Usually makes really bad suggestions. It would seem she is at work again with crop of naive idealists covering the Arab world:
It’s rare for me to advocate something as direct as a military action – but a no-fly zone is something we must as a nation do, and do immediately, if we are to do anything to help bring about a new golden age of democracy in the Middle East. After Egypt, all Arab leaders feared their people; after Libya, the people will again fear their tyrants. All the progress will be lost, all the potential will be wasted.
This is the moment that must be seized. And only we can do it.
Now it may come as a news flash for this crowd-and Nicholas Kristof in particular-but this has to rank as one of the dumber foreign policy ideas ever conceived. Lets look at the reasons why:
1) Ask yourself the first question, “With what airpower will you establish this no fly zone?” Anybody look at the current size of the US Navy and the disposition of US aircraft carriers lately? They are a little busy right now supporting a few other wars of choice. NATO? People should really look at a map when making these suggestions. Even flying from Malta-its a long haul to provide adequate coverage for Libya. Whose tankers are we using?
2) Let’s assume Qhadaffi is on the ropes. Why would anyone want to provide him the lifeline of an American led Satan to point to seeking to invade his country? Right now he has no one to blame but himself.
3) By intervening-we now own whatever government replaces the current regime. Do we even know who that is? Could we-by good intentions actually end up backing a new set of thugs? This is the Arab world after all.
The events in Libya are indeed tragic and a lot of Libyans are going to die before the regime falls. But ask yourself a hard hearted question-“do you really want more American Soldiers and Marines and Airmen dying for an Arab culture that is more than 99% unlikely to be willing to return the favor?” I make no bones about my answer-no I do not.
I don’t want anyone to die in Libya-but given a choice between a Libyan getting the honor of dying for Libya or an American, I’ll pass that on to a Libyan every time.
The best thing we can do is sit on the sidelines and perhaps provide a quiet nudge to the right players from time to time. This is not our our ballgame to play in.