Schizophrenic Nation

I honestly don't understand the Libyan situation. At least, the more I listen to the news, the less I understand.

I'm not big on wars in general, especially the likes of which we have seen in the previous decade, where it can safely be argued that, in at least one circumstance our reasons and intentions were vague at best or at the worst, completely dishonest. So it came as a surprise to me when I first found myself glad that over the weekend we were finally stepping up to do something in Libya.

For once it seemed pretty cut and dry. Gaddafi was bombing his own people -- people who wished for regime change much like their neighbors on Egypt and Tunisia. The no-fly zone and airstrikes were supposed to simply keep Gaddafi from attacking his own people. Under no circumstances, per the United Nations' mandate, were any members of the coalition to intervene in any battles between Gaddafi and the rebels. So that means we're intervening without interfering.

????????

If that's not murky enough, opinions on both side of the aisle seem to change by the minute.

For instance, two weeks ago Newt Gingrich favored a no-fly zone and airstrikes. Now that Obama is doing just that, he is being criticized by Gingrich. Obama stated today that the U.S. is only there to aid in humanitarian efforts designed to stop Gaddafi from doing further harm to his people, yet also clearly stated that it is U.S. policy that Gaddafi must go -- and it will happen within days if not weeks, not months. Forgive me if the deja-vu inherent in the last part of that statement does not comfort me.

Now the Arab League, who were supportive of these actions, seem to be dithering. And lastly, adding to the confusion, in a CNN poll today, 70 percent supported the no-fly zone, yet in another poll, roughly the same amount did not support Obama's handling of the situation.

I'm so confused. All sides seem to have a "first I was for it, then I was against it" or vice versa attitude. I no longer know what I think.