portishead
Apr 9, 02:06 AM
Professional Editor for about 10 years. I came up before the DV revolution, and before Final Cut even existed. Before Non linear editing even existed really - or at least was widely used. It's crazy how far the editing world has come when I look back.
I did my first non-linear editing on an Amiga video toaster. I also learned Media 100 & Premiere. I have used FCP on and off since version 1.0. I used Avid Professionally around 5 years, and now back on FCP for about 4 years. It's not really my choice, I use what my employer uses. Avid was great when I used it but the editing world is growing so fast. I didn't like the closed system, and the expensive hardware. I will say I was faster on an Avid than I probably ever will be in Final Cut. Maybe that's my own laziness, but whatever...
So here we are in 2011. It seems Premiere has come on strong and is doing good things. I will most likely never use it though. I really like Final Cut, but if Apple ever got out of the game, I'd go back to Avid. It is my opinion that Avid is better for narrative, but Final Cut is better for a more diverse set of projects. For what I do at my job, Final Cut works fine, and I prefer it over Avid.
People spend a lot of time arguing, but they are just editing systems. They all do essentially the same thing. Some edit software may have better features, or better compatibility with certain things, but software is always changing anyway.
I think Final Cut has been ahead of the game for most of the past 10 years. In the last year, maybe 2, I think it has lost ground to Premiere and Avid. It's normal. You can't be on top all of the time. I am hoping with this next release, it will put Final Cut back on top for the foreseeable future.
Edit software is getting very good. I think we are very close to hitting a sweet spot. I cannot speak for Avid or Premiere since I haven't used them in several years but for Final Cut some things need to improve. I think the biggest problem is quicktime itself. It's become bloated with all the focus on iTunes music, and film. Apple needs to do something about this. It also needs to be 64-bit and use processing/memory better. Also better integration with Video cards. Also RGB 444 doesn't work in Final Cut. Compressor is horrible and outdated. I like Motion just fine although I would prefer a few interface tweaks which I won't get into. I don't ever use Soundtrack because I think it's horrible, and I have the luxury of having an audio guy at work.
I think Final Cut is a pretty good program and if Apple puts in a little more work it can be great. Different people have different workflows and want different things out of their edit systems. It's pointless arguing about specific features.
I LOVE ProRes and it has absolutely saved editing for me. I love editing and I'm exciting for what the next version of Final Cut will bring. Sorry for the rant this should have been a blog post instead.
I did my first non-linear editing on an Amiga video toaster. I also learned Media 100 & Premiere. I have used FCP on and off since version 1.0. I used Avid Professionally around 5 years, and now back on FCP for about 4 years. It's not really my choice, I use what my employer uses. Avid was great when I used it but the editing world is growing so fast. I didn't like the closed system, and the expensive hardware. I will say I was faster on an Avid than I probably ever will be in Final Cut. Maybe that's my own laziness, but whatever...
So here we are in 2011. It seems Premiere has come on strong and is doing good things. I will most likely never use it though. I really like Final Cut, but if Apple ever got out of the game, I'd go back to Avid. It is my opinion that Avid is better for narrative, but Final Cut is better for a more diverse set of projects. For what I do at my job, Final Cut works fine, and I prefer it over Avid.
People spend a lot of time arguing, but they are just editing systems. They all do essentially the same thing. Some edit software may have better features, or better compatibility with certain things, but software is always changing anyway.
I think Final Cut has been ahead of the game for most of the past 10 years. In the last year, maybe 2, I think it has lost ground to Premiere and Avid. It's normal. You can't be on top all of the time. I am hoping with this next release, it will put Final Cut back on top for the foreseeable future.
