2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: I'm an anti-war Democrat. Please help me accept Hillary! [View all]Celebrandil
(294 posts)I can give you one characterization of the Libyan adventure from here in Europe. We see the US involvement as essential, but still way more limited than what many had hoped for. The Arab league had requested the UNSC to impose a no-fly zone in Libya to prevent Khaddafi from massacring his own population. The request was granted and a coalition was created, a coalition with Britain and France (the former colonial powers in the region) as the driving forces. America then had a choice; either stay out of trouble and make a fool of itself or willingly provide enough force to make the adventure a success. Hillary was pushing for the second alternative. If America had opted out, most of its allies would have been terribly disappointed. Why assist America in Afghanistan, if America doesn't help out when war breaks out near the border of Europe? Another motivation is to show that America respects the authority of UNSC, rather than being a power that only acts in its own self-interests.