Libyan Terror Unveiled, Brings Question of Rights to Surface

Human rights can all be chalked up to perception. What do WE think is of basic necessity to every human being? Is it the right to choose who rules you by having the power to vote? Is it education, is it healthcare, is it basic food and shelter? In my opinion, every human being should be given a firm and sound foundation upon which to build success. Some people, born of privilege, begin a 100-meter race 50 meters ahead from the very beginning, while the rest of us commence from the start. Others, however, start 50 yards behind and can barely ever catch up, if they are even given the opportunity to do so. Human rights should be an issue on everyone's minds, regardless of how directly or indirectly if affects us. In Libya, American action seemed to have been far too late for many who experienced the traumatic horrors that come with a corrupt ruler in a time of turmoil.
  
 "A US-based human rights watchdog yesterday said that the Gaddafi
regime forced civilians to act as human shields, and placed children
on Libyan tanks to deter NATO airstrikes.
   Physicians for Human Rights said it had also found evidence of a
pattern of murders, rapes “disappearances” and other apparent war
crimes during an investigation in the city of Misurata in June."

This is something which we should be paying attention to. When there are helpless people, children even, being put in the way of danger, having their most basic rights infringed upon, help should be sent swiftly and without hesitation. However, one must consider the double
edged sword this presents to any nation willing to put their armed forces into harm's way for something that may not yield more than casualties for them. This is a point of contention with which I could understand the time being taken to think strategically, but if we Americans are going to boast superiority and military strength which is unparalleled, perhaps we should be focusing more on acting like a world superhero rather than a world superpower.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/human-rights-spotlight-libyas-human-rights-atrocities/2011/03/29/gIQAxZA3tJ_blog.html