The way the United States and
its allies have intervened in Libya has placed them on a dangerously slippery
slope. Air power alone has not protected Libyan civilians, the declared
objective in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973,
which authorized the military intervention. Nor have the rebels proved capable
of making significant advances against Muammar al-Qaddafi's forces. To effectively
enforce the Security Council resolution, the coalition would need to put combat
air controllers, advisors, and trainers on the ground -- steps it appears
unwilling to take. Where does that leave the coalition when it comes to
developing a coherent war strategy? Mostly empty-handed.
I've learned a thing or two about
using force to attain strategic aims in my 37 years in the U.S. Army. I've had
command positions in three interventions -- Haiti, Bosnia, and Iraq. My last
was as a senior commanding general in Iraq in charge of accelerating the growth
of the Iraqi security forces during the surge period in 2007 and 2008.
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