1. The Fallacy of U.S. Diplomacy in Libya
Slim Fairview’s Four Rules of Communication:
1. Precision
2. Concision
3. Enumerate
4. Specify
The Fallacy of U.S. Diplomacy in Libya. Review the following questions and
answers to arrive at a conclusion if not an understanding of how we undermine
our own efforts in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
A. We can't arm the rebels because the rebels may be a greater danger.
More so than Gaddafi? Yes? No? If yes, we wouldn’t be there. If no, then arm
the rebels.
B. We can’t arm the rebels because the arms may fall into the hands of our
enemies.
If the rebels are our enemies, our other enemies will arm the rebels. If our
enemies did not arm the rebels, then the rebels are not our enemies.
C. We can’t arm the rebels because the rebels may be our enemy.
If we don’t arm the rebels, others will. If others arm the rebels, the rebels will be
their friends not ours.
[Write one thousand times: The friend of my enemy is my enemy. The enemy of
the enemy is my friend.]
D. Al Qaeda members may be in Libya.
Al Qaeda members may be anywhere. That does not justify not doing anything
anywhere.
E. Let’s talk about the mission. Let’s not.
What we have is regime change under the guise of humanitarian aid.
Getting rid of Gaddafi is not regime change.
Talking about Gaddafi’s sons is not regime change.