Libyarators

If we have to use force,
it is because we are America
--Madeleine Albright

I was the only guy with
any bit of anarchy left
--Sid Vicious
_____________________

Is tyranny preferable to anarchy? Since the U.S. is supporting rebels in Libya who are an unknown quantity, this is a valid question.

Just War theory suggest tyranny is preferable to anarchy as it better serves the greater good. In President Bush's view (and that of many others), democracy is the highest good, and war a legitimate way to emplace it. However, war is greatly destructive to a society, and order is not the inevitable result; descent into anarchy is just as plausible an outcome.

Let us consider the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, when the U.S. supported the Afghan Mujahadeen against the Russians. We gave them everything except tactical nukes, and the Mujahadeen kicked some Russian ass. Mission accomplished, but not quite.

Throwing out the tyrannical Russians and their puppet government was the easy part. The toughie was the descent of the Afghan nation into an anarchic orgy leading ultimately to the enmeshment of the U.S. in endless war, beyond the wildest dreams of even Osama bin Laden (that guy.)

Yes, the dirty, nasty Russian were gone, to be replaced by the dirty, nasty Taliban. So, where the progress?

The same question should apply to U.S. intervention in Libya.