People who supported the Libya invasion...so do you still think we can reduce defense spending?

[dkf]

Cuz you all just ramped it up again.

No fly zones for how long?

[ButterflyBlood]

1. I haven't seen anyone on this forum advocate an invasion of Libya

and the US has not invaded Libya. The question is completely pointless.

[aquart]

3. Is flamebait ever pointless?

[dkf]

10. If someone took out our air defense and instituted a no fly zone what would you call that?

Maybe it's not boots on the ground but if anyone did that to us or helped anyone do that to us, I think maybe we would call it that.

[el_bryanto]

2. People wanted to cut defense spending and invade Libya? Here at DU?

Both at the same time?

Or possibly you are ascribing views to people you disagree with in order to accuse them of hypocricy?

Bryant

[ButterflyBlood]

4. It's amazing people don't realize that strawman arguments don't help their cause

Maybe they should just stick to mindlessly yelling "No blood for oil!" with no knowledge of the facts. At least that might appeal to persuading the simple minded.

[dkf]

6. We have seen this entire thing before in Iraq.

Same exact thing. How do we change the ending?

[PVnRT]

11. No, it isn't

Unless you really think "preemptive invasion" and "UN sanctioned, multinational action" are the same thing.

[ButterflyBlood]

15. No, not even close to the exact same thing

There are no ground forces and it's a UN-sanctioned multilateral operation instead of a unilaterial preemptive strike. Amongst other things.

[Atman]

17. Oh, so it's FREE, then! Thanks for clearing that up.

:eyes:

[ButterflyBlood]

18. Where in that post did I make that claim? n/t

[Atman]

19. The implication was clear. We're talking about SPENDING and you...

...say it's all a strawman and not remotely the same thing because THIS TIME it's UN sanctioned. So what? If The Pope himself sanctioned it, with God and Jesus sitting at either side, it would STILL cost us money that the government says we don't have. I care not who sanctioned the invasion...it's going to cost us millions upon millions of dollars. Meanwhile, tell your sick grandma to f*ck herself, she can make it on her own now. Shared sacrifice and all, you know.

[ButterflyBlood]

20. The strawman is that people on DU want to invade Libya

I have not seen a single post advocating an invasion of Libya.

[Atman]

21. self delete

[GOTV]

5. Depends on what you mean by "can"

I think we can have a no fly zone in Libya for a substantial time period, and sufficiently protect our country on a much smaller budget than we currently have.

I don't think reducing defense spending is politically possible. So in that sense I don't think we can reduce defense spending whether or not there is a no fly zone in Libya.

[damntexdem]

7. Yes we can. The no-fly zone costs are a small drop in a very big bucket.

Now consider how much less costly (in money and human life) it would have been had the legal no-fly zones in Iraq been continued rather than the illegal invasion there.

[Atman]

16. But the Iraq no-fly zones weren't continued, as you might recall...

...and now we're trillions in debt for two off-the-books wars while our government says we can no longer afford essential services. But we can afford to invade yet another country. I gotta admit, you're a good lobbyist for the defense industry! At least you're persistent.

[leftstreet]

8. Link to threads supporting the invasion of Libya? n/t

[Catherina]

9. The New Democrats have no interest in reducing defense spending.

Just check their blather about strong defense and the kind of hawks they run.

[Change Happens]

12. WE DID NOT INVADE LIBYA, NOONE HAS...

Are you confused?

[jp11]

13. If there were an invasion would people then deciding we were 'done' mean they cut defense spending?

Cause you and I both know it doesn't work like that.

[Ikonoklast]

14. I dunno. Ask the EU and other NATO nations.

They are going to do the grunt work on this one.

They are already in the proper position, and have a logistical advantage in being able to do so.


And those U.S. aircraft carriers with warplanes on them, that are tooling around the Mediterranean right now? Those planes would fly anyway, everyday.

They just don't haul them around for shits and giggles, they train continuously, and that means flying them.