Reply #9: I think what Merkle says makes sense if the goal is to help the rebels win

[karynnj]

I think that Kerry wanted them to win too - and he was very clearly disappointed in today's speech. He was pretty clear earlier that the ONLY circumstance under which he was recommending the no fly zone was if people were being bombed by planes. This actually did not happen to the degree that would be called "huge" - at least from what I read.

Merkel's question is an excellent one - and there is no real code that defines when the world needs to intervene in a civil war in an independent country. It seems something the UN may have tried to come up with policy on, but I've never heard of it. Most things deal with problems between countries. Yet, looking at the atrocities I mentioned, a lot of pain would have not existed if there was intervention, but that gives more power to a "world" government than many would be comfortable with.

One observation is that many adamantly against going to war are the first to blame people for not stopping Darfur, Rwanda etc. It is very complicated and it seems each side is a problem.