NATO escalates Libya Strikes

The New York Times: Reports that NATO dropped around sixty bombs on the Libyan Capital Tripoli on Tuesday. Lets be honest here folks, the objectives of the NATO allies has gone well beyond the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 of protecting the people of Libya. The Allies have to much political capital on the line, Obama is getting pressure for breaking the War Powers Resolution Act, France has a vote in its Parliament shortly to keep France in the War, the Labour Party is getting nervous about the War. Thus Obama, Cameron etc need a quick victory, either Gaddafi out or dead, dead being the better option, a Colonel Gaddafi on the lose would be a threat to the new Government of Libya. Thus expect bigger bombing folks, there can only be one result, NATO can not afford to lose.

Romney vs. Obama = 2012

Guardian: Reports on a Washington Post/ABC News poll that has Governor Romney on 49% while President Obama is on 46%. Not quite the time for Republicans to have a Party, this is a snapshot of the mood of the electorate just after the US unemployment rate went up to 9.1. POTUS might try to keep his base happy and get independent voters back by getting out of Afghanistan faster than the 2014 timetable. This blog has been has always been wary of the War in Afghanistan, but lets hope POTUS does not put party politics ahead of national security. After the death of OBL the political aides within the White House see a Exit route out of Afghanistan, but Afghanistan is not the PRIZE, the prize is a stable Pakistan. If the Pakistan Taliban can use bases within Afghanistan after the West has left it could undermine the security of the Government of Pakistan, and lets recall Pakistan is nuclear armed. Lets hope Obama puts military strategy ahead of his re-election, otherwise a sharp withdrawal of troops will be used by the Afghan Taliban as a PR victory, this would undermine NATO in Afghanistan and could set back the 2014 leaving date.