If Gaddafi Uses Chemical Weapons, We Should Destroy Him

There are fears in the west that an increasingly desperate Gaddafi will use chemical weapons on his own people in a bid to stay in power. And why not? This is a man that clearly will do anything to sit on his throne. The United States and other countries have already moved military assets into the area. This makes sense from a humanitarian standpoint. The civil war in Libya is brutal and we might very well need to participate in a massive humanitarian effort in that country when the rebels win. But might those forces be used to attack if Gaddafi uses chemical weapons?

I hope so. I’m not one to advocate intervention very often. I believe Ronald Reagan struck the right balance: sometimes you need to send in your forces. But usually its best to arm those indigenous forces that are on our side. This was the beauty of the Reagan Doctrine. Don’t send the Marines into Nicaragua; arm the contras instead. I’m not advocating that in Libya. The anti-Gaddafi forces seem to be doing quite well. There have been substantial defections from the military. It looks as if the Crazy Colonel may finally meet his demise.

But if Gaddafi decides to use chemical weapons? That changes my thinking. In that case we should launch massive airstrikes against him and those who are using them. Crossing the threshold and using weapons of mass destruction is a dangerous course of action. If we fail to punish those who use them, it will create a sense of freedom around the world that the distinction between conventional weapons and chemical weapons is not all that great.

The real question, however, is whether the Obama Administration will be willing to do what must be done. Drone strikes in Afghanistan are one thing. A massive air strike in Libya is quite another. It takes a total commitment to the idea that force does settle matters. And it means you need to be willing to escalate when necessary. Let’s hope that the Crazy Colonel doesn’t get a chance to use chemical weapons. And if he does, let’s hope the Command-in-Chief has the guts to do what must be done.