We’re going to need some luck in Libya
I don’t know Libya, but my gut tells me that any kind of decent outcome there will require boots on the ground — either as military help for the rebels to oust Qaddafi as we want, or as post-Qaddafi peacekeepers and referees between tribes and factions to help with any transition to democracy. Those boots cannot be ours. We absolutely cannot afford it — whether in terms of money, manpower, energy or attention. But I am deeply dubious that our allies can or will handle it without us, either. And if the fight there turns ugly, or stalemates, people will be calling for our humanitarian help again. You bomb it, you own it.
Which is why, most of all, I hope President Obama is lucky. I hope Qaddafi’s regime collapses like a sand castle, that the Libyan opposition turns out to be decent and united and that they require just a bare minimum of international help to get on their feet. Then U.S. prestige will be enhanced and this humanitarian mission will have both saved lives and helped to lock another Arab state into the democratic camp.
Blowback
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Great “Faces Of Meth” parody called “Faces Of Liberalism” can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/4hlmefv
trapeze on March 30, 2011 at 8:09 PM
Lucky? We are watching WWIII erupt all over the middle east, we got Obama as President, and you are looking for lucky? Sheesh!
MikeA on March 30, 2011 at 8:10 PM
Why do we need luck? We’re already through with Libya. “Days, not weeks” involvement. “Days” are up, so we’re done, right?
forest on March 30, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Tom Friedman is dark brown from what he lives in, O’s ars.
Schadenfreude on March 30, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Ah, Tom. Ever the optimist.
Hesiodos on March 30, 2011 at 8:14 PM
Where was this in 2002?
SouthernGent on March 30, 2011 at 8:14 PM
Let’s call the Chinese, they know how to conquer another country, just ask the Tibetans.
Bishop on March 30, 2011 at 8:23 PM
Is this going to be Obama’s 2012 campaign slogan?
Luck, Hope, Change & Luck
Left Coast Right Mind on March 30, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Don’t worry, Tom. I’m sure the unemployment level in Libya won’t go above 8%.
rogerb on March 30, 2011 at 8:27 PM
This is a absolute disaster and it is extremely distressing how many supposedly conservative republicans signed on to this mess.
WE ARE SUPPORTING AL QAEDA! REMEMBER THEM…??? For F*&KS SAKE THEY KILLED 3,000 of us and now we are actually giving them aircover!?! And we are going to arm them…this is an absolute disaster.
This is what happens to Republicans when they don’t have principles.
PierreLegrand on March 30, 2011 at 8:29 PM
Tom’s idea of ‘Lucky’ is that no matter what happens, it can be spun to make The PantLoad in Chief look good.
BigWyo on March 30, 2011 at 8:32 PM
Up yours, Friedman.
If your empty suit failed to plan your empty suit plans to fail.
viking01 on March 30, 2011 at 8:35 PM
I wonder if during Obama’s campaign they thought that the promised “hope” would be that because of his weakness and inexperience we have to hope and pray that he’s lucky.
RJL on March 30, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Rush was talking about this today. He said that Obama has brought the NYT to pray to god for luck. think about that the NYT praying to GOD to save their childking.
unseen on March 30, 2011 at 8:41 PM
ROFL…I think this is the first time I have ever seen a liberal pray to GOd in the NYT!
It does say a lot that they choose to get on their knees and call out to the creator to save their king. Who would have thought Obama was good for making unbelievers into believers…
unseen on March 30, 2011 at 8:45 PM
What does Maureen Dowd think about this?
That’s what I want to know.
Where is Maureen anyhow?
I hope that she’s not alone in her apartment, glassy-eyed drunk and trying to pick an olive pit out of her navel, weeping about all the men in her life who have failed her.
justltl on March 30, 2011 at 8:58 PM
This is the smooth sailing part of the op.
Wait till Ghadafy is gone and all the different factions, tribes, sects, no longer have a singular focus for their rage and turn on each other. THAT’S when the real party starts. Sh!t sandwiches for everybody!
Alden Pyle on March 30, 2011 at 9:05 PM
So Tom thinks that a “decent outcome” is an occupation tantamount to the expansion of American Imperialism?
blink on March 30, 2011 at 9:06 PM
Barack Lucky Obama?
America… not so lucky.
profitsbeard on March 30, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Talk to the NCAA picks of Obama about lucky. I mean come on. 2 cinderella teams? Obama is cursed. He screwed over my Steelers too.
Cursed. he is the antimidas.
unseen on March 30, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Communist China wouldn’t have this problem.
andycanuck on March 30, 2011 at 10:22 PM
For awhile there Tom had an honest sense of WTF?edness and what living hypocrisy was like. And then he got off track with McBama poison praise. I guess Tom, by saying luck is needed on this one has sown the future to writing off total failure as just bad luck instead of abject f*cking retardedness.
BL@KBIRD on March 30, 2011 at 11:23 PM