Very Pleased With The Libyan Military Intervention (So Far)

It's still early, but so far Obama's intervention into the Libyan crisis is nearly picture-perfect (as far as these messy things ever get).

Obama is aligning the U.S. with a significant sectional and tribal portion of the country, and earning their gratitude. He is aligning the United States with a portion of the transnational Arab revolt, which has momentum and ultimately will prevail, which helps secure the long-term interests of the United States. He is also helping secure Europe's oil interests. Obama is using U.S. capabilities with the minimum of necessary force. He has cover from the Arab League and NATO. The hard fighting is being done by Libyans, not Americans. He is not seeking regime change, leaving that to the Libyans, should they choose or be capable of it. And Obama is sidelining feckless Republicans, like John McCain, who today is urging regime change, but 18 months ago was helping sell arms to Libya. Plus, a civilian slaughter was averted in Benghazi.

The next part is harder. The danger is that the battle could grind into a stalemate. The rebels need arms and they need professional help applying air power in tactical battle. Small teams of American specialists may be able to enter Libya and help matters immensely. It's important to remember that war is politics by other means: we don't need an unconditional surrender. For the U.S., it matters little whether Gadhafi survives, or not. We have bigger fish to fry.

It is one hellacious mess, but so far, Obama is doing great!:

As by far the pre-eminent player in NATO, and a nation historically reluctant to put its forces under operational foreign command, the United States will not be taking a back seat in the campaign even as its profile diminishes for public consumption. NATO partners are bringing more into the fight. But the same "unique capabilities" that made the U.S. the inevitable leader out of the gate will continue to be in demand. They include a range of attack aircraft, refueling tankers that can keep aircraft airborne for lengthy periods, surveillance aircraft that can detect when Libyans even try to get a plane airborne, and, as Obama said, planes loaded with electronic gear that can gather intelligence or jam enemy communications and radars.

...Even as the U.S. steps back as the nominal leader, reduces some assets and fires a declining number of cruise missiles, the scope of the mission appears to be expanding and the end game remains unclear. Despite insistences that the operation is only to protect civilians, the airstrikes now are undeniably helping the rebels to advance. U.S. officials acknowledge that the effect of air attacks on Gadhafi's forces -- and on the supply and communications links that support them -- is useful if not crucial to the rebels. "Clearly they're achieving a benefit from the actions that we're taking," Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney, staff director for the Joint Chiefs, said Monday. The Pentagon has been turning to air power of a kind more useful than high-flying bombers in engaging Libyan ground forces. So far these have included low-flying Air Force AC-130 and A-10 attack aircraft, and the Pentagon is considering adding armed drones and helicopters. Obama said "we continue to pursue the broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator, but to its people," but spoke of achieving that through diplomacy and political pressure, not force of U.S. arms.