Reply #38: North Africa is Europe's problem – not Obama's [View All]

[joshcryer]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/27/observer-editorial-libya-barack-obama">North Africa is Europe's problem – not Obama's
Committees are sometimes the fairest way to decide policy; rarely, if ever, are they the most efficient. As a system for conducting wars, their shortcomings are obvious.

Public concern about the risks of intervention in Libya are hardly allayed by the impression that no one appears to be taking ultimate political charge of the mission.

The diplomatic impetus for action came from France and Britain. The US was, after some delay, recruited as a key advocate. Most of the military assets being used in the operation come from members of the Nato alliance. The Arab League is providing diplomatic support and some hardware in the form of Qatari and UAE jets.

The tactical imperative of halting Colonel Gaddafi's assault on Benghazi meant it was necessary last week to shoot missiles first and ask organisational questions later. But those questions quickly reasserted themselves. Almost as quickly, they led to disagreement among anti-Gaddafi allies.

A wise poster here talked about how Africa doesn't have the power to deal with the Libya crisis, so the only allies nearby was EU. This article kinda hits on that.