Thinking Instead of Bombing

It’s actually shocking how many responsible politicians talk so irresponsibly about the necessity of putting up an anti-Gadhafi no-fly zone. Shouldn’t we be asking what the results of such an action might be before we unleash the dogs of war? Who authorizes it? Against whom is it directed? Haven’t the political and humanitarian tragedies playing out in Iraq and Afghanistan yet taught us that internal reforms, not to mention revolutions, have to be internally driven? Western military superiority only causes long-term destruction.

The most compelling reason given in favor of airstrikes is that Gadhafi has to be forced to give up and abdicate as quickly as possible. That assumes that Gadhafi can be dealt with rationally. All indications thus far, however, show that Gadhafi lives in some sort of unpredictable parallel universe where human rights have about as much place as U.N. resolutions.

Such deliberations about the usefulness of a military response don’t necessarily have to culminate in inaction. On the contrary, it would have been wise had the wealthier Western nations begun setting up effective measures to deal with aid to refugees. Rather than beefing up the Frontex barriers, Europe could have opened the castle gates in order to help those most in need.