I applaud the government of France for taking the lead in defending the opposition forces in Libya today, as it has been reported that a French fighter destroyed a Libyan tank this morning. Viva La France! Thumbs down for Germany for refusing to help this international coalition. Germany now has a robust economy and should at least offer financial assistance in this endeavor, but they joined Russia, China, India in abstaining from even voting! Thumbs way up for the USA in it's proclamation that no ground troops (infantry & armor) will take part in this conflict. Let's pray for the safe return of every pilot and sailor who is placed in harm's way. 
Anybody want to get the boss a cuppa coffee? .......Hello?? just joking 
I am not a person who generally approves of getting involved in the civil wars of another nation...at least not to the point where American servicemen/women are in danger. That was my initial response when this conflict started too, except for one reason... This one reminds me of our own battle for independence against the British in the Revolutionary war. The Rebels in Libya are poorly armed, untrained, vastly outnumbered and determined to have their liberty....or death. Without the military assistance of another country it is not likely that either of the 'Rebels would have prevailed in their quest for Liberty. I hope the people of Libya will not forget...
My problem is the answer to this question: What is it exactly that the rebels are fighting for? I admit to not knowing a lot about Libya, but Muslims are fairley predictable and freedom and Islam don't walk down the street hand in hand. I'm afraid that their rallying cry might be "Sharia. . . or death!" I think that as Americans, we want to root for the underdog/rebel because of our own beginnings; but not all underdogs are alike. What if the rebellion is backed by Al Qaeda or Sharia? - and it's not unlikely given the goals of those two entities. Are we better off with a new Islamic "republic"?
OK, now that all of that is said - what should the US course be? Side with the guy known to be a terrorist dictator or with the group that may end up as one? Or may not? Obviously we don't want Qaddafi still around, but I am leery of the people trying to throw him off. The Egyptian protestors sure weren't friendly to westerners in the country. They showed this disdain by beating the people that they knew would tell the story of those beatings - the journalists. So once again, what do we do? I don't know. I hope there is good intel on the rebels but as I see it - we're looking damned if we do, damned if we don't.
but as I see it - we're looking damned if we do, damned if we don't.
CaptO, Great post, and I will defer to your personal experience in sorting out the bad guys from the good guys. I was watching CNN on Saturday and heard Wolf Blitzer make the comment that this conflict would be troubling to Al Oaeda since they too hate Gadhafi. It would also trouble Muslim extremists because the rebels in Libya have expressed a desire to replace Gadhafi's dictatorship with a Secular government. That in itself has given me a better feeling about this, but you are absoloutly correct in stating that we really don't know alot yet about the opposition.
Yes, and the same way Lee and I view this. What may look good today, may not look so bright tomorrow.
Well sometimes you have to just wait and see. That's not meant in the sense that you must do nothing, just that what ever you do or don't do, you're just not going to know what the end will bring until it is here. There is a great quote from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Act 5, Scene 1:
Oh, that a man might knowThe end of this day's business ere it come!
But it sufficeth that the day will end,
And then the end is known.
And in even simpler terms:
Beware of what you wish, for it just may come true!