Outside the Beltway

Continuing problems with the coalition operation in Libya reinforce an old military adage: You fight like you train.

Remember when President Obama said there would be “no boots on the ground” in Libya? You didn’t actually believe that, did you?

France’s top court refused to allow French citizenship for 10-year-old twin girls born to a surrogate mother in the United States.

President Obama says he acted in Libya to avert an imminent genocide, but there’s no evidence that any such thing was about to occur.

“She asked for it” is no longer an acceptable argument in rape cases. So, why is a preacher in Florida burning a book being condemned by American political and military leaders for a days-long murder spree in Afghanistan?

The only people responsible for the murders in Afghanistan are the people who committed them, but the demagogues like Terry Jones deserve condemnation as well.

Modern life requires us to put a high degree of trust in those to whom we delegate responsibility

A NATO airstrike killed 13 rebel fighters, who were mistaken for Gaddafi’s forces. Apparently, they were shooting at NATO planes.

A discussion on Terry Jones’ moral culpability for the crazed reaction in Afghanistan to his Koran burning stunt.

If we allow the possible reaction of the most dogmatic, evil people who might hear the message to govern our expression, we don’t have freedom at all.

The New York Times wins for “Afghans Avenge Florida Koran Burning, Killing 12.”

Politicians in office have a nasty habit of behaving completely differently than they promise on the campaign trail.

President Obama has pledged no slaughter and no ground troops for Libya. He may well be forced to pick one.

The groups we supported were defeated by the Taliban in the civil war that followed Soviet withdrawal. The Taliban and Usama bin Laden were supported by the separate “Sayyaf” group of Mujahideen supported by Saudi Arabia and Deobandi fanatics in Pakistan.

The U.S. seems to be on the verge of changing war strategies in Libya, even as it becomes clear that these rebels aren’t necessarily our friends.

The “Obama Doctrine,” such as it is, seems to boil down to moral self-certainty combined with a glaring ignorance of reality. That’s a dangerous combination.

Amnesty International is drawing attention to capital punishment in the United States, with bad math and a credulous media on its side.

One week in to Operation Odyssey Down, public opinion is, to put it as nicely as possibly, ambivalent.

As allied involvement in Libya’s civil war increases, there are signs that the rebels may not be able to close the deal.

Ten days after sending American forces into kinetic military action in Libya, President Obama addressed the nation to explain “what we’ve done, what we plan to do, and why this matters to us.”

Obama Captain America parody: I’m not punching you Gaddafi I’m having a limited humanitarian intervention with your face.

The Japanese government has announced that the Fukushima Reactor suffered a partial meltdown.

Senator Joe Lieberman said today that we should intervene in Syria using the same rationale we did for Libya. Because, you know, what’s the big deal about a fourth war?

President Obama’s grand coalition against Libya is a lot less than meets the eye.

Canada is leading the operation in Libya but no one is leading Canada.