To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.
The Arab League wanted a 'no fly zone' without any kinetic military activity. Perhaps they didn't understand how that is accomplished. The African Union opposed the intervention. All in all it wasn't a compelling case by the Arabs/Africans. Yes, the Europeans wanted to intervene, but Obama did not have to support them.
The problem I have with this is that it was those same NATO allies who crafted the words of, and arm-twisted the reluctant 'rest of the world' represented by China, India, Brazil, Russia to abstain, and bring Resolution 1973 into force. It wasn't some objective third party that concluded that a humanitarian disaster was in the making, and that it would be appropriate for 'the International Community' to intervene. Having written the Resolution, the US could hardly sit it out. My problem still is, was it the right thing to do. I don't believe it was.
@JTMcPhee
Our modern history in a nutshell. It would make a wonderful panel of cartoons.
To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.
The Arab League wanted a 'no fly zone' without any kinetic military activity. Perhaps they didn't understand how that is accomplished. The African Union opposed the intervention. All in all it wasn't a compelling case by the Arabs/Africans. Yes, the Europeans wanted to intervene, but Obama did not have to support them.
The problem I have with this is that it was those same NATO allies who crafted the words of, and arm-twisted the reluctant 'rest of the world' represented by China, India, Brazil, Russia to abstain, and bring Resolution 1973 into force. It wasn't some objective third party that concluded that a humanitarian disaster was in the making, and that it would be appropriate for 'the International Community' to intervene. Having written the Resolution, the US could hardly sit it out. My problem still is, was it the right thing to do. I don't believe it was.