US shies away from further wars

US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates expressed reservations on Thursday about the possibility of an international military deployment in Libya. The liberal-conservative daily Die Presse can understand why: "Certainly, the US military should be prepared for all eventualities. Nevertheless Gates has no plans to have the US army occupy, pacify and administer a large country in the near future. Any further US military deployments will no doubt take the form of airborne or maritime missions - in Asia, the Persian Gulf or wherever. Hawks in the US are already accusing the Secretary of encouraging 'rogue states' with his reticence, as they will no longer fear an American ground offensive. But presumably these critics don't know the facts - or don't want to know them. These tell us: the US can simply no longer afford land wars or the overextension of its military capacities. Gates has had to eat humble pie and accept that, and his critics will have to do the same."

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