Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq

I have listened for a few days to the new story coming from the main stream media that the GOP has become isolationist. to put it mildly, this is about the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time. The truth is that Obama's attacks in Libya are being treated differently from the other conflicts into which the US has gone as part of the war on terror.

First of all, prior to the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, there was Congressional approval of the mission for American troops as required by the Constitution. In Libya, such approval has not even been requested by Obama. When those in Congress insist that the constitutional process be followed, it is not an indication of isolationism. Rather, it is called following the law, something that Obama sometimes chooses to ignore.

Second, as part of the congressional approval war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the president (then Bush) explained both to Congress and the American people the reasons why the war was necessary. No one was unsure as to the justification for the war. Indeed, for years we heard how Bush's reasons were wrong insofar as they pertained to the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. For Libya, Obama has yet to explain the reasoning for the attack or the ultimate goal of the mission. It would not be hard to do (assuming that Obama has actually given the matter some thought). Obama could explain why we are in Libya and why we need to continue. GOP requests for such an explanation is also not an indication of isolationism.

The announced intention to remove US forces from Afghanistan as quickly as possible given the situation on the ground is also far from isolationism. It is, rather, common sense. Republicans want US troops out of harms way if it is at all possible. Does that mean that the internationalists or interventionists want to have troops unnecessarily in danger? I doubt it, but the new chorus of the main stream media seems to think so.

Look, there are those like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich who have been against any foreign wars for as long as I can remember. These guys are not isolationists; they are just nuts. As of now, president Obama had better explain the reason for continued Libya presence and seek and receive congressional approval for the fighting. Oh, and by the way, I am not an isolationist.