Noam Chomsky and Richard Lugar

I doubt those two have ever been included in the same blog post, but here goes:

2203: The American linguistics expert and political activist Noam Chomsky has meanwhile told Newsnight: “There may come a time when it would make sense for the West to become involved, despite its horrendous record of atrocities and crimes in the region going way back. But the question is whether that time has come. There are others who have much better status and may be able to do things that would lead to some sort of reconciliation or mediation. It is very possible that Libya is going to split into two states.”

2348: Earlier today, US Senator Richard Lugar said that launching a no-fly zone in Libya could be an “act of war”. He told the Foreign Relations Committee: “The United States should not, in my view, launch military intervention into yet another Muslim country without thinking long and hard about the consequences and implications.”

Along with Chomsky, I wonder whether the time has yet come, and do think it might. If I disagree with something, it’s with his point that mediation might be needed to prevent Libya splitting into two countries. It seems way too late to expect anyone to enter into mediation with Qaddafi. Who’s going to agree to live under him now?

As for Lugar, he’s always been a realist rather than a neo-con, so I’m not too surprised at his reservations. But I’m glad there are people in Washington who understand that the U.S. is not in the best position to use force in the Middle East these days.