Edit software is getting very good. I think we are very close to hitting a sweet spot. I cannot speak for Avid or Premiere since I haven't used them in several years but for Final Cut some things need to improve. I think the biggest problem is quicktime itself. It's become bloated with all the focus on iTunes music, and film. Apple needs to do something about this. It also needs to be 64-bit and use processing/memory better. Also better integration with Video cards. Also RGB 444 doesn't work in Final Cut. Compressor is horrible and outdated. I like Motion just fine although I would prefer a few interface tweaks which I won't get into. I don't ever use Soundtrack because I think it's horrible, and I have the luxury of having an audio guy at work.
I think Final Cut is a pretty good program and if Apple puts in a little more work it can be great. Different people have different workflows and want different things out of their edit systems. It's pointless arguing about specific features.
I LOVE ProRes and it has absolutely saved editing for me. I love editing and I'm exciting for what the next version of Final Cut will bring. Sorry for the rant this should have been a blog post instead.
orangerizzla
Apr 6, 10:37 AM
I'm just guessing but it's possible that Apple will announce the new FCS and ship it when Lion ships, perhaps around the June WWDC.
I think your probably right but I sure hope they announce something. I certainly didn't buy my brand new MacPro to run the leather clad iCal... ;-)
I think your probably right but I sure hope they announce something. I certainly didn't buy my brand new MacPro to run the leather clad iCal... ;-)
TripHop
Jun 18, 06:30 AM
He said they gave up and that corporate is just going to send out whatever allocation next week not based on any PIN numbers since most stores give-up trying to get them. :rolleyes:
ssteve
Aug 16, 10:41 PM
Should we be surprised? I mean really this is good information, but it is does not really make me sit up and say "WOW". It is definitely interesting for the benchmarks. Thank you Steve for making the switch to Intel!
drsmithy
Sep 13, 08:41 PM
Mac OS X distributes threads and processes across cores/CPUs to optimize performance already. (Subject to some limitations, as noted already.)
[...]
(Note: I keep specifying 'Mac' here. There is a reason. Windows isn't as good at multithreading/processing yet...)
Uh, no. Windows NT is better at multithreading - and particularly multiprocessor scheduling - largely because it's been doing it for a lot longer and on a lot more powerful hardware. NT was running on quad-processor machines a decade ago.
Prior to 10.4, OS X had roughly the same level of SMP support Windows NT had back around the 1993 - 95 timeframe, with Windows NT 3.x.
The improvements in 10.4 start to put it in the ballpark of NT 4.0, ca. 1996.
10.5 will probably put it on par with Windows 2000, maybe XP.
[...]
(Note: I keep specifying 'Mac' here. There is a reason. Windows isn't as good at multithreading/processing yet...)
Uh, no. Windows NT is better at multithreading - and particularly multiprocessor scheduling - largely because it's been doing it for a lot longer and on a lot more powerful hardware. NT was running on quad-processor machines a decade ago.
Prior to 10.4, OS X had roughly the same level of SMP support Windows NT had back around the 1993 - 95 timeframe, with Windows NT 3.x.
The improvements in 10.4 start to put it in the ballpark of NT 4.0, ca. 1996.
10.5 will probably put it on par with Windows 2000, maybe XP.
11thIndian
Apr 6, 08:12 PM
I don't need links, videos, etc. to prove my point. I know it's the case, because I've seen it with my own eyes. And frankly I don't care to impress you with pointless links and statistics. I am a professional, and I work with professionals, and several of them have already switched to Premiere. That, my friend, is a fact, and it's all I need.
If your sector of the business has decided to move to Premier because it works for them, awesome- but don't paint it as an industry trent. Cause I've seen zero migration from FCP to PP in Toronto post houses. Pro editing is still a two horse race: AVID and FCP.
And I can't help but think how ironic it will be if the new FCS will be built on AV Foundation, which was pioneered on your hated "itoys".
http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2011/02/a-new-64-bit-final-cut-pro/
If your sector of the business has decided to move to Premier because it works for them, awesome- but don't paint it as an industry trent. Cause I've seen zero migration from FCP to PP in Toronto post houses. Pro editing is still a two horse race: AVID and FCP.
