Enforcing the No-Fly Zone

Written by David Frum on Thursday March 17, 2011

In a normal time, imposing a no-fly zone upon a country like Libya would be an easy exercise of US power. But three wars is a lot even for America.

Obama moves on Libya. Probably not the last move either. Here's where the anti-interventionists have a point: in a normal time, imposing a no-fly zone upon a country like Libya would be an easy exercise of US power. But three wars is a lot even for America. It makes even a hawk like me wonder: has the US gone too long on Afghan futures? If Libya (an oil-producing country 300 miles from Sicily) is deemed not a vital interest of the US, how much less vital is Afghanistan?