Window into Libya

It was true in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. So it's probably safe to surmise that neither the White House, State Department nor the Pentagon have a clue about Libyan culture. Experts say Libya, an Arab nation of some 140 tribes, has a rich heritage in the traditions of the nomadic Bedouin. As we inch toward possible intervention there, an old and widely quoted Bedouin saying is worth bearing in mind: "Me against my brother, my brothers and me against my cousins, then my cousins and me against strangers." This is yet one more reason why it is important that we look before we leap. Knocking off Gaddafi would be the easy part. Dealing with the day after is the real problem -- especially knowing that we are precast for the role of "strangers."