We still have to see how the situation in Libya unfolds in the coming weeks, but here in America, there's anything but heat of war. The reasons are varied and strong.
First of all, a considerable number of citizens feels that the only nation interested in this war is France and, in particular, President Sarkozy. The appearance in the media of some general ensuring that Qaddafi's statements (about having funded the election campaign of the French president) are true only confirmed these fears. It would therefore be a war promoted by France, a country that requires U.S. assistance when needed, yet is so reluctant to return the favor when asked from the White House. But if Sarkozy actually wants to erase traces of the funding, why must U.S. soldiers and marines collaborate?
Secondly, Americans certainly hate Qaddafi, but almost everybody feels that with two ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Libya should not be a priority at all. In fact, there are many who wonder why Qaddafi must be brought down and not any other dictators in the Muslim world that are even worse. Above all, why such haste with Qaddafi compared to the delays with Saddam Hussein that were due to, among other reasons, another French president who had received money from the tyrant in power?
Finally, more than a few Americans fear that the Nobel Prize Winner Obama will try to win a quick war to have something to present before an electorate increasingly antagonistic to him staying more years in the Oval Office. In view of the recent U.S. local elections, which I will further explain in a few days, this aspect takes on immense importance. With a debt that the government is determined to hide and an unemployment rate close to 10 percent, Americans are not even remotely willing to keep supporting Obama. The current president, truth be told, instills no enthusiasm, not even with Libya.
Está por ver cómo evolucionará la situación en Libia en las próximas semanas, pero aquÃ, en Estados Unidos, hay de todo menos ardor guerrero. Las razones son diversas y de no escaso peso.
Finalmente, puestos a malpensar, no pocos norteamericanos temen que el Premio Nobel Obama intente ganar una guerra rápida para presentarse con algo ante un electorado cada vez más contrario a que siga pasando más años en el Despacho Oval. Teniendo en cuenta lo que están siendo las elecciones locales en Estados Unidos en los últimos meses –prometo contar alguna historia verdaderamente ejemplar dentro de unos dÃas– este aspecto cobra una importancia inmensa. Y es que con una deuda que el Gobierno se empeña en ocultar y una tasa de desempleo cercana al diez por ciento, los norteamericanos no están ni lejanamente dispuestos a reiterar la confianza a Obama. El actual presidente –la verdad sea dicha ya ni con Libia entusiasma.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link
.
The message is unmistakable: there are no absolute guarantees and state sovereignty is conditional when it clashes with the interests of powerful states.