Why are we in Libya? To topple Muammar Gaddafi?
Oh, please. If we really wanted to do that, we had ample excuses over the past quarter century: assassinations of dissidents, his attempts to procure weapons of mass destruction, terrorist bombings in Western Europe, 270 deaths with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, attacking U.S. navy warships in the Gulf of Sidra... The list goes on and on and on.
And no, it's not over calls for ''democracy'' either. Come on. Seriously. What the heck does the Arab MALE world know about 'democracy' or freedom when they subjugate the actual majority of the population there to their every will and whim?
Sadly, this is about two things and two things only; (1) Europeans who fear a mass influx of refugees; and (2) an embattled U.S. president desperately anxious to show he has the cojones to use military force and attack a rogue regime.
My grandfather served in the U.S. navy in the Pacific in World War II at a time when the U.S. and Japan were mortal enemies. Time long ago healed the wounds of seeing some of his buddies killed in kamikaze attacks on our fleet. So what did he have to say about the Libyan mission?
He said we have no business involving ourselves in a Libyan civil war. That the same people supposedly asking for help now have no doubt participated in angry street demonstrations against the West, burned our flag, hurled insults against our value system. That the streets of Libyan cities erupted in cheers when the Twin Towers collapsed on 9-11.
''What do they know about freedom or democracy? Have they ever fought for it, bled for it for themselves or for others?''
As for arming the Libyan rebels, he said ''What the (bleep) for? so they can later use those weapons against us like the Afghans did?''
On the other hand, he said, Japan is our friend. He initially couldn't believe how kind and grateful the Japanese people were for a mere candy bar, a loaf of bread, a simple 'hello', during the early days of the occupation. He said never once did he see any hatred displayed towards him, this right after the war had ended! He said the way the Japanese people acted towards our occupation troops helped go a long way to smooth over the simmering anger over Pearl Harbor.
He said we shouldn't have one boot on the ground in Libya nor one helicopter or aircraft on missions there until every man, woman and child in Japan who is a victim of the earthquake and tsunamis is fed, clothed and housed. When that job is done, then and only then should we have a debate over whether we should help ''people who don't even like us.''
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