Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

To the Editor:

Re “With Qaddafi Cornered, Arms Deal Looms Large” (news analysis, March 2):

Although it is no doubt a good thing that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya cannot threaten his people or his neighbors with nuclear weapons, our actions against him so far may cause Iran, North Korea and other states at odds with the West over weapons programs to view cooperation as collaboration.

The narrative that Colonel Qaddafi espouses, and that the enemies of the United States are going to listen to, is that after complying with the West and giving up his weapons program he was shortchanged in compensation and is now facing rebels actively supported by the West.

The lesson that enemy states will take away is that surrendering arms to the West takes away the biggest defense against Western interference. How different would the United States’ response be if Colonel Qaddafi had missiles pointed at Rome or Paris? To the leadership of Iran and North Korea, that is the axis around which their world turns.

David C. Blanco
Houston, March 2, 2011