"The remaining military is acting loyally, competently, ruthlessly and even courageously, for whatever reason."
Really? Which conflict are you describing? The Gaddafi forces main tactics are A) to lob shells, missiles and rockets indiscriminately into civilian areas at almost no danger to themselves B) to engage foreign mercenary snipers to murder "rebels" from the tops of high buildings.
I don't see where the "courage" bit of this comes in. A large percentage of Gaddafi's "troops" seem to be either family cronies or recruits terrified of refusing to kill the "rebels" in case they themselves are shot. And of course, ANYONE defecting risks having their family murdered. This is called "terrorism" and should be more familiar to you.
The atrocities committed by Gaddafi's forces are clear; this is an appalling, murderous and tyrannical regime with no respect whatsoever for human rights of any kind. See this for just ONE example. http://www.amnesty.ie/news/nafousa-mountain-libyans-living-fear
Stalemate? Well, it seems to me that each day that passes the rebels get stronger (from a low base) and Gaddafi weaker - assuming he can't resupply his heavy weapons taken out by NATO.
A critical point is each side's supply of fuel ... it isn't clear to me what is going on in that department adn the reporting is very vague on it. Some time ago Gaddafi attacked MISLA in East Libya, but I don't know who is now in charge of that oilfield. One tanker of oil was exported from bzenghazi, but was that a one-off, and where is each side getting refined petrol & diesel from?
Many things are strange in this conflict. For example, the Miseratu rebels have finally cleared out that high insurance building of snipers by cutting off their supply lines, but if that building has been such a problem for so long why couldn't NATO just drop a 1,000lb bomb on top of it? They can't have been concerned about "civilians" in that building surely? So is there NO communication between rebels on the ground and NATO at all? Funny way to conduct a war. And are there civilians in those areas where the Gaddafi forces have their long-range stuff? Where are theC130s to take out the howitzers? John McCain is right - a long-drawn out campaign would be a disaster, so where is the USA? There are IN NATO after all, aren't they?
Well, those dying for their freedom in Libya will at least be reassured to know that their heroism is "a sideshow".
Mullen's comment about "stalemate" WAS silly. And in any case, you seem obsessed by the "instant-success-syndrome" of the modern age. SO WHAT if it's going slowly? It is the END result that matters. In WWII it took SIX LONG YEARS to defeat fascism, and at times we thought it would never end and we could never win.
The USA should at once get out of Bahrein, which along with Saudi Arabia & Syria should be subject to UN sanctions.
Either you believe in and act upon right and wrong or you don't. You can't convincingly pick and choose whom to support just because of geo-political considerations. So WHAT if Iran is looming in the background? TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT. The Bahrein govt has shown itself to be illegitimate; hunting down doctors because they ahve evidence of state atrocities is beyond the pale.
those who see the United Nations intervention as a form of neo-imperialism.
Why pay any attention to imbeciles? There are also those who think that the Jehovah's Witnesses are aliens attemptiong to take over the world. I don't pay any attention to those either.
Is there anyone left in the media speaking from comfortable chairs in safe offices who actually believes in fighting for freedom, even soĆ¹meone ELSE'S freedom?
"The remaining military is acting loyally, competently, ruthlessly and even courageously, for whatever reason."
Really? Which conflict are you describing? The Gaddafi forces main tactics are A) to lob shells, missiles and rockets indiscriminately into civilian areas at almost no danger to themselves B) to engage foreign mercenary snipers to murder "rebels" from the tops of high buildings.
I don't see where the "courage" bit of this comes in. A large percentage of Gaddafi's "troops" seem to be either family cronies or recruits terrified of refusing to kill the "rebels" in case they themselves are shot. And of course, ANYONE defecting risks having their family murdered. This is called "terrorism" and should be more familiar to you.
The atrocities committed by Gaddafi's forces are clear; this is an appalling, murderous and tyrannical regime with no respect whatsoever for human rights of any kind. See this for just ONE example. http://www.amnesty.ie/news/nafousa-mountain-libyans-living-fear
Stalemate? Well, it seems to me that each day that passes the rebels get stronger (from a low base) and Gaddafi weaker - assuming he can't resupply his heavy weapons taken out by NATO.
A critical point is each side's supply of fuel ... it isn't clear to me what is going on in that department adn the reporting is very vague on it. Some time ago Gaddafi attacked MISLA in East Libya, but I don't know who is now in charge of that oilfield. One tanker of oil was exported from bzenghazi, but was that a one-off, and where is each side getting refined petrol & diesel from?
Many things are strange in this conflict. For example, the Miseratu rebels have finally cleared out that high insurance building of snipers by cutting off their supply lines, but if that building has been such a problem for so long why couldn't NATO just drop a 1,000lb bomb on top of it? They can't have been concerned about "civilians" in that building surely? So is there NO communication between rebels on the ground and NATO at all? Funny way to conduct a war. And are there civilians in those areas where the Gaddafi forces have their long-range stuff? Where are theC130s to take out the howitzers? John McCain is right - a long-drawn out campaign would be a disaster, so where is the USA? There are IN NATO after all, aren't they?
Well, those dying for their freedom in Libya will at least be reassured to know that their heroism is "a sideshow".
Mullen's comment about "stalemate" WAS silly. And in any case, you seem obsessed by the "instant-success-syndrome" of the modern age. SO WHAT if it's going slowly? It is the END result that matters. In WWII it took SIX LONG YEARS to defeat fascism, and at times we thought it would never end and we could never win.
The USA should at once get out of Bahrein, which along with Saudi Arabia & Syria should be subject to UN sanctions.
Either you believe in and act upon right and wrong or you don't. You can't convincingly pick and choose whom to support just because of geo-political considerations. So WHAT if Iran is looming in the background? TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT. The Bahrein govt has shown itself to be illegitimate; hunting down doctors because they ahve evidence of state atrocities is beyond the pale.
those who see the United Nations intervention as a form of neo-imperialism.
Why pay any attention to imbeciles? There are also those who think that the Jehovah's Witnesses are aliens attemptiong to take over the world. I don't pay any attention to those either.
Is there anyone left in the media speaking from comfortable chairs in safe offices who actually believes in fighting for freedom, even soĆ¹meone ELSE'S freedom?