Libya and the Line of Death

When we forget that big talk carries little weight outside of American politics, the savage murder of our ambassador in Libya reminds us otherwise. In the world at large, violence and hate don't evaporate at the sound of mellifluous words from politicians urging tolerance and deploring misunderstandings while sympathizing with attacker motivations. Thugs stop barbaric acts when you give them a compelling reason. Period.

Now, there are demonstrations and demonstrations. One kind of demonstration is a protest. It can range from a vocal expression of concern to a mob riot, or a thinly veiled assault on a Goliath whose penchant for restraint and obsession with looking like a nice guy assure he won't raise a hand against a mosquito let alone a David bent on felling him with any weapon at hand. At least, this Goliath, America, can be relied upon to keep his own hands tied when courting public opinion on the world stage. But there is another kind of demonstration, and Libya knows and respects it.

This other demonstration is about drawing lines. Libya proved a fast learner in 1986 -- not so long ago that its current citizenry could have entirely forgotten. America administered the lesson as a demonstration of cause and effect.

The Cause

Qaddafi or his surrogates, Libyans, caused the bombing of a disco American servicemen were known to frequent in Germany. Americans died. Confident they could strike and feel no consequences beyond trite expressions of outrage, the Libyans struck.

Insurance: Line of Death

Just to be sure no physical consequences attended the bombing, Qaddafi took the stage at the sign of a US military presence offshore. He proclaimed a "line of death," and announced that an American crossing of that line would lead to devastating consequences for any American who dared to cross.

What Happened

We dared. President Reagan wasted no breath trading broadcasts with Libya's dictator. America bombed Libya. One of Qaddafi's sons died, and Qaddifi himself had a very close call. Evidently, no one ever explained it to him this way before.

Effect

Libya backed down, and the line of death dissolved into a dotted line of rhetorical spittle. There may have been more other events, but Qaddafi was definitely chastened. Another under-reported and often forgotten demonstration of realpolitik from Libya came when the US invaded Iraq. Guess which traditional adversary was the first to renounce weapons of mass destruction and start currying favor with the West in general and America in particular? That's right, Libya. We saw that even the most ardent foe of doubtful sanity can still figure out when not to make the wrong enemies.

Application

We need to be the wrong enemy -- for Libya, for Eypt, and for any other state-sanctioned savage who presumes to threaten American sovereignty. After all, an embassy is supposed to be sovereign territory, and one of the first obligations of diplomacy is for a host country to make it safe for the embassies of foreign countries. Would America or any other civilized nation stand languidly by while self-styled protestors stormed a foreign embassy or fired on diplomats? Of course not.

Lines to Draw

There are many ways to react, but only a few that show we are serious and that reach the savages whose thirst for American blood embraces any pretext.

One is to immediately withdraw any funding that goes to Libya or Egypt. This communicates to the political leadership of those states that we do not accept their excuses for violating international obligations to defend embassies. Another serious subset of such a measure could be a blockade of Libyan oil tankers, just to get their attention.

Two is to forcefully make perpetrators pay. Exact a clear, visible price that makes it unquestionably too punitive to assassinate Americans the way Libyans did yesterday. Rhetoric not only falls flat. It makes us look weak and irresolute. Wake and unleash the sleeping giant. Involve American warriors and give Libyans an unambiguous demonstration of what Goliath can do. One example would be to establish a visible cordon sanitaire around our embassy, enforcing it with C-130 and helicopter gunships and US Marines and diplomatic security staff authorized to defend themselves by shooting back. It is an international language that even barbarians understand. Translations would be optional.

Any country with the might of the United States can arrange a show of force. But its value becomes inconsequential if the force is only for show. A demonstration is clearly in order.

-- Nick Catrantzos