The West needed to do something in the ME. Libya seemed like a gift from God: identifiable boogieman killing civilians, oil, business generally, refugees to Europe. How lucky they were. Of course, Professor Cole is right about the popular sovereignty. But he can't be optimistic about America/EU meddling, jockeying for maximum benefit to themselves. The only question is: will the Axis (US/EU/ISR)have success in the long run? In the short term it must look pretty good to them.
Gaddafi is following the Bush/Obama playbook. alQaeda justifies everything they do. Makes you wonder, if Gaddafi is a known nutcase, why Bush and O don't qualify for that category.
Dr. Cole's attempt to infuse a bit of rational analysis into the discussion is valiant (in this US-firster climate)and valuable. On the other hand, his main audience--the educatable--are terribly conflicted on this one. In the abstract they're behind the people, but are they willing to pay the price of their principles?
US: We told you to do something earlier. Now it's too late. You have to stay until September. That will give us time to organize a more friendly political atmosphere and prepare a new president.
The Dictator: I can do that.
US: Tell the army it's the end of their welfare checks if they don't put a stop to the demonstrations.
The Army: We can't shoot our own people.
US: Then you'll go hungry.
US et al: (to the greater world) We believe in all the Universals. Order and Stability and Energy are major universals we believe in along with the right of people who agree with the above to beg for better conditions. That right you can count on.
(If this peeters, you can blame the US et al for killing it. Mubarak does nothing without their consent. There's too much money and power on the line to believe otherwise.)
Let's give Professor Cole a break: the Israelis are freaked out. Most Egyptians don't like the way Palestinians are treated, the racism against Arabs(obvious to see in recent statements by the by US and EU); nor do they like the fact that Arabs have leaders and governments that seem more interested in spending Western money on themselves and their apparatchiks while their "subjects" wallow in poverty.
Nicely done Professor Kolin. Looking forward to reading your latest book. I wonder if you can see Israel's trajectory in the same light, as a mini-US experience? I think such things as assassination of opponents, setting up reservations to corral the natives, aggressive preemptive wars and the way the US/West dismissed International Law whenever it was raised while relying on it whenever they needed to get someone out of the way has made those policies and actions the norm today. No one says anything beyond the usual suggestions that all states should follow international law. In other words, firing missiles at "enemies" regardless of the innocents in proximity was something the Israelies made legal merely by doing it and have pundits both sides of the Atlantic rationalize it through the fear meme.
Anyway, a rather sad reality. We should stop calling our first leaders the Founding Fathers and refer to them as our Founding Overlords. It would be more appropriate.
Hezbollah praised the removal of a puppet of the West by the people of Tunisia. How is that inconsistent with their support for the Arab underdog? According to the analysis above, one might wonder why Hezbollah didn't stand shoulder to shoulder with the anti-globalists that were being manhandled by the US police, often in violation of the constitution, considering their "universalist" principles. Or where is Hezbollah when the Chinese Comcapitalism government violently suppresses dissent? Studying Hezbollah with the prejudice that they are a terrorist group, gives one the kind of insight Mr Anzalone offers. You can do better than that: PhD candidate indeed.
The West needed to do something in the ME. Libya seemed like a gift from God: identifiable boogieman killing civilians, oil, business generally, refugees to Europe. How lucky they were. Of course, Professor Cole is right about the popular sovereignty. But he can't be optimistic about America/EU meddling, jockeying for maximum benefit to themselves. The only question is: will the Axis (US/EU/ISR)have success in the long run? In the short term it must look pretty good to them.
Furthermore, check out "Political Ponerology" for some insight and analysis into the psycho-psychology of "leaders."
Gaddafi is following the Bush/Obama playbook. alQaeda justifies everything they do. Makes you wonder, if Gaddafi is a known nutcase, why Bush and O don't qualify for that category.
Dr. Cole's attempt to infuse a bit of rational analysis into the discussion is valiant (in this US-firster climate)and valuable. On the other hand, his main audience--the educatable--are terribly conflicted on this one. In the abstract they're behind the people, but are they willing to pay the price of their principles?
US/EU/ISR/Saudi vs the people of Egypt
US: We told you to do something earlier. Now it's too late. You have to stay until September. That will give us time to organize a more friendly political atmosphere and prepare a new president.
The Dictator: I can do that.
US: Tell the army it's the end of their welfare checks if they don't put a stop to the demonstrations.
The Army: We can't shoot our own people.
US: Then you'll go hungry.
US et al: (to the greater world) We believe in all the Universals. Order and Stability and Energy are major universals we believe in along with the right of people who agree with the above to beg for better conditions. That right you can count on.
(If this peeters, you can blame the US et al for killing it. Mubarak does nothing without their consent. There's too much money and power on the line to believe otherwise.)
Let's give Professor Cole a break: the Israelis are freaked out. Most Egyptians don't like the way Palestinians are treated, the racism against Arabs(obvious to see in recent statements by the by US and EU); nor do they like the fact that Arabs have leaders and governments that seem more interested in spending Western money on themselves and their apparatchiks while their "subjects" wallow in poverty.
Nicely done Professor Kolin. Looking forward to reading your latest book. I wonder if you can see Israel's trajectory in the same light, as a mini-US experience? I think such things as assassination of opponents, setting up reservations to corral the natives, aggressive preemptive wars and the way the US/West dismissed International Law whenever it was raised while relying on it whenever they needed to get someone out of the way has made those policies and actions the norm today. No one says anything beyond the usual suggestions that all states should follow international law. In other words, firing missiles at "enemies" regardless of the innocents in proximity was something the Israelies made legal merely by doing it and have pundits both sides of the Atlantic rationalize it through the fear meme.
Anyway, a rather sad reality. We should stop calling our first leaders the Founding Fathers and refer to them as our Founding Overlords. It would be more appropriate.
Hezbollah praised the removal of a puppet of the West by the people of Tunisia. How is that inconsistent with their support for the Arab underdog? According to the analysis above, one might wonder why Hezbollah didn't stand shoulder to shoulder with the anti-globalists that were being manhandled by the US police, often in violation of the constitution, considering their "universalist" principles. Or where is Hezbollah when the Chinese Comcapitalism government violently suppresses dissent? Studying Hezbollah with the prejudice that they are a terrorist group, gives one the kind of insight Mr Anzalone offers. You can do better than that: PhD candidate indeed.