It is easy to find a place in which we might intervene with the best of intentions

[jpgray]

It is easy to find people in desperate need of the West's resources. What is apparently very difficult is to leave that place and those people better off than we found them. We rarely have managed this.

No need to deny Libyan suffering, the brutality of Qaddafi, or that Western aid is desired and welcomed by many. I think, however, that some concern about our actions there is warranted, given our history of intervention up to this point. Having a completely rosy view of the business seems premature to me, especially as our goals and level of commitment to the opposition remain obscure.

[JuniperLea]

1. What rosy view would that be?

I've not seen anything rosy in quite the while.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Simples, as the meerkat says.

No oil, and visited regularly by Bono. We will be assured thereby that capitalism and imperialism aren't the motivation.