Arab Spring sinking into the Quagmire

A few months ago President Obama let NATO lead us into the what has become the Libyan civil war. This has turned into nothing so much as a standoff with neither side as currently constituted having the ability to emerge victorious. With an equivocating statement that regime change was not our immediate goal but to protect those against Khadaffi from being decimated by attacks on civilians the United States is in this untenable position of not knowing what the mission is or what success looks like.

I never thought getting involved in Libya was the right decision as I did not think we had anything at stake worth American lives and cost but now what is going on in Syria and Yemen is as bad if not worse as what was going on in Libya a few months ago. Perhaps we have learned a lesson that we do not want to commit too soon. Perhaps, more cyncially we consider the President of Yemen, a bad guy who works with us, and Assad in Syria, while a bad guy at least one who provides stability in a volatile region as people we want to stay in power versus the devil we do not know.

Afghanistan is a money pit. If we spend a bilion dollars a month or nothing from this point forward when we leave it will be a cesspool. We cannot affect long term change. We have no reason to be there. Perhaps we should just establish and empire in the Middle East. Our motives would be clearer, we would have a clearer vision and we would gain something for our , as it is put, blood and treasure.

It is not just Obama's fault but our whole Middle East policy is predicated on oil which is no surprise but also on a quicksand of double standards, supporting one dictator and declaring another the devil. It is hypicrocy in action. If we cannot proclam a holistic approach and a similar attitude to do what is right perhaps we should change our policies to reflect our own naked, unaltruistic, self interest at all times. As it is now we have a mish mash policy that pleases no one and helps no one.

Hopefully a real debate can take place in the next election. One doubts it however.