US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently called U.S. support for the NATO mission that’s helping opposition forces make progress against Moammar Gadhafi’s regime Libya an example of the international cooperation that will be critical in the future.
In my opinion, under leftist Leon Panetta, the US military will be re-prioritized. The military’s role will shift from defending the US and its allies from attack, to becoming more of an active police force for the United Nations under the Responsibility to Protect doctrine.
Defensive missile systems and nuclear hardware will be de-emphasized in favor of more mobile ground attack forces, with corresponding air and naval support.
We saw this happen in New Zealand under the socialist Clark government of 1999-2008. Our protective Air Strike wing was disbanded, while our special forces and regular infantry were sent into places like East Timor on UN missions to shore up budding socialist regimes.
The left doesn’t want the US to be able to defend itself. They don’t want the US military under the direction of the US Congress – God forbid! Its full of Republicans, some are even conservatives and patriots! The left wants US might and muscle turned into a an international police force, under the direction of the United Nations – where incidentally former New Zealand Prime minister Helen Clark now holds the number 3 position.
I believe the recent action in Libya, should be viewed in this light.
From the American Forces Press Service
“It is a good indication of the kind of partnership and alliances that we need to have for the future if we are going to deal with the threats that we confront in today’s world,” Panetta told students during addresses at both the Naval Postgraduate School and Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.
Panetta said he is particularly proud of the mission the United States performed as a NATO partner in Libya, including the establishment of a no-fly zone to help protect the Libyan people.
“It is a credit to the great job of nations working together on a common mission – something that is absolutely essential if we are to provide security in the future,” he said.
This support and assistance, he said, has been “part of the key in being able to help the opposition forces there ultimately be able to succeed.”
Panetta expressed hope that the opposition will succeed and NATO will have completed its mission. “It’s clear that the opposition has made significant gains. It’s clear that the regime forces are collapsing and that Gadhafi’s days are numbered,” he said.
The United States continues to monitor events, but the situation remains dangerous and “very fluid,” he said.
“In many ways, the future of Libya is in the hands of the Libyans,” Panetta told the assemblies, echoing President Barack Obama. “We hope that they will decide that it is important to establish stability and important political reforms for the future after 40 years of Gadhafi.”
The Arab Spring, the name given to recent revolutions for democracy throughout the Middle East, is bringing change and in many cases, turmoil to the region, Panetta said. But it also offers “a chance to make that part of the world a better region, one that enjoys some of the values and some of the reforms and some of the political opportunities that we have in this country,” he said.
Neglecting to mention of course that the entire Arab Spring has been directed from the beginning by communists and Islamist extremists.
Americans are famous for their unabashed patriotism and support for their men and women in uniform. Will the left be allowed to turn those admirable qualities into servants of evil?
Hardly anyone in the US bothers to ask or can explain what we’re doing in Libya, Pakistan or Somalia. They seem resigned to support military intervention for no particular reason, if they’re even aware of it. Western media coverage has been disgraceful, but that’s no excuse for ignorance. This “Arab Spring” as I understand it, is facilitated in the US by the Administration’s Hilary Clinton, Samantha Powers and Susan Rice, working in the best interest of the UN, NOT the US. Try to explain that to most Americans O.o!
I knew putting Panetta in as Sec. of Defense was a mistake. I tried to alert my Senators not to vote for his confirmation, but of course, they are so blind they could not see the danger. Since when does the United States have the right to say who should step down and who should lead in foreign countries? We need to get rid of our own dictator first. I wonder which Middle East leader will call for Obama to step down?