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tigerpawl 
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| Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:02 a.m.)
Libya, Iraq, and Moral Double Standards
Peter Wehner 03.25.2011 - 7:22 AM
One of the justifications liberals use for intervening in Libya is a humanitarian concern. “My view is that there are times in American history … we look back and we see we should use military force to try and defend people who can’t defend themselves,” is how Representative Anthony Weiner put it. “If we are a powerful country one of the ways we use our power is for good. What’s the purpose of being a powerful country if we are not using it to defend people?”
That’s a legitimate, if incomplete, argument. But what’s worth reflecting on are those on the left who advocate intervention in Libya on humanitarian grounds but who were (and remain) fierce critics of the Iraq war. As bad as Colonel Qaddafi is — and he’s a malevolent figure to be sure — his criminal acts belong in a lesser category than Saddam Hussein’s. If one takes his reign in toto, Saddam ranks with Pol Pot and several others as one of the cruelest and most sadistic dictators in the post-World War II era.
Saddam’s atrocious human rights record doesn’t necessarily mean the war against him was wise; it simply means that those arguing for acting against Qaddafi on humanitarian grounds might want to review the former Iraqi leader’s record once again. If the argument for intervening in Libya is at its core humanitarian, then the case for intervention in Iraq was five-fold what it is in Libya. And whether those on the left admit it or not, Iraq ended up being a war of liberation. A dictator of unusual ruthlessness is gone. Iraq is now a functioning (if fragile and imperfect) democracy.
Was the Iraq war worth American blood and treasure? Thoughtful people continue to disagree on that matter. But seen through the prism of human rights and humanitarianism, the case to act against Saddam was, and remains, significantly stronger than the case to act against Qaddafi. If those on the left are going to use a moral standard to judge military interventions then they, like all of us, should apply it in a reasonably consistent way.
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mtb010
LSU Fan
Madison Mississippi
Member since Sep 2009
1173 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:34 a.m. to tigerpawl)
so that same reason was not good enough for Bush to invade Iraq, both Iraq and Libya are mistakes and it just pisses me off the double standard that we have in this country.
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baybeefeetz
the now
Member since Sep 2009
8269 posts
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| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:37 a.m. to mtb010)
Is the distinction supposed to be that Qaddafi is actively shelling people right now?
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Mike da Tigah
BR
Member since Feb 2005
32986 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:39 a.m. to tigerpawl)
Liberals set their own selves up for it because they make idealistic comments and often paint themselves into corner without thinking about the reality of the thing. For example, it's one thing to say that we will do our best to keep American troops from becomming involved in Libya, and quite another to make a dogmatic statement that we "WILL NOT" do something in a military engagement. You never limit yourself in what you will and won't do militarily. EVER... You cannot afford to as it changes overnight, and you just can't put limits on things like that.
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ottothewise
LSU Fan
Member since Sep 2008
27822 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:40 a.m. to tigerpawl)
we are not invading Libya with 100,000+ troops like Bush did.
its a no fly zone.
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a want
LSU Fan
Your mom's house
Member since Oct 2010
3870 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:43 a.m. to tigerpawl)
I think most democrats and liberals are questioning the reasoning behind Lybia just as they did with Iraq. The "double standard" argument seems to be the Fox News strawman argument du jour.
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ottothewise
LSU Fan
Member since Sep 2008
27822 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:45 a.m. to a want)
quote:
The "double standard" argument seems to be the Fox News strawman argument du jour.
I question the process. I am with Cong. D. Kucinich on this.
Get the constitutionally required Congressional approval.
dont go off on the basis of UN approval.
the application of minimal force seems just fine to me.
We are not charging in with a division of marines.
its a no fly zone. I expect special forces now and then.
This post was edited on 3/25 at 8:46 am
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thetempleowl
Temple Fan
dallas, tx
Member since Jul 2008
8909 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:50 a.m. to tigerpawl)
I have previously written in numerous threads regarding this the major differences between libya, iraq, and the various civil wars in africa.
The three situations are dramatically different and comparing them does little but make you look more than a bit foolish for not noticing the glaring differences.
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tiger1014
LSU Fan
Shreveport, LA
Member since Jan 2011
6911 posts
| re: Libya, Iraq, and [Liberal] Moral Double Standards (Posted on 3/25/11 at 8:51 a.m. to ottothewise)
quote:
Get the constitutionally required Congressional approval.
dont go off on the basis of UN approval.
so you support impeachment then im sure?
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