The rebels in Libya

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Aug 23, 2011 at 02:34

Dear Dr Pipes:

We all hope that your fears about Libya are untrue and those who NATO is helping against Qaddafi are better than Qaddafi. However, by looking at the demeanors of the rebels that hope appears to be faint. Coming from India I am familiar with the concept of "Dharmayuddha" which might roughly be translated as a "just war". An oxymoron though it might sound, it entails that even in war decorum can be maintained. Many of your readers might have seen the pictures of these rebels riding on pick-up trucks and waving their guns in air above their heads. I recall seeing no such pictures of US soldiers when they defeated Saddam Hussain or when they freed Bosnia or at the end of WWII. When the enemy is vanquished or about to be vanquished, when someone's son is captured or killed, or when people die the mood should be sombre and not shooting-guns-over-my-head jovial.

It is interesting that you wrote this article today. When I saw the above picture, same fears as yours crossed my heart.

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