The rebels in Libya deserve US support, albeit indirectly.They are fighting against a tribal-type dictatorial leader, Quaddafi, who has brutalized his people, quashed dissent and has funded terrorism. Britons will not forget his sending explosives and funds to the Irish Republican Army. The US should not forget the destruction of the plane and lives over Lockerbie. Yet the rebels are not likely to be a match against Quaddafi's military, its planes, its equipment and its better trained soldiers. The US does not want to be drawn into another Iraq or Afghanistan, but we can assist the rebels by one or more of the following means:
1. Establish a no-fly zone. (The Arab League has already requested this, a de facto authorization from Libya's neighbors)
2. Provide military equipment, tanks, artillery, anti-aircraft missiles
3. Ask the Egyptian army to train the rebels. We give Egypt about a billion dollars each year as it is for military purchases. We could pay them more to make sure a democracy arises in Libya. Consider that we spent ten billion dollars each month for eight years in Iraq to achieve a very tenuous democracy. The price to achieve democracy in Libya would be much lower and would involve no US ground troops.
