A Point of Order

While I think something should be done to impede Qaddafi's brutalization of his fellow Libyans, there are a few procedural issues with the enforcement of the no-fly zone. Unlike the Iraq war, this is not a violation of international law as best I can tell. It has security council approval. However, there are problems with regard to US law. While the aerial bombardments are clearly an act of war, no such war against Libya has been declared by Congress. There hasn't even been an authorization for the use of military force like Bush had before the invasion of Iraq, which is itself of questionable constitutionality. The president cannot legally wage war against another country without congressional approval.

It's About Time

For the first time, polls show that a majority of Americans support gay marriage.

Of course we all know that gay marriage is an inevitability in the US, but this is an early indication that it may come about via legislation rather than judicial proclamation.

Maybe Libya Will Turn Out Better

Hopefully the humanitarian intervention in Libya will turnout better than the air raids on Serbia, which, looking back, look like they exacerbated rather than mitigated the violence against ethnic Albanians. In Libya, however, nobody will be able to say that the brutality against rebels began only after Western intervention. People have been getting mowed down for days and this looks like the only way to make it stop.

Everything Is Under Control

Apparently some people are offended that there are books out recommending that women "train their men like dogs" as if this somehow compromises the dignity of men or are sexist toward them. Granted, the fact that you could never get away with publishing a book recommending men train their women like dogs does make it a bit sexist, but were it more equal, would there be any reason to be offended? No!

Just about everybody is under some degree of social control. Subjecting someone to such control is only cruel or transgressive of personal dignity if it is done poorly, because systems of control that do not lead to the contentment and satisfaction of the controlled are unsustainable.

Let This Be a Lesson to Everyone Else Planning on Making a "Family Film"

Disney spent $175 million on Mars Needs Moms, and it has so far made 4% of that back. There are number of excuses being proposed, like the technology isn't up to snuff or market saturation of 3D CG movies, but hopefully people are just realizing that Disney movies are all fucking garbage and "family films" are nothing but a fascist plot by the Heritage Foundation and other haters of real art to push movies that aren't a bunch of cutesy crap out of the theaters.

Invade Libya?

Before the Iraq war, and during, I held the position that an invasion of Iraq would be justified if it were mainly to aid an indigenous uprising, rather than imposing a new regime from the top down. In Libya, the West seems to have an opportunity to do just that. This seems to be an ideal situation to take action in support of pro-democracy factions fighting to prevent their own slaughter.

Chomsky disagrees in this interview.

What surprised me was his assertion that the overall attitude of the pro-democracy population was that the West has been "mostly asked to stay away". This seems to contrast with this New York Times article that describes the reaction to the UN resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya: "Benghazi erupted in celebration at news of the resolution’s passage. 'We are embracing each other,' said Imam Bugaighis, spokeswoman for the rebel council in Benghazi. 'The people are euphoric. Although a bit late, the international society did not let us down.'"

The Arab League also seems to be in favor of a no-fly zone

Maybe there's a distinction to be made between the West and "the international society" but, given that right now it looks like operations will mainly be carried out by Britain and France, that distinction isn't very clear.