President Obama's decision to participate in the strikes in Libya has already cost U.S. taxpayers "well over $100 million," according to the National Journal. The Journal also relayed that, "the initial stages of taking out Libya's air defenses could ultimately cost...coalition forces between $400 million and $800 million." The administration launched this new war (and yes, it is a war) with no official congressional authorization, little public debate and with a vague, possibly even non-existent, endgame in mind. It's as if the lessons of the last decade are completely lost on policymakers in the United States.
Congress and the president should be ending the wars we were already in, not starting new ones in new Arab countries where even the hint of civilian casualties could quickly set fire to a bonfire of anti-U.S. sentiment. For example:
"A day after a summit meeting in Paris set the military operation in motion, a vital Arab participant in the agreement expressed unhappiness with the way the strikes were unfolding. The former chairman of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, told Egyptian state media that he was calling for an emergency league meeting to discuss the situation in the Arab world, and particularly Libya.
"'What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians,' he said, referring to Libyan government claims that allied bombardment had killed dozens of civilians. "
This is what happens even when there's no definitive proof of civilian casualties. And don't kid yourself for a second: there will be civilian casualties. Just remember the opening days of the Iraq War, where none of the first 50 "precision" airstrikes hit their intended targets.
One would think that two horrendously expensive military disasters would be enough for the president and his advisers. After all, over in Afghanistan, we're already spending $1 million per soldier, per year, and spending approved by Congress will bring the total price tag just for direct Afghanistan War costs to half-a-trillion dollars this year. And that war is a caustic catastrophe that severely undermines U.S. national interests. Is a war where more troops have died this year than any other year of the conflict, where more civilians have died than any other year of the conflict, where more U.S. resources have been wasted than any other year of the conflict, not enough to hold the administration's attention?
The Obama Administration shouldn't think for a second that the fact that this expensive new military assault is taking place while policymakers are slashing basic services and public-sector jobs will be lost on the American people. This unwise military spending splurge has even caught the attention of leading Senate Republicans:
"Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Richard Lugar, R-Ind., says Congress should have had the opportunity to weigh in on what he said will be 'a very expensive operation, even in a limited way.'
"'It's a strange time in which almost all of our congressional days are spent talking about budget, deficits, outrageous problems,' Lugar said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. 'And yet [at the] same time, all of this passes.'"
The American people want Congress and the administration to be ending the wars which we were already fighting before this weekend, not starting new ones. We couldn't afford the other two wars we were already fighting before the cruise missiles started flying over Libya. This new war makes us less safe and spends precious resources on a war with an alarmingly vague end-game.
But hey, just remember the silver lining: Every time a Tomahawk cruise missile blows up a building in Libya (and everyone inside it), war-profiteer Raytheon makes $1.5 million.
If you're fed up with wars that don't make us safer and that aren't worth the cost, join Rethink Afghanistan on Facebook and Twitter, and meet others who share your views at your local Rethink Afghanistan Meetup.
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One of the most interesting considerations is that had the matter been taken to Congress, which it should have all you Constitutionalists, is that had Barack done that decision in effect would have negated the question. That is, by the time Congress acted, the opportunity would have been moot.
Meaning: our Constitution was written for an 18th century world (cannons & foot soldiers), not the pace of missiles and supersonic jets, immediate knowledge, and the attendant calls to act swiftly.
How many Libyans have died at the hands of its leader, M Gaddafi?
The US will be out of this conflict by the end of the week, and I pray that Gaddafi may be gone as well.
Legal issues:
1-No authorization from congress.
2-Obama did not make the slightest attempt to get congressional approval.
3-As some democratic congressmen have pointed out, that is impeachable.
Policy & long term strategy issues
1- What Obama has done is a half- measure. The most likely result is a long bloody civil war that will kill more Libyans than either doing nothing, or jumping in with both feet.
2-In part because of the half-measure aspect, this action makes the USA and Obama look weak and foolish.
3- Cost. The US economy is deeply strained by the costs of the long Iraq and Afghan wars and the foolish guns & butter economic policies of the last 30 + years are catching up with the USA. Factually we cannot keep this up, it is totally unsustainable. If we try our, and probably the world's economy will collapse worse than the great depression. We cannot afford new wars, we need to get out of the ones we are in and massively reduce overseas military comittments, and at the same time massively cut domestic spending including "entightlements".
I am not sure if we should be involved, but in this case it is totally the liberals to blame.
They did it anyway! They used their Naval Power and saved American ports etc.
The rest is history....our history!
So leave my President alone, he speaks for me! He see's the tidal wave of freedom coming in the middle east youth. He gets it ! ....You don't!
that now and do it? Why not be honest and just do it now,and save billions now????
Buy the way,does anyone think THE RICH SHOULD PAY THEIR SHARE TOO? From what I
hear, nobody thinks they should, other wise some one besides me would say so?
Where are U!! THE RICH SHOULD PAY THEIR TOO? PLEASE WAKE UP!!!!!!
Where are YOU?
i hear
nobody thinks they should