The Glade 4.0

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12570279

Apparently, Bin Laden is behind the protests in Libya. That's messed up. We should help Gaddafi crush the protests.

The region needs to be transitioned into democracy eventually, better now than later.

But then the terrorists win!

Can't tell if you're kidding or not, but any region without representative government will have increasing instability as people become more educated and have greater access to the Internet. If you prolong this dictatorship, the problem won't just go away.

Well, Libya can be transitioned into democracy. Saudi Arabia sure can't unless you can find some way to magically do it without any violence or destabilization, as even a month's interruption in their oil supply **** the entire world.

It wouldn't take "magic", just the Saudi leadership's willingness. I am actually betting they will cede some control so that they won't lose completely all power.

I'm kidding. I suspect he's saying this to try to gain support in the west for putting down the protestors. He's a jackass.

Just out of curiosity: If somewhere like Libya succeeds in arriving at self-determination (self-determination and democracy being not the same thing) and then decides that what they want is not a representative democracy, or republic, etc... then what?

Why must we be involved? Also, who cares?

_________________
"...the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

That's good. It's even better if the dictator they want is the puppet dictator we have in mind.

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Correct a mundo!

Their country, their issue to deal with. They can call the US when they've got it sorted out. But if we don't stick our noses in there first, then China or Russia will, and we can't have that right?

_________________
A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. ~ John Stuart Mill

I actually hope the Arabs mess up all the oil operations because then it will drive us towards renewable energy faster.

Yep cause then Al Gore/ "Green" energy will be mainstream and establishment. So of course to annoy their parents and be edgy kids will get more conservative.

_________________
A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. ~ John Stuart Mill

More likely it means we'll start drilling in the gulf and anwar

_________________
I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Why didn't I think of this?

_________________
"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Ok. so what should be the US Play here?
Do we stay hands off and hope that this pro-democracy wave continues? Its no secret that the US would love to have Gadhafi gone, but presumably a brutal response on his part, even if unsuccessful would deter other 'domino' revolutions in the Arab world.

So what should be our play? 100% hands off? Humanitarian only? Try to take out Gadhafi and let the rest fall where it is? Or do we aid the revolutionists?

Considering we spend so much money on the military already, I think we should invade them. Put it to good use.

Start by enforcing a no-fly zone (imposed by the UN if possible) over the whole country, and then see where things go from there.

I just question-- the Egypt revolution was nearly 100% by the Egyptian population. If the US had intervened in any way even no-fly zones, would it have deterred the Libyan and Tunisian revolutions?

Tunisia occurred before Egypt, so no.

Lybians are, from what I understand, asking for US assistance, so again - no.

Libya is a civil war, not a revolution. Only a revolution if the insurgents win.

Libya is different from Egypt as apparently Libya's government seems to have a higher willingness to commit the military against its own people than what we just saw in Egypt.

_________________
I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Well to be fair, people are protesting a dictator. Not a smart move on an individual basis if you value your life.

What if you value your freedom?

There's been enough western meddling in the mideast. American interests, aka the government, is less than thrilled about the sudden yearning for freedom from the kings and dictators the western world has sopported for so long.

_________________
"...the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn