New Poll Shows Public Split Over U.S. Enforcing a Libya 'No-Fly' Zone

America is the leader of the world and as such we must stop stalling and push post haste for a Libyan no-fly zone to protect those who are willing to die for the same freedoms we're willing to die for. John McCain has been pushing for a no-fly zone from the beginning and when it comes to things military, I respect Senator McCain's take on the increasingly deteriorating situation where the rebels, many only teenagers who barely know how to use a gun, are willing to sacrifice their lives to be free. If we don't help these people NOW, the consequences of our inaction will come back to haunt us. The world is watching to see what we will do. President Obama has asked Gadhafi to step down. Since Gadhafi and his sons have ignored Obama, it is especially imperative that America take action. Libyan rebels and France and Britain are NOT asking us to go in on the ground; they are asking us to protect the Libyan Freedom Fighters from three airports--that's right, THREE SMALL AIRPORTS--where enacting a no-fly zone will ensure that a world-acknowledged murderous madman cannot use them as striking pads to kill his own people. Because we are not talking about a significant investment of our time or troops, it is even more imperative in this increasingly small world in which we live that we take immediate action to aid these brave Libyan rebels who refuse to turn and run. Massacres no longer occur out of sight. If we don't act now, we and the rest of the world will see video evidence documenting our inaction as cold-blooded pragmatic timidity. The thought that we Americans, knowing the slaughter was easily preventable, might have to live with horrific images of a generation of freedom-loving young Libyans' lifeless bodies scattered over the scorched earth of Gadhafi's air attacks, will torment our American soul, and well it should.

I am not split over it at all. America is broke there are no jobs people are losing there homes and struggling to feed their families. The last thing we can do right now is get involved in another optional foreign war. How about putting America first for once?

While I can understand the reasons for hesitation, I do think we should impose a no-fly zone, without getting involved on the ground, and certainly without handing out weapons to anyone who happens to ask for them. Of course, enforcing a no-fly zone would be a challenge, because Gadhafi's forces surely have access to SAMs which would present a great danger to our aircraft. Thus to enforce it would almost certainly require destroying the SAM sites, which is harder for the average Joe to agree with. Probably the only way to do it would be to maintain a minimum of 2000 or more feet above the ground for all aircraft (to minimize the threat of MANPADS systems, and to have heavy Wild Weasel back up to take out any SAM sites that opened fire. It would of course be better if we could destroy the SAMs first, but that is unlikely to happen.

Nice article on polls. Polls are only as good as the way the questions are asked and who you ask. What america should do in Libya is a question that will be decided by people with more facts then I have. But america has to lead and either get on with the no fly zone or stay out. Not making decisions while people are dying is not helping. Make a decision and stand by it.

Diplomats, congressmen and the military generals have been warning this country to stay out of mid east politics since the 50s. All remarks were to stay out and let the dust settle. And here we are ready to send our best men and women to another hole in the world, won't we ever learn??? No fly means the US. What other country will use military might to stop them? When are we going to say enough waste over these two bit countries. We are $14 trillion in debt. We lost 58,000 in Vietnam, over six thousand in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let the Libyans take care of Libya.

It depends on which poll you pick. The last one I read, not hours ago, had 75% in favor of no-fly. That was a scientific poll. In any case I think the US needs to stand aside and let others with better leadership handle the no fly zine.