Hearing recent accounts of the fighting led me to think of the Warsaw Uprising (July 31, 1944), when for sixty-three days the Polish Home Army waged a losing battle to liberate a city that the Wehrmacht then systematically destroyed.
Meanwhile the Red Army held its position in eastern Poland even as Stalin blocked Western attempts to provide assistance to the city, allowing the Germans to liquidate those Poles most likely to resist Soviet attempts to satellite their country.
While I assume the West can be exonerated of a wish to see opposition to Colonel Gaddafi liquidated, it’s hard not to think of Zawiya as a second Warsaw.
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
The news clips showing the Libyan rebels have been sad to watch.
Their lack of organization, their lack of tactical skills, their lack of even the most basic skills in the use of the weapons that they have been shown handling is incredible, bordering on being mind-boggling.
Back in 1987 (or so) when the Libyan Army attempted to invade Chad, its performance was also pathetic. But that may have been mainly do to the fact that the Libyan troops used to invade Chad were mostly conscripts. Most of the regular Libyan troops stayed safely back in Libya.
“Then why doesn’t the UN and the EU do something?”
The UN has no capability to do anything other than provide ‘authority’ or ‘cover’ for one or more of its member nations to do something. The EU is not primarily a military entity.
“Do[ing] smething” is problematic. Qudaffi is obviously ‘daffy’ and vicious and, at this moment, the Libyan rebels seem genuine in their motivation to replace him with a democratic/representative government for their country.
But, is that the way things will turn out if the rebels overthrow daffy Qadaffi?
But setting up a democracy requires a process that takes time.
Other forces in Libya will oppose a truly representative democracy including tribal leaders, various Mulim factions, etc.
These other forces, backed by considerable outside assistance and money are more than ready to ‘jump in’ and thwart the establishment of a democratically governed Libya. In fact, that is the more probable result of a rebel victory over Qadaffi.
Any involvement of non-Muslim military forces ‘on the ground’ may well be highly counter-productive and will probably aid the efforts of Muslim radicals.
There is one US and possibly NATO card that can be played and that is the use of special forces personnel who are trained in organizing and initially leading indigenous forces.
The French were successful in providing such leadership to Chad when the Libyans tried to invade that country. But any such special forces operations must be conducted by troops who have been prepared to operated in North Africa or very similar regions.
The politicians sending in the special forces must maintain a low-profile and not attempt to use the appilcation of those special forces to their own personal polityical advantage.
6, all good reasons for the US to do nothing. Unless, “There is one US and possibly NATO card that can be played and that is the use of special forces personnel who are trained in organizing and initially leading indigenous forces.” So we lie. But then we will be blamed of course. We are always blamed.
Reminds me of the Hungarian uprising against the Communists in the ’50s. We stood by and gave them absolutely nothing but words. We were too busy forcing the Israelis, British and French to withdraw from the Suez Canal, letting the despot Nasser’s aggression stand unchallenged.
I just had some friends send me a link to a website where you can get information on how to pray for Libya:
http://www.pray4libya.net/
Spread the word… and keep praying!
Hearing recent accounts of the fighting led me to think of the Warsaw Uprising (July 31, 1944), when for sixty-three days the Polish Home Army waged a losing battle to liberate a city that the Wehrmacht then systematically destroyed.
Meanwhile the Red Army held its position in eastern Poland even as Stalin blocked Western attempts to provide assistance to the city, allowing the Germans to liquidate those Poles most likely to resist Soviet attempts to satellite their country.
While I assume the West can be exonerated of a wish to see opposition to Colonel Gaddafi liquidated, it’s hard not to think of Zawiya as a second Warsaw.
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
The news clips showing the Libyan rebels have been sad to watch.
Their lack of organization, their lack of tactical skills, their lack of even the most basic skills in the use of the weapons that they have been shown handling is incredible, bordering on being mind-boggling.
Back in 1987 (or so) when the Libyan Army attempted to invade Chad, its performance was also pathetic. But that may have been mainly do to the fact that the Libyan troops used to invade Chad were mostly conscripts. Most of the regular Libyan troops stayed safely back in Libya.
Then why doesn’t the UN and the EU do something?
Good question.
By the same token, why doesn’t the Arab League do something?
“Then why doesn’t the UN and the EU do something?”
The UN has no capability to do anything other than provide ‘authority’ or ‘cover’ for one or more of its member nations to do something. The EU is not primarily a military entity.
“Do[ing] smething” is problematic. Qudaffi is obviously ‘daffy’ and vicious and, at this moment, the Libyan rebels seem genuine in their motivation to replace him with a democratic/representative government for their country.
But, is that the way things will turn out if the rebels overthrow daffy Qadaffi?
But setting up a democracy requires a process that takes time.
Other forces in Libya will oppose a truly representative democracy including tribal leaders, various Mulim factions, etc.
These other forces, backed by considerable outside assistance and money are more than ready to ‘jump in’ and thwart the establishment of a democratically governed Libya. In fact, that is the more probable result of a rebel victory over Qadaffi.
Any involvement of non-Muslim military forces ‘on the ground’ may well be highly counter-productive and will probably aid the efforts of Muslim radicals.
There is one US and possibly NATO card that can be played and that is the use of special forces personnel who are trained in organizing and initially leading indigenous forces.
The French were successful in providing such leadership to Chad when the Libyans tried to invade that country. But any such special forces operations must be conducted by troops who have been prepared to operated in North Africa or very similar regions.
The politicians sending in the special forces must maintain a low-profile and not attempt to use the appilcation of those special forces to their own personal polityical advantage.
6, all good reasons for the US to do nothing. Unless, “There is one US and possibly NATO card that can be played and that is the use of special forces personnel who are trained in organizing and initially leading indigenous forces.” So we lie. But then we will be blamed of course. We are always blamed.
Reminds me of the Hungarian uprising against the Communists in the ’50s. We stood by and gave them absolutely nothing but words. We were too busy forcing the Israelis, British and French to withdraw from the Suez Canal, letting the despot Nasser’s aggression stand unchallenged.