France seems to one of the very few who seem to be willing and able.
This article offers a possible explanation: Why France moved forcefully on Ivory Coast, Libya - (would be interested in M-A's comment on this)
Also this from NPR: Why France's Military Is Stepping Up To The World
Personally I don't care what the French motives are, the facts are as it states in the article the French are saving lives.
In keeping with my view on intervention in the Ivory Coast the effort should have been carried out by the US/French/British/now NATO so as not to allow an unarmed uprising to grow into a full blown armed rebellion with the potential for a civil war and any number of armed after shocks in the future.Does anyone think that victory for the rebels is possible without the support of foreign (i.e., NATO) ground troops?
Don't allow them to learn to wage war and resort to violence to solve problems as it is a habit that is difficult to unlearn.
That means Gaddafi's forces need to receive special treatment. Don't spend 500m of sending missiles to take out stuff (what the hell were the Americans thinking?) but focus on the the people who use those things. And perhaps its time for the dogs-of-war (mercenaries) to be shown just how dangerous their trade has become by singling them out for special treatment.
So the effort should be now (or should have been) to break the back of the Gaddafi's armed/military command and control people and the trained soldiers/militias in the first phase and then to supply (on request of the new rebel government) a force to control any Gaddafi loyalists who may still and weapons and mischief in mind.
No the rebels can't win on their own nor should anyone help them to with training or supplying weapons.
Bookmarks