If we had tried nation-building, we would have been blamed for imposing our institutions on the Libyan people. See: previous attempts in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, the CAR, Chad, Cote D’Ivore. Or see the constant criticism of foreign aid to any number of developing countries.
In the end, while we probably could have done some more to help stabilize Libya, the fundamental fault was that Gadaffi had intentionally made himself the lynchpin of all Libyan national institutions, and without him, the process of negotiating a national settlement was reduced to… force.
Yet a nation can not (and should not, for that matter) remain under a dictator forever; and the longer the dictator remains, the more rotted even non-government institutions become, making the transition ever-harder.
Yeah. Not necessarily proudly. But being an American is part of my identity.
Its sins are my sins, to some small degree. That’s the nature of citizenship in a somewhat-democratic polity. We all bear a part of the blame, and a part of the responsibility going forward.
I will say that helping to oust Gaddafi and then doing exactly nothing to help stabilize the area after was kind of a dick move.
If we had tried nation-building, we would have been blamed for imposing our institutions on the Libyan people. See: previous attempts in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, the CAR, Chad, Cote D’Ivore. Or see the constant criticism of foreign aid to any number of developing countries.
In the end, while we probably could have done some more to help stabilize Libya, the fundamental fault was that Gadaffi had intentionally made himself the lynchpin of all Libyan national institutions, and without him, the process of negotiating a national settlement was reduced to… force.
Yet a nation can not (and should not, for that matter) remain under a dictator forever; and the longer the dictator remains, the more rotted even non-government institutions become, making the transition ever-harder.
Pug, When you say “we” do you mean the US government. Do you kind of identify with that institution a little?
P.S. I hope you don’t mind me calling you Pug
Yeah. Not necessarily proudly. But being an American is part of my identity.
Its sins are my sins, to some small degree. That’s the nature of citizenship in a somewhat-democratic polity. We all bear a part of the blame, and a part of the responsibility going forward.