Democracy in Libya?

As our brave pilots risk life and limb to fly quality ordinance accurately onto target in Libya the debate rages about the validity of such intervention. I’ve heard from every side about why we should not be dropping bombs on Qaddafi and I am quite certain Qaddafi agrees with every single argument. Upon first examination you would think such actions would inflame the Middle East, already tense with the scent of ‘change’ all about, yet the only inflammation seems to be more of the same; ‘Out with the old, we want INTERNET!’. As most people have a short memory, and as such a condition is excusable in this problematic and laborious era, allow me to refresh everyone.

In 2003 the Libyan dictator accused King Abdullha of Saudi Arabia of bringing infidels into the ‘Holy Lands’ at which point Qaddafi was ignominiously smacked down by King Abdullha who calmly suggested he would happily bury Qaddafi right then and there if Qaddafi didn’t shut his humus hole.

In 2009 the pair seemed to make amends...to the average observer....however someone in the know would have realized that Qaddafi, in his stumbling effort to confront the King on the prior issue, simply made things worse for himself. He failed to refer to King Abdullah as the ‘Protector of the Holy Sites’, and set himself above the king by referring to himself as ‘The king of kings in Africa’. The apology itself was backhanded, referring to King Abdullah as a coward afraid to face Qaddafi, while somehow managing to cough out a tongue-in-cheek excuse for his rantings ‘oh so many years ago’. King Abdullah graciously accepted the apology and they moved on to the rest of their meeting.

Now fast forward to 2011 and the entire Mediterranean hub is abuzz with planes and ships all doing business with everyone while obliterating the Libyan Military. Nobody in the region seems to mind...in fact they’re helping!! In fact the ONLY people who seem to really care are the news agencies. And I mean yeah! Who wouldn’t want a free trip to North Africa this time of year...I hear the beaches are superb!

Of course the REAL question, burning in every-one's mind who gives a damn, is; What are the objectives of the rebels? If the rebels trying to oust Qaddafi are in it for the internet and girly magazines then this would be a reverberation of Bush era policy. If they are trying to form an Islamic state under a Caliphate they will fall under the category being in league with AlQueda.

The battle lines for all of this were drawn a decade ago and I fear our current administration is missing a once in a lifetime opportunity...another ‘inherited mess’ will undoubtedly be the excuse.