Fun in the Middle East

Every now and then I will talk politics or world events. Unless you have been living in a hole the last month or so you should have heard of the craziness which has now taken over the region. It is wild to watch an actual revolution roll from country to country. People rising in the streets to throw off the bands of oppression! Of course this equals pain, suffering, and an unstable part of the world in the meantime. This leads to the ultimate questions, does the United States get involved?

My simple answer is no. To be more specific I do not wish to aid them militarily. Now I know people are going to label me as cold hearted. That I would just let those poor Libyans suffer and die as we watch. However, this has to a revolution by Libyans, or Algerians, or Iranians. It can not be an American revolution. Otherwise, whatever government pops up won't be an Arab democracy, it will just be another American puppet government. It doesn't matter if it really is or not, the world will see it for that. They have to win their own freedom, we cannot do it for them. This is one of the problems I think we have had in Iraq. We created the government, not the people. Does this mean people are going to die? Yes. I know this is easy for me to say sitting in America, but that is just the way it is. I will say at the same time if mass genocide commences then of course I am willing to step in and stop that, but not actually overthrowing the government in place of the people.

This also does not mean that I am not in favor of aiding them in other ways. We have started do this with asset freezes. The United States just the other day froze 30 billion in assets. If he can't fund his army his grip on power will be loosened. I am also for sending humanitarian aid such as food and medicine. I don't want to see kids starving to death as a result of a madman. I just don't want to be sending mass amounts of weapons and ammo into Northern Africa.

It is a very fine line to walk, and so far I think the President has handled it well. He has acknowledged it and is keeping an eye out. Also, let the crazy guy in Libya know if he gets too crazy we will end him. However, he is staying far enough away that this is a Libyan Revolution. Therefore, it belongs to the people, and when the government belongs to the people they will cherish it that much more because it was paid for with their blood. I just pray it doesn't cost too much.