America's Next War?

It's time to Break It Down!

The year was 1969 and the Vietnam War roiled, and spilled its carnage daily on our TV screens during the Evening and Nightly News reports. With that rough and tumble backdrop, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote a song for the Temptations called “War.” The song, really written for the ages, would later be covered by Edwin Starr. His version was heavily promoted instead of the Tempts’, because Motown was reluctant to agitate their more conservative audience/fans. The song would become Starr’s greatest hit and one of the most powerful protest songs ever, eventually being covered by a host of artists, including:

• Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen

• Tom Jones

• The Jam

• D.O.A.

• Frankie Goes to Hollywood


• Lyre Lyre Hearts on Fire

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

• Laibach

• Ugly Rumors


• Pearl Jam

• Maria Muldaur

• Jackie Chan & Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 1, 2, and 3

• Jack Black

The plot thickens. Over the past two years we have heard a range of divergent voices posit that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now rightly the province of President Obama. At the same time these voices consistently deliver searing commentary in response to Mr. Obama’s suggestion that America’s involvement in military actions should have defined limits, including pre-established start and end dates, these usually angry, always loud voices maintain the administration has no overarching vision for ending the two wars that serve as budget busters in a time of great economic distress in America.

Fast forward to and consider the contemporary Libyan conflict. As much as Liberals and Conservatives alike have characterized the current state as undesirable, for patently different reasons, it seems, almost inexplicably, that proponents of both ideologies are all but baiting President Obama to initiate unilateral military action in Libya. In other words, they are prompting him to pronounce a Declaration of War!

This much is clear; as much as some scape-goating, blame shifting, fact bending types assign responsibility for Iraq and Afghanistan to Mr. Obama, if and when he decides to order a No-Fly Zone over Libyan Air Space, President Obama will become indelibly linked to “The War in Libya.” After all, if the President unilaterally issues such an edict, it will mean, in effect, American planes will patrol the skies over Libya and shoot down Libyan Fighter Jets, should they take flight. As I write, let me be clear, it is not to oppose assisting Libyan citizens being set upon by a ruthless dictator. Rather it is to remind the nattering nabobs just how America the Beautiful; Home of the Free and Land of the Brave, continues to find itself knee deep in foreign conflict.

American citizens, politicians, commentators, and ideologues, as well as some segments of various aggrieved nations frequently and fervently call for our intervention. Unfortunately, after we acquiesce and comply, as a result of apparent popular demand, an amazingly widespread case of chronic amnesia seems to ensue.

President Obama is wise to act in a thoughtful and measured way. In the first week of the conflict, American citizens were still in Libya. With the 1979 American hostage conflict in Iran serving as a compelling object lesson, it was appropriate for the United States to negotiate the exit of most Americans before taking action that was sure to be deemed by Muammar Gaddafi and his Regime as hostile. If you followed the script, you know, once Americans were flown and ferried away, the President invoked a tougher stand, immediately freezing Libyan assets.

Another popular tactic supported by a host of Obama critics is arming the opposition. Of course Afghanistan stands out as the historical stake in the ground symbolizing the fallacy of this move. America and its allies are still sorting out just who comprises the Libyan rebels. What they know is, after we armed Afghani rebels, we ended up getting fired on by the very arms we provided.

A key element of the Administration’s tack is to ensure that the United States is not seen by the Arab World as bullying another Arab State, and carrying out business as usual. The President, the U.N., and our allies may yet coalesce and jointly support a No-Fly Zone, arming the rebels, and other measures to oust General Gaddafi. But until then, it would be helpful for the members of the erstwhile Loyal Opposition, read that the GOP-Tea Party, to act, or at least speak more responsibly about the Libyan conflict.

In some cases, it is pure political flackery and opportunism; in others, simple irresponsibility. As one potential Republican Presidential Candidate, Mike Huckabee, former Arkasas Governor, noted, in the same interview in which he had just flayed the President, “You have to be careful” and base decisions based on good intelligence, which he conceded he did not have as a private citizen. What an interesting dichotomy. 

In stark contrast, to the din attacking President Obama's position, GOP Senator Richard Lugar, Indiana, argued this week that the cinflict in Libya has devolved into a Civil War, and as such is a local conflict in which the United States has no place.  This is by no means the most popular opinion in the prevailing marketplace of ideas.  It does however present clear evidence not every segment ofthe American political spectrum has bought into the idea that the United States needs to lead the way in putting down the Libyan conflict. 

In an ideal world, it would be as likely that an influential leader would invoke, and fully execute a Confirmation of Peace as it is that one will issue “A Declaration of War!” Of course, as we know, all too well, this is not that world. Still, each of us has a vital part to play in being the change we want to see in the world in which we live. Just remember; when American pilots enforce a No-Fly Zone, it will not be the neatly scripted scenario of a Video game sequence. It will be a gruesome act of War in which people will die; possible, perhaps even likely, some Americans. That is how war unfolds. Edwin Starr sang a powerful song protesting a conflict that took place more than 40 years ago. Yet, Whitfield and Strong’s poignant lyrics are as keenly resonant today as they were in 1969. Are you ready for “America’s Next War?”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Whitfield

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_Strong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Temptations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Starr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX7V6FAoTLc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b82Czp2suqM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(Edwin_Starr_song)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/07/sen-lugar-on-libya-i-believe-its-a-civil-war/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/world/middleeast/08policy.html

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/27/senators-criticize-obama-over-libya/

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-turn/2011/03/if_not_in_libya_when_would_oba.html

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/07/134322475/libyan-rebels-try-to-regroup-after-setback

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/26/gop-white-house-hopefuls-need-to-get-real-about-libya-egypt-and/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20040583-503543.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsPolls+(CBS+News%3A+Opinion%3A+CBS+News+Polls)