Lessons learned in Libya

re my posting on:  Lessons learned in Libya, CBC, Oct 21, 2011

While the end of the Libyan conflict is an older story now, I thought on Remembrance Day it would be fitting to reflect on the tough question on when we should or shouldn't get involved in armed conflicts for just causes, and what some of the tensions and trade-offs are. Also, as more and more people in Syria die every day,  just for the crime of wanting to be free, it reminds me to value all the more the freedom we have, and appreciate the sacrifices made in the past by those that fought to preserve it.

While it has been and will continue to be messy, letting people determine the direction of their country is always preferable to despotic, repressive rule. There will always be a trade off between concerns for freedom and regional security, but when we listen to the voices of isolationism from the likes of China and Russia and just look the other way when thousands die, then we are making a devils bargain that will one day come back to haunt us.

Yes it is tough to decide if and when to intervene, and there will never be a formula for it. But as is suggested in the CBC article, if we limit our interventions only to those times when the people from across ethnic, religious and tribal lines together consistently ask for help, or when there is an immanent genocide such as Rwanda, then I think there is a much better likelihood of making a positive difference. The fundamental principle is that we have to listen carefully before we act, but then be prepared to act decisively, albeit with continued local and regional cooperation / coordination.

Just think how this would have all ended had NATO not intervened. Tens of thousands more would have died in Benghazi and across the country, many more thousands of refugees would have fled to Europe and Canada, and the Arab spring would have a suffered a potentially fatal blow. Of course, the political realities limit the countries where intervention is even a possibility. Syria is a tough question given the size of the country and its army. But just because we can't or shouldn't intervene in every case doesn't mean we should never do so.

And while this is the Libyan people's victory, we should remember and thank our people in uniform that did their part to support Libyan's sacrifices.