Robert Gates: Libya Mission Handoff In Days, U.S. Will Not Have 'Preeminent Role'

[ourbluenation]

Source: HuffPo

ON BOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday that the U.S. expects to turn control of the Libya military mission over to a coalition -- probably headed either by the French and British or by NATO -- "in a matter of days

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/20/robert-gates-libya-mission_n_838183.html

[DJ13]

1. Rumsfeld: It Would Be A Short War

Nov. 15, 2002

(CBS) There will be no World War III starting with Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared Thursday, and rejected concerns that a war would be a quagmire.

"The idea that it's going to be a long, long, long battle of some kind I think is belied by the fact of what happened in 1990," he said on an Infinity Radio call-in program.

He said the U.S. military is stronger than it was during the Persian Gulf War, while Iraq's armed forces are weaker.

"Five days or five weeks or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last any longer than that," he said. "It won't be a World War III."


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/15/world/main529569.shtml

[gateley]

2. That was Rumsfeld. He's evil, pure and simple. Will you be disappointed

if we actually DO turn it over to a coalition soon?

[DJ13]

9. No I wont.

Will you be dissapointed if Gates turns out to be lying like Rumsfeld?

[gateley]

12. Yeah, I honestly will be. As I've posted elsewhere I may be deluding

myself and/or naive, but I do view this as different somehow (I'm exhausted stating my reasons and really, none of us can convince the other side, so you're spared :7)

Not that I don't think Gates is capable of lying, but that it would mean that things aren't going as they predict.

I really want to help these people get a fair playing field, which is why, in this instance, I'm not on the 'against' side. It's a first for me.

[DJ13]

14. I agree with your reasons

Lets hope for the best.

[freshwest]

3. We're in a state of permanent war, the location doesn't matter, nor the reasons justifying it.

[msongs]

6. The business of America is...war. We are the most war involved society on earth nt

[freshwest]

22. Yet many still resist.

[lob1]

4. I thought Obama said we didn't have the

preeminent role, or words to that effect. Today I hear we're running the show.

[lob1]

5. Dupe, sorry.

[Arkana]

7. We shall see.

If they do, a lot of critics are going to have to eat their words. If not...

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. A war here, a war there, who cares?

They never last more than a few days anyway.:sarcasm:

[BenzoDia]

10. Well that was pretty slick. We went from a French and British operation to a US-led one.

And now we're about to hand over the reins.

[Ian David]

11. The new mission name will be Operation: Rebecca Black.

It starts on Friday, which is followed by Saturday.

[bossy22]

18. which is then followed by sunday

so it should be over tomorrow

[xchrom]

13. They're in charge - we're in charge - the other guy is in charge. Nt

[salvinusholister]

15. Libya and Arab Hypocrisy

http://leondsouza.blogspot.com/2011/03/arab-league-not-league-of-extraordinary.html

[bowens43]

16. The US role is more like that of a terrorist.....

strike fast and run away

[Marblehead]

17. of course

we'll pick up the tab

[NuclearDem]

19. The US was involved in a leadership role in a planning function

We're turning it over to NATO to actually carry out those plans.

This isn't Iraq, and this isn't Afghanistan. DU should really stop with the drama.

[tcaudilllg]

20. Right, because this time, we're not gonna win. n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

21. Yes, we're not leading the mission and never were, but we'll hand off control in a few days

and it's only to protect civilians, which is why we're attacking armored vehicles that are attacking those armed rebel innocent civilians, and it's not about regime change, even though we've already said that Qaddafi has to go.

Is it clear yet?

We're going to do whatever the fuck we want to, and use any justification necessary to get a toe-hold to get something resembling permission to do so, so shut the fuck up and let us barge into another nation and tell them how it's going to be. If you have a problem, it's because you support killing innocent women and children and you hate the Administration, puppies, College Basketball and Apple Pie.

You should really do something about that breath, too...