President Obama Authorizes Covert Help for Libyan Rebels

[Playinghardball]

Source:ABC News

President Obama has a signed a secret presidential finding authorizing covert operations to aid the effort in Libya where rebels are in full retreat despite air support from U.S. and allied forces, a source tells ABC News.

The finding does not direct covert operatives to provide arms to the rebels immediately, although it does prepare for such a contingency and other contingencies should the president decide to go down that road in the future

The White House press office issued a statement saying it does not comment on intelligence matters.

Read more at:http://abcnews.go.com/International/president-obama-authorizes-covert-libyan-rebels/story?id=13259028

[SlimJimmy]

1. Is this something we *really* want to do. Vietnam started with

advisers and escalated from there. Do we really want to go down that road?

[obxhead]

2. Just another step towards boots on the ground

and another full scale invasion.

[bluestate10]

3. Send in two MEUs and an Army Division and get rid of Qaddafi.

Qaddafi is a monster who had blood dripping off his hands.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. 10,000 children killed by malnutrition today

I think our efforts might be better spent elsewhere.

[bluestate10]

8. Using your math, 3.65 million children will die of malnutrition this year.

Do you realize how absurd that number is. I care about hunger and dedicate a good part of my income to fighting it, please don't insult me with bullshit.

Qaddafi is a monster. If he gets his way, the people that he kills won't have time to die of malnutrition, or the opportunity for aid agencies to help save their lives.

[spin]

10. War always sounds easy.

But when you end up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your original plan was just to drain the swamp.

Iraq and Afghanistan were supposed to be easy.

[annabanana]

5. Uh. . "covert"?. .

Does that word mean what you think it means, guys?

[underpants]

6. Good

we need people on the ground to do this right. Did we have anyone in Iraq before the invasion?

[bluestate10]

7. I agree. Insert troops, rip Qaddafi apart and get the hell out and

warn the rebels that if they do not build a democratic society, the US military will be back and will be pissed off.

[upi402]

9. like they weren't in there already? n/t