On the US policy in Libya:
The case of A Missing End Game; the Value of Panache, & the Beauty of the Truth.
In Response to Leslie Gelb & Bernard Henri Levy , in conversation with Charlie Rose.
The case of A Missing End Game; the Value of Panache, & the Beauty of the Truth.
In Response to Leslie Gelb & Bernard Henri Levy , in conversation with Charlie Rose.
...Dressed in trim blue blazer, a zippy white Dior shirt , Jean-Paul Gaultier socks , ...his thick -salt & pepper locks Flowing in every direction of the compass.
Striking a pose similar to a gracefully aging Calvin Klein Model, or a hip Peter Lorre
from the 60s, Bernard Levy cut a Dashing figure whose fashionable aesthetic was outshone only by his own Rhetorical style. Clearly a practiced theatricality -
Flamboyance, punctuated with Flourish- accented with panache, underscored all the more by the staid - Fatherly- conservative appearance of Leslie Gelb. Colorless, Balding, pale, visually disadvantaged all the more by what appeared to be a rather uncomfortable problem with his Left eye.
Mr. Levy, a well known writer and “public intellectual” in France, as it turns out, has a long standing relationship with the President of France, & apparently was a primary influence on Mr. Sarkozy’s response to the uprisings in Libya, and a primary Driver of the overall policy.
Without question, Bernard Levy proved formidable and compelling in his defense of both France’s position and the US Policy in Libya, including the predictable yet unfortunate opting out of yet -another- international crisis by Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Nato , the Arab League , & apparently anyone else with a solid stake in this game, meaning France, et al.
Strangely, his becoming demeanor, his appealing smile, in fact his entire performance -a little too polished for its own good- ...betrayed A theme lurking between the lines ...from day 1.
France, and anyone else with a moderate to vital interest in the tough Neighborhood of N. Africa has got to be thinking the following:
-If we can succeed in convincing the Suckers in the United States to Continue protecting our vital Security and Economic Interests , ( even better -make them believe that it was their idea & in their interest to do so)
we will be able to maintain our Retirement at 61 years of age, maintain our world renowned transportation & cultural infrastructure, and -continue to ice it all with 5 weeks paid vacation. Viva la France.
Why is the United States militarily involved in yet -another- Arab nation, particularly when this is clearly -not- our backyard, or an area of -vested interest- , which ... by the way, IS the backyard / vested interest, of the above mentioned slackers.
Good question,
and one that Leslie Gelb put to Bernard, Charlie’s audience, and the policy establishment responsible for another Endearing & Expensive & ..open ended, Foreign Policy conundrum.
Seriously Boys and Girls, this is not Rocket Science.
Its barely Policy Making 101.
Again, a healthy group of sixth Graders with some food in their stomaches could have managed this dilemma better than the geniuses in our Policy Making establishment - beginning with the White House.
What are we doing there? And why on Earth did Britain, France, Italy, Egypt, Spain, Nato, and / or the Arab League NOT assume the PRIMARY responsibility for implementing whatever goal(s) they are pursuing in Libya?
Regardless whether the mission is strictly Humanitarian- (which by the way , if you
fell for that one - I can get you a fantastic Deal on waterfront property with nearly a view of... Italy . see me afterward) oil security, Regime change, etc...
Regardless of the Actual objectives,
Why are we , The United States , immersed in Two 0n-going years long , complex , expensive engagements-
committed well beyond purse or operational capacity, Assuming the Lead role in this affair?
These are precisely the questions that Leslie Gelb courageously and relentlessly put to the Dashing Mr. Levi . The power & Beauty of - wisdom, dueling with Mr. Levy’s enormously distracting cornucopia of confidence, panache & theatrics, -- Going toe to toe , Mr. Gelb confronting and ultimately revealing the specious nature of Mr. Levy’s argument.
In this strange but highly entertaining moment, The Drab Mr. Gelb was transformed into a Dashing giddy prince. Obviously its a bit of a challenge to catch nuance from a television set, but it seemed to me ..Once he felt comfortable that his ideas were squarely on the table, (and I have to applaud Charlie for his tact and patience in allowing -both- of these players to articulate their positions ..in various nuances )
betraying the restrained Charisma of a Pope, -Leslie Gelb let out this completely, spontaneous, out of context gleeful yelp, at which point I thought he was going to get out of his chair and dance a little jig. -Charlie did’t bat an eye.
