around the world, Gadhafi loyalists then proceeded to attack her and drag her into a waiting car. They then claimed that she was drunk and mentally ill. I highly doubt this is true. Even if al-Obeidi is lying, I have no doubt that her story is true for dozens, probably hundreds of other Libyan women. It will never be possible to rid the world of all dictators, but when we are given a chance to remove one, with international support, and a good case that these actions will save lives, I say do it!

Iman al-Obeidi being attacked by Libyan government minders