We cannot play policeman to the world, we proclaim — and then blow our whistle and thump Col. Moammar Gadhafi about the shoulders.
He is a thug, a murderer, an international terrorist, a liar and a ruthless oppressor of his own people. He should be put down.
The Arab League, France, Britain and the United States moved against him last Saturday — as policemen of the world should — to stop him before he slaughtered more of his fellow Libyans.
But, because we had the means at hand, most of the police work was done by the U.S.
Again. And still.
President Obama said the war will be handed over to others “within a matter of days.” Perhaps France will call the shots. They had control of the region which is now Libya in the colonial past. Maybe France and Britain will form a joint command. They tried to take over the Suez Canal as a joint venture a generation ago. Their national interests are clearly at stake.
The nations of Europe are most dependent on Libyan oil. It would be appropriate for them to push the colonel out and help the people establish a government there that protected Libyans from their rulers and gave them a modicum of hope.
As everyone in the Obama administration appears to agree, the U.S. should stay clear of the decision-making — as soon as U.S. military force is no longer needed.
Tomorrow? Next week? With luck, before the end of the year. This policeman thing is habit-forming.
— Emerson Lynn, jr.