I was truly proud to see Mr. Gelb stand up to the Administration, -pointing out certain Fundamentals that should have been obvious from the beginning. For obvious reasons, criticizing one’s own can come at a hefty price, which is part of why we keep making the same adolescent mistakes over and over and over.
Why aren't the “Principles” assuming the costs and operational responsibility for this
mess?
Why did it automatically fall to the United States to clean up yet another mess in someone else’s back yard?
And - who will solve the mystery of the “case of the missing End Game”?
Beside Stephanie Power’s well know view of International Relations,
Who Specifically in our Government, & which Special Interests, which Political calculus, is Driving this policy?
Lastly, I put this question to both the Administration, the Foreign Policy establishment, and that part of the International community -including the Arab League, that are bent on having the United States both Manage and pay for this Mess.
Where were you when numerous opportunities to have condoned, ostracized, and isolated Mr. Qaddafi presented themselves?
Isolating and Ousting Mr. Qaddafi wasn't a convenient or worthwhile policy as long as the status Quo wasn’t entirely repugnant, and there was enough value in doing business with him. So ..in fact, over the course of the past few years, rather than continue to isolate and de-legitimize him, the opposite occurred. Because of his position concerning Weapons of Mass Destruction , et al. , He was embraced and supported by All.
On the misjudgments, rampant Falsehoods, bad advice, superficial understanding, misinterpretation of both the now and the likely future, not to mention a host of weak analysis and just plain simplistic naivety
Yes, as a society that values the just, Good, and rule of law, we should Never Never turn our back to Humanitarian crisis and in particular- acts of Genocide.
Yes, we should Never Never in the name of convince , interests, or profit , support a regime that commits atrocities against its people ...or any other peoples.
Yes, when possible, where realistic and viable, - we should support Justice,
Free speech, Rule of Law & Representative Governments that reflect peoples wishes as opposed to Dictating & Defining those wishes.
Regardless of #s 1-3
We do not have the resources or influence to Right all of the ills in the World.
Concerning what is likely the most egregious and -dangerous- of the Falsehoods flying around.
Specifically, On The Nature, dynamics, composition, and goals of those in the Rebellion & the likely sources of power in the Future
1. What speaks to any future Government in Libya looking favorably upon the United States & its allies, -regardless of the level of our involvement- once this crisis begins to resolve itself?
2. Where is it written that this amorphous rag-tag rebellion, assuming an allegiance with the US, will have the Administrative faculty , the ...wherewithal
to Right this country , & do so long term, once its existing leaders and administration are erased?
Why is it an assumption that -any- of the participants in the Future leadership and Administration of Libya will advantage or give credit to the United States?
Why is it assumed that a Future Administration in Libya will be able to contain
Al Qaeda , Iran, Hezbollah, militant islam, sects opposed to Western interests, and simultaneously -not support terrorism?
The only way to insure any of the above is....boots on the ground.
Our personnel have to be in Libya --- directing the tedious process of Building This semi-populated land mass into a Nation.
Beyond that, everything, ...literally every outcome , is -possible.
The case of the “Missing End Game” looks more and more like the case of
“who is going to Nation-Build Libya” ?
“You break it you Fix it” is the obvious answer ...which is precisely where Mr. Levy’s
grin has its origin . His policy rests squarely on the predicate - Sucker the US into Managing this Mess from the onset and from there is smooth sailing, that is,
-its a small matter of predicting who will be writing the checks -ad infinitum in Libya.
Worst case, if the argument fails, it can only fail in degrees, & France comes out of this
with a claim to Redeemer, their interests secured, and their pensions certainly secure.
The arguments for the US involvement in this affair as currently drafted, and the bizarre -Practical- opting out by every single player with a stake in this game, simply don’t add up. The founding principles of the policy, and the arguments supporting it are specious and grounded in wish fulfillment or worse .
Who cannot have lived though the Economic Debacle of the past 4 years and not be shaking their head in amazement at this willful fiasco. Has anyone at the White House actually been -present- during the past three years? We are up to our necks , barely treading water, in -Two- very problematic and expensive Military engagements . The problems surrounding these engagements and the Related complex GeoPolitics is likely to get -worse- before it gets better. In Fact, there is now a better than even probability of things getting rather Ugly. & - we are flat Broke.
Did ‘everyone’ skip class the day the Relationship between a nation’s Foreign Policy
and Military Prowess was Shown to be Directly related to its Wealth and Economic Power......& ongoing commitments?
S. Vincent Mastro ii