And I can't help but think how ironic it will be if the new FCS will be built on AV Foundation, which was pioneered on your hated "itoys".
http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2011/02/a-new-64-bit-final-cut-pro/
dhc
Aug 11, 11:05 AM
I'm stuck in a contract for another year, so I'll be watching to see how this pans out. Hopefully, I'll be able to jump on a Rev B without reservations.
Given Apple's patent on the click-wheel interface, what do you think the likelihood of a virtual rotary phone interface? There are plenty of people who are now adults who've never 'dialled' a phone. It would be really slick if Apple could find a way for all of us old-farts to re-activiate our kinaesthetic memories and dial up and old friend using the click wheel on our new iPhones.
Cheers
Loving that idea..54820
Given Apple's patent on the click-wheel interface, what do you think the likelihood of a virtual rotary phone interface? There are plenty of people who are now adults who've never 'dialled' a phone. It would be really slick if Apple could find a way for all of us old-farts to re-activiate our kinaesthetic memories and dial up and old friend using the click wheel on our new iPhones.
Cheers
Loving that idea..54820
Northgrove
Mar 26, 11:21 AM
Damn, this was confusing. I can barely decide between the 24 versions you mentioned. Add Windows 7 Starter, a version meant only for Notebooks. Still only 4 versions.
Windows 7 is available in six editions, and three of those (bolded) are available through normal retail channels.
- Windows 7 Starter
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- Windows 7 Ultimate
You also need to decide on the architecture before purchase, unlike OS X.
If you count those (they are packaged in different boxes after all), this brings the number up to 11. Starter doesn't come in a 64-bit edition.
Finally, this of course doesn't include the server editions of the Windows 7 kernel.
Windows 7 is available in six editions, and three of those (bolded) are available through normal retail channels.
- Windows 7 Starter
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- Windows 7 Ultimate
You also need to decide on the architecture before purchase, unlike OS X.
If you count those (they are packaged in different boxes after all), this brings the number up to 11. Starter doesn't come in a 64-bit edition.
Finally, this of course doesn't include the server editions of the Windows 7 kernel.
myemosoul
Jun 14, 07:25 PM
I'm in the same exact boat Ronbo. I live in NJ too by the way.
I traded my 16GB 3GS to Radio Shack on 6/9 for a 184 dollar credit to use on iPhone4 and i got a call from the store manager an hour and a half ago telling me that they're not allowed to take pre-orders but i can come tomorrow at 1pm and get a pin number that DOESN'T even guarantee me a phone on the 24th?
I'm probably going to pre-order on apple's website tomorrow and spend my 184 dollar credit on a vcr/dvd recorder combo instead.
UGH, i knew i shouldn't have done this, and the icing on the cake is that I have to use my Razr V3 until the 24th which is killing me, and all for nothing.
I traded my 16GB 3GS to Radio Shack on 6/9 for a 184 dollar credit to use on iPhone4 and i got a call from the store manager an hour and a half ago telling me that they're not allowed to take pre-orders but i can come tomorrow at 1pm and get a pin number that DOESN'T even guarantee me a phone on the 24th?
I'm probably going to pre-order on apple's website tomorrow and spend my 184 dollar credit on a vcr/dvd recorder combo instead.
UGH, i knew i shouldn't have done this, and the icing on the cake is that I have to use my Razr V3 until the 24th which is killing me, and all for nothing.
GFLPraxis
Mar 31, 02:39 PM
You could say the same thing about Apple though. The Apple fad will go away and the extremely closed ecosystem which seems to not be really developing much in terms of UI or having an actual roadmap could end iOS.
I don't understand why people can't just see the pros and cons of both and accept both are great platforms. Its always a WAR with Apple fans. Apple against EVERYONE!
Wars are great for the economy. This IS a war. But we're the economy that benefits from it. And it doesn't have that "people dying" downside to traditional wars.
