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How long will our military involvement in the Libyan War last?

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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 11:59 AM
Original message
Poll question: How long will our military involvement in the Libyan War last?
Edited on Thu Mar-24-11 11:59 AM by tekisui
The WH, France and others haven't repeatedly claimed it will last "days, not weeks" and alternatively it will last "weeks, not months".

At any rate, the longest the operation would last if they are correct is 8 weeks. Beyond that, we would be into multiple months. For the sake of the poll, involvement can be considered as long as foreign nations are flying missions and enforcing the no-fly zone.

On day 6 now. How long do you think it will last?
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:02 PM
Response to Original message
1. you left out ''until the last drop of oil is sucked from the sand''
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daleanime Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:07 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. +10,000
first requirement for US involvement, does the nation have oil resources?:banghead:
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. If it turns out differently, are you going to take back these words?
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:38 PM
Response to Reply #6
14. Have you read THE PRIZE by Daniel Yergin? It got a Pulitzer Prize. It's about the history of oil
When oil companies call presidents and senators, they don't ask for favors, they give orders.

Our foreign policy is almost exclusively about business, especially oil.

For a broader view of our foreign interventions, you could read Steven Kinzer's OVERTHROW, which catalogs our overthrow of sovereign governments starting with Hawaii.

In all cases, the country either had some resource or land we wanted, or the locals were trying to get a bigger cut of the profits from US business interests already operating there and had to be crushed.

Until Iraq, with the exception of Germany and Japan after World War II, any talk of fighting for democracy and human rights was exposed as a bad joke when people saw the oppressive, dictatorial puppets we installed to carry water for those businesses.

Even when wars do good things like freeing slaves or shutting down Nazi death camps, those are happy side effects, not what we went to war over.
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. I respectfully asked you a question. Please do me the honor of addressing it.
thank you.
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 07:38 PM
Response to Reply #15
19. your question is akin to asking me to apologize if you prove Santa Claus exists.
You are ignoring history and not even conspiracy theory history but history in the accepted public record.

You need to do your homework before taking that tone with people.
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 07:41 PM
Response to Reply #19
20. Then your answer is "no". You see, if I turn out to be wrong, I will admit it.
That's what peace is all about, isn't it?
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 11:38 PM
Response to Reply #20
23. I would admit it, and be happy I was wrong, it's just very, very unlikely.
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Kennah Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:15 PM
Response to Reply #1
9. Aw c'mon. We'll be on Pandora before then.
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dipsydoodle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:06 PM
Response to Original message
2. I've plumbed for over a year.
Edited on Thu Mar-24-11 12:08 PM by dipsydoodle
I'm convinced the country will be divided / partitioned and some combination of the US/NATO/UN will be involved in policing the border at least for a while.

First it needs a proper ceasefire on both sides to ensure neither side tries to gain further ground.
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Duer 157099 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:10 PM
Response to Original message
4. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months. n/t
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Ichingcarpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:14 PM
Response to Reply #4
8. Thank you Rummy... I forgot you said that years ago
at the beginning of another war.
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:11 PM
Response to Original message
5. Sorry. My crystal ball broke.
:shrug:
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:11 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. Yours is as good as any government spokesperson's.
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bobbolink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:18 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. Studying history has the advantage of knowing the outcome in advance.
LIVING history..... it unfolds, and at the time, it may seem like the unfolding is painfully slow.

I have never enjoyed studying history, but I gotta say... being so closely attuned to the Egyptian struggle and now the Libyan struggle has give me a new appreciation for those who struggled before.

Each day, each hour.. is a crap shoot.

Bless them all! :patriot:
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Spider Jerusalem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:18 PM
Response to Original message
10. "We" meaning "the US" or "we" meaning "the US/UK/French coalition"?
The answer to this is "as long as Gaddafi's forces continue to attack cities held by opponents of the regime and to kill civilians". The Security Council resolution (note relevant bolded text):

1. Demands the immediate establishment of a cease-fire and a complete end to violence and all attacks against, and abuses of, civilians;

2. Stresses the need to intensify efforts to find a solution to the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Libyan people and notes the decisions of the Secretary-General to send his Special Envoy to Libya and of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to send its ad hoc High Level Committee to Libya with the aim of facilitating dialogue to lead to the political reforms necessary to find a peaceful and sustainable solution;

3. Demands that the Libyan authorities comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law and take all measures to protect civilians and meet their basic needs, and to ensure the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance;


4. Authorizes Member States that have notified the Secretary-General, acting nationally or through regional organizations or arrangements, and acting in cooperation with the Secretary-General, to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory, and requests the Member States concerned to inform the Secretary-General immediately of the measures they take pursuant to the authorization conferred by this paragraph which shall be immediately reported to the Security Council;
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:20 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. The coalition involving the US.
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Spider Jerusalem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:30 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. Operational command is passing to either NATO or a joint British/French partnership
US military involvement after initial strikes is planned to be reduced drastically; the UK and France have sufficient aircraft and naval vessels to enforce a no-fly zone and blockade, especially with the assistance of other contributing nations (including Canada, Norway, Denmark, members of the Arab League, etc).

And the answer is still "as long as it takes", which could be a matter of weeks, could be a matter of months; it's not an easy thing to guess at. It depends entirely on whether Gaddafi realises the untenability of his position and calls for a genuine cease-fire (instead of the ruse de guerre "cease-fire" he called and then violated straight away).
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Demeter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:40 PM
Response to Original message
16. They Really Don't Have a Plan, You Know
It could just be that the US sneaks away in the dark, the way the Coalition of the Willing dissolved on W Bush....a no-drama solution.
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jillan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 12:41 PM
Response to Original message
17. It's too hard to say. First we need some answers with what they are trying to accomplish.
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Tierra_y_Libertad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 01:04 PM
Response to Original message
18. Until the "Masters of War" have bought enough mansions and yachts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9HDljNlWYk&feature=related

Masters of War

Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks.

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly.

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins.

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do.

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead.


Bob Dylan
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Tx4obama Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 07:46 PM
Response to Original message
21. It is NOT a 'war'. We are protecting the civilians that Gaddafi swore he'd kill. n/t
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-24-11 10:23 PM
Response to Reply #21
22. Those two aren't mutually exclusive.
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