If in the end Libya is cut in two how much money, years of effort, and nation building is the US committed to in the non-Kaddafi Libya?
With the US and the world community (those with an interest) who are helping the rebels under the mantel of protecting civilians but doing nothing to stop the rebels from being rebels and that ends up splitting Libya into two nations, how long is the US committed to helping the New Libya out five years, eight years, another two decades? And with our nation being as broke as we are how much money is Washington going to sink in this Middle Eastern money pit, 50 billion, 200 billion, 840 billion, more? Nation building is not cheap. You may say nation building won’t be Uncle Sam’s cup of tea but how else do you assure you have a puppet in place and Al Qaeda out?
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I don’t think the US (or the EU) has to commit a lot of money for Eastern Libya. Crude oil will pay for it. What is needed is knowledge like how to set up a democracy, a secular constitutional state, the rule of law, how to organize free elections and so forth. Nation building will be very cheap in this case. The matter is quite different in Egypt and Tunisia.
You ask this on social? Too serious of a question for here I think…It’s a good question however and one we’ll need to ask our government not to eff up. BTW, if the Rebels control most of the oil where does that leave the other Libya? Those people are going to get poor quick.
It sounds like the rebels are already forming a loose government before their fight is even done. I don’t think any major nation building help from the west will be required in this case.
How long is a piece of oil-pipeline?
@mattbrowne Crude oil will pay for it. What is needed is knowledge like how to set up a democracy, a secular constitutional state, the rule of law, how to organize free elections and so forth. We tried that in Iraq and Afghanistan and it hasn’t worked yet, suppose freedome and elections notwithstanding. (OK the afghans have no oil to fund stuff that is why I guess we still allow the farmers to grow poppies that will end up in the veins of other Americans down the way)
Iraq and Afghanistan is different. Afghanistan was about closing terrorist camps. Iraq was about an alleged clear and present danger because of WMD.
Egypt was about freedom demanded by Egyptians. Same in Tunisia. Same in Libya.
We should abstain from spreading democracy actively, but we can offer assistance when being asked. That’s my point.
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