This is what I figure. The dictator has been around a long time, preserving his power through brute force. During that time he has intentionally killed Americans and we tried to get him once. The brute force has made what seems to be most of his people very unhappy, unhappy enough to protest in the streets. That is a very dangerous thing to do in the dictator's land but the people let their excitement get the better of them and did it anyway.
The arguably psychopathic dictator shot them down in the streets for their trouble and brought in hired killers from foreign lands to shoot more of them. The people reacted in a noble but maybe foolish way and defended themselves and many of them decided they'd had enough of the dictator and are trying to get rid of him, the only way that it is possible to get rid of him, through violence. Since this is pretty much a spontaneous uprising, the people are completely disorganized and are now learning, first hand, a lesson of history-that organized groups are much better at violent endeavours (sic) than unorganized groups, even it the unorganized groups are much larger. The people are having a lot of trouble now but have no choice but continue with the desperate attempt because the dictator is not likely to be merciful if he wins. The people have to win, die or flee. Win or die mostly because a lot can't flee.
Given the above, it seems to me we should help the people to the extent we can, especially if they request it, which, from David's references above, a number of them have. To the extent we can; and we can now. It isn't 1956 and circumstances force us to stand aside. We don't need to round up all the L ships and land the troops. The people don't seem to want that anyway. But we can keep the airplanes off their heads. We can help and if that assistance allows them to win, then good for them and good for us. It will be their victory and maybe we will have a little influence in the aftermath. If they lose even with us helping some, then that is what happens sometimes, but, but at least we will have tried. That is important I think.
Like I said I don't see us getting up steam in the L-ships but I can see us putting some Aegis cruisers and destroyers offshore and some shoulder fired anti-aircraft missile teams on the ground to keep the dictators jets and helos off their heads, especially since some have asked for that kind of help. I can even see some A-teams going to help coordinate things, since that is what A-teams do. Not much more than that, but that will have been something. Maybe a lot too since the morale effect of jets and helos is perhaps more than the physical effect. If that doesn't work we will have tried.
There may be no immediate benefit to American interests in that. Most of the time you can get along with the devil himself if you make acommadations (sic). We could have left the Brits to rot but for the dopey Japanese and we did leave the Rwandans to die. But the world is watching and they judge so I think it is in our long term interest to try just a little.
I know that is coming off as Pollyanna (you are hear by cleared to use that in any way you see fit) and not many think the same, but I think this is important and we should help. This won't be a sure thing in any respect but we should try.
Life ain't fair in that it is us who do these things, if we do them. But that is the way it is because we are the only ones who will. We should be proud of that.
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