UN, Libya, US, quo vadis?

In the early 1960s, while I was living and going to school in Washington, DC, I happened to stumble into a Senate hearing at which Adlai Stevenson was testifying. It could have been a confirmation hearing for Stevenson to assume the ambassadorship to the United Nations. It was easy to get into hearings in those days. I was not fully aware of all the politics that were going on then. Some of those in the hearing included Senator Everett Dirksen and Senator Edward Kennedy. It was Stevenson who was in the lime light, and he relished it. He gave lots of reasons for maintaining membership in the UN and supporting the organization. Among the reasons were the police actions the UN had accomplished in many countries around the globe which were broadly supported by member nations, and which actions would have been impossible if the United States had attempted to do them alone. Participation in the organization made interventions possible because of the shared vision, workload and costs.

Today, the UN has endorsed an action in Libya to safeguard the citizenry there from the threatening vengeful ruler, Khaddafy. We can only hope that the benefits enunciated by Ambassador Stevenson many years ago hold true today. No one wants the USA involved in another war. People here and abroad are tired of America interfering in many other nations' affairs. Here, we ask, where does intervention stop? Why not march into other rebellions- Iran for instance? Do opposition leaders expect USA support and protection? Why Libya, and not another place? Who pays for it all? What guarantees a good outcome for the US?

I think I am glad for the UN to take up the cause of the Libyan people.I am sad that it comes down to arms as a method of solving the problem. I want the people to win, and live in freedom. I worry when bluster replaces real diplomacy. I believe in the latter. There are so many questions and concerns which result in confusion and uncertainty, and  I would like to see the US, the UN, and all parties get back on the right track.