Riddle me this Grasshopper..

[kentuck]

The Arabs, right or wrong, are depicted in our media as creative in the ways they can make bombs and kill people. They all have guns and knives and do not shy away from violence.

Yet, we are told the American military needs to bomb Libya and protect the people from their dictator. Why cannot they and other Arab countries unite to overthrow these criminal dictators? The whole world is fearful of their terrorism but they cannot defend themselves?

It does not compute. We are at war with two countries in the Middle East or Asia because we are fearful of what they might do to us. Why cannot they do the same to the evil dictators??

[polichick]

1. Well, we're not really at war because we're fearful - we're at war for...

...corporate profits.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Apparently Qutar (gutter) a more or less US protectorate has offered

4 planes for the cause. If that counts.

[AKDavy]

3. It's complicated

We must trust our leaders to make these decisions for us.

Like that one House representative who expressed concern that the military buildup in Guam might cause the Island to capsize.

I feel safe in the hands of such people.

[Motown_Johnny]

4. because it is not all Arabs that are depicted as being creative

in the ways they can make bombs and kill people.


That is only Muslim extremists. Most people (of any ethnicity) need protection from a dictator with things like tanks, artillery and fighter planes.

[ZombieHorde]

5. The terrorists' techniques don't work well for overthrowing governments.

You can't car bomb a government out of power.

[kentuck]

6. I don't know...

They did pretty bombing our country to ruin. In indirect ways.

[damntexdem]

7. In the wave of uprisings, the masses so uprising have attempted peaceful change.

But in some countries, especially Libya, they were met by brutal, murderous force. In Libya, rebels were quite creative in using out-of-date arms to fight against a well-funded, fairly-modern military made up largely of mercenaries from other countries. That people in this country might have some image of Arab supermen and superwomen who could overcome tanks and planes by sheer willpower is just a sign of stupidity in this country. What the rebels have said is that the no-fly zone and limited missile attacks will give them the space to use what they have to defeat Gadhafi's mercenaries.

[Shagbark Hickory]

8. Simple. Because the other "Arab countries" are controlled by dictators themselves or

corrupt dictatoresque scumbuckets.

[sad sally]

9. I smell a need for troops on the ground in Libya coming up very soon

Have you seen pictures of the rebels marching? One had on white tennis shoes; one was twirling a pistol, they don't have uniforms, for goodness sakes; these men will need some serious training on how to police their country. Will probably also need refresher courses on treatment of prisoners (acceptable torture vs nonacceptable torture).

[Moondog]

10. An excellent question, sensei.

And you're right. It does not compute. In fact, I definitely detect the strong aroma of .. *sniff* *sniff* .. bullshit.