The United State’s recent action in Libya has sparked much controversy from all sides of the political spectrum, and not all of it has been uniform with party lines. Since our forces were deployed in late March, many debates have erupted over whether or not the US should intervene at all.
In addition, President Barack Obama bypassed Congress in the decision to send in our military. Though the adminisration argues that we are not at war with Libya and these actions are Constitutional, many are angry that the President ordered our military in without consulting Congress and, by extension, the people.
Our country has a $14.2 trillion debt and a $1.5 trillion deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Pentagon has said that the Libyan action cost us $600 million in 6 days. This cost stems from 191 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 455 precision guided bombs and the downed F-15E fighter jet, in addition to other supplies.
We are coming up on two weeks of what the administration calls “kinetic military action,” and if the trend continues we will spend $1.2 billion intervening in another country’s civil war.
Can we afford to initiate ‘kinetic military action’ in countries that have problems? Obama said in his March 28 speech that we must act when our interests and values are at stake. So what about Syria, and Yemen, and Iran? In the Iranian protests in 2009, there were reports of 72 deaths of peaceful protestors caused by the government. Where was the US backing then?
What about Darfur? Genocide and brutal civil war has been going on there for years. Why is the US not helping out there?
Obama promised that we would have no troops on the ground in Libya, yet the 22nd MEU from Camp Lejeune left US shores to be deployed on the Libyan coast.
The administration has even hinted that we would give arms to these rebels. These rebels, according their commander, have Al-Qaeda ties, and some have even been found to have fought against the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama said that we have succeeded in pushing Qaddafi back on the military front, but in the hours after he made those remarks reports came out that stated that rebel forces were being pushed back — Qaddafi’s forces have taken one strategic oil town after another.
We have wasted over $1 billion in aid to a country in civil war with little tangible effect, and now, thanks to Obama’s rhetoric, we’re obligated to help other countries in similar trouble around the world? Mission Accomplished, Mr. president.