Yay for corporate wars, since the winner is us!
I don't understand why people can't just see the pros and cons of both and accept both are great platforms. Its always a WAR with Apple fans. Apple against EVERYONE!
Wars are great for the economy. This IS a war. But we're the economy that benefits from it. And it doesn't have that "people dying" downside to traditional wars.
Yay for corporate wars, since the winner is us!
reden
Apr 6, 03:07 PM
Xoom-1.6Lbs vs iPad 2-1.3Lbs
I Love You Graphic Comments
I Love You Baby Basil Leo
i love you forever. love mom.
i love you forever baby.
i love you forever baby. love
I love you forever,
ECUpirate44
Apr 6, 10:04 AM
Kind of figured this. Good to hear! Possibly a June release?
donlphi
Nov 29, 12:31 AM
I also wanted to add... go onto UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP (http://new.umusic.com/flash.aspx) and see how many groups you would be missing if ITUNES didn't offer Universal.
If you need "98 DEGREES" on your iPOD, then you better start freaking out...
Otherwise, don't sweat it. Universal has nothing to threaten Apple with. No worries here.
If you need "98 DEGREES" on your iPOD, then you better start freaking out...
Otherwise, don't sweat it. Universal has nothing to threaten Apple with. No worries here.
Hurda
Apr 27, 08:38 AM
"Calculating a phone's location using just GPS satellite data can take up to several minutes."
Then how is car-navigation working?
Apple - Locating different :D:apple:
Then how is car-navigation working?
Apple - Locating different :D:apple:
cyberbeats
Jul 21, 07:11 AM
hi,
i've just sold my dual g5 because
i plan to buy a new macpro in august.
But seems that it will be already obsolate after 3 months.
Please can you tell me if the socket of woodcrest
will make the macpro upgradable one day,
or these new type of processors need differet socket?
Thanks.
i've just sold my dual g5 because
i plan to buy a new macpro in august.
But seems that it will be already obsolate after 3 months.
Please can you tell me if the socket of woodcrest
will make the macpro upgradable one day,
or these new type of processors need differet socket?
Thanks.
Multimedia
Jul 24, 05:54 PM
So you don't expect the Mac Pro at WWDC?? Or only a dual core version using Conroe?
I agree single Woodcrest doesn't make sense. So we have two options for Quad core - Dual Woodcrest and single Kentsfield. Of course 2xWodcrest is going to be more expensive but I wonder by how much more. I am guessing $400. But, if you do that, you have the same motherboard across the Mac Pro (and possibly shared with XServe as well) and for that $400 you also get FB-DIMM and higher RAM ceiling. Also, the same platform can be used with Clovertown to scale to 8 core workstation early Q1'07. If Kentsfield is used then 4 core is the end of the line.
So I don't expect Mac Pro to exclusively use Conroe/Kentsfield. Either two different boards - Conroe/Kentsfield on the low end and Woodcrest/Clovertown on the high end. Or Woodcrest/Clovertown across the board. Given the reasons above, I expect it will be the latter.
Conroe deserves to be in the Apple lineup. I expect it will be in the upgraded (perhaps a larger i.e. 23") iMac. Apple may also release another desktop to fill the gap between the Mini and the Pro. That option has been discussed here as well.Not really. Yorkfield is the 8 core follow on to Kentsfield in the Conroe class motherboard. Should be shipping by next Spring.Next Spring??? Can you please point me to the source of that information.
I don't believe Intel can go to 8 core chip before going to a true 4 core instead of 2 dual cores on the MCM. That may have to wait till the process moves to 45nm and they have the Common System Interface worked out i.e. towards the end of 2007. This is all an educated guess on my part ... nothing concrete.It's in the roadmap listed to follow Kentsfield (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_Microarchitecture).
"Yorkfield, eight-core MCM, 45 nm, 12 MiB L2, successor to Kentsfield"
Since Kentