The President Speaks About Libya

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About Libya and the No-Fly Zone

about Libya:

my whole thing is, from the beginning - this is NOT our problem.

I know enough about politics and Geopolitics, especially OIL-based politics.

here's the thing - this is NOT ' our' oil.

this is Europe's oil.
this is China's oil.

we BARELY have diplomatic relations with Libya, and somehow, it's OUR problem?

puleeze.

I was watching Roland Martin's show, and how come it's up to the Black folks to break it down. NOWHERE ELSE did I hear it broken down like it was on his panel today.

1. why is this US's problem?
2. How come the ARABS can't enforce the NO-FLY ZONE? they have enough weapons...how do we know this? WE SOLD IT TO THEM.
3. how is it with us barely having diplomatic relations with Libya, does it fall on THIS President.

Cynthia Tucker said it - we only have diplomatic relations with Libya because of George W. Bush...so, if this is anyone's problem, it's HIS.

I am disappointed in our involvement in this, but I don't blame the President, and I'm not going crazy like other folks, mainly because everything that had to happen in order for this President to actually AGREE to this - happened. So, what's the man supposed to do?

I think that the Arab League was shocked that folks took them seriously...AND AT THEIR WORD that they wanted a NO-FLY ZONE. IMO, they thought that the old reliables - CHINA and/or RUSSIA would provide the objecting vote on the Security Council, and then they'd be able to go ' oh well, we wanted a NO-FLY ZONE, but it didn't make it out of the Security Council'. When the abstentions happened, and the NO-FLY Zone passed, they went ' OH SHIT'. Now, we have these suckers trying to do the backtrack to which I say - HELL TO THE NAW on that.

I am not happy, but there are some things in which I'm tired of folks trying to hang on this President, especially when it comes to foreign policy. I don't want no damn Cowboy. I want someone who gets that folks in the rest of the world should have the option for self-determination, even if it's messy. I believe this President understands that.

Thoughts on Libya

I heard Dennis Kucinich call for the impeachment of the President for authorizing US participation in the military operation in Libya, while John McCain -- President Obama's opponent in the 2008 elections is calling for a more robust engagement (I'm assuming that's boots on the ground).  That's quite a wide divergence of opinion.  My friends and colleagues are of various minds on this issue as well.  I would guess that as usual I will fall somewhere in between.

Like many of the World's people I have been watching closely the events unfolding in a region stretching from Tunisia to Iran.  We are seeing popular uprisings, people taking their lives into their own hands, refusing to simply follow the dictates of the powers that be.  I've found it interesting that many here in America are dismissive of these aspirations, suggesting that Arabs and Muslims aren't capable of democracy -- but were we ready for it in 1776?  Some will say that we're already involved in two other wars, why enter a third?   Personally, I wouldn't call this entering a war.  We're participating in an action protecting people seeking to determine their own future.  Yes, that might seem like splitting hairs, but I think the hairs need splitting at this point. 

Whether you agree with the actions taken by Western Governments as authorized by the UN and called for by the Arab League, I would hope that you would sympathize and even empathize with the people of Libya, who have lived under the iron fist of a megalomaniac for decades.  Libya has lots of money, but it has gone to the few and not the many.  We are seeing this unfold in Yemen and Bahrain as well.  The times are changing and we must get ready for what comes next.  It may be messy, but that is the way of revolutionary moments.  It was true for this country, and the concerns that led to revolution in America were not nearly as dire as those experienced in these countries today. 

Do I have a word from the Lord on this?  No, I just have my own gut sense that we are at a tipping point in history and it would be good if we all got on the right side of history!

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