I thought the case for our intervention in Libya was that our NATO allies couldn't seal the deal so we jumped in to prevent the world from realizing that NATO is nothing without US AWACS/ satellites/ armaments/ money. Sounds reminiscent of Kosovo, no?

what are you planning on doing after you graduate, dkfan?

http://www.theonion.com/articles/no-one-murdered-because-of-this-image,29553/

Well it is certainly true that we need to accept that the democracies that emerge from these countries may be more religiously oriented than hours, but you are also certainly downgrading the potential for modern pluralist democracies in these countries, in part because all the post WWI modern communication technologies, etc. make it harder to maintain a closed religious theocracy. What those regions need is time and support for civil organizations to grow and mature and offer a countervailing presence to religious conservatism. They may not be successful, obviously. But it's a bit early to call the experiment a failure.

First, I would say that China has proven modern technology does not undercut a powerful state, but actually reinforces it if that state is disproportionally powerful relative to it's people (thanks Cisco!) and China does not have the benefit of superstition based ignorance to achieve it. Secondly, I think you are making a distinction between religious Islam with political Islam when it's not clear if that separation really exists for non-Western educated Muslims (outside of college dissertations).

I have not conducted a survey, but it is my opinion, that most Muslims simply want what they perceive is a just world, where they are free to live as they want. What I am not sure about is that after decades of oppression with nothing more than their faith to get them through, the people of the Arab Spring countries won't just swap a bearded dictator in a military uniform for an imaginary one in the clouds.*

*I base these opinions solely on American media and internet based reading, so I welcome other sources of knowledge.

(Reuters) - Hundreds of pro-government protesters stormed the headquarters of the main Islamist militia group in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, Reuters witnesses said.

Chanting "Libya, Libya", the demonstrators pulled down flags of the Ansar Al-Sharia militia and torched a vehicle inside the base. There was no sign of resistance from the militia.

Earlier, protesters entered a separate compound belonging to the militia.

Was the original Libya reporting inaccurate in that it portrayed France and Britain as gung ho and the US as a more reluctant partner in the campaign? Weren't we insistent on limiting our involvement to primarily support activities?

But yeah, it is nice to have middle east riots occuring in our interests for once. Probably the only time it'll happen though.

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/syria-in-ruins/100402/?google_editors_picks=true