Douglas Carswell's Blog

Arm the Libyan rebels?

Last time I watched the TV news, the Libyan rebels seemed to have plenty of arms.

When I hear people suggesting that we "arm the rebels", surely they mean we equip the rebels with what they lack;  discipline, training and strategy?  That sounds a lot more like involvement than merely shipping in munitions.

If we really do just mean giving out guns, are we certain that we're not just giving guns to gangsters? 

I’m not sure if these rebels are an army of liberation, moving westward to set their people free.  Or an armed mob capable of “liberating” with appalling savagery.          

Clever phrases are no substitute for carefully considered policy.

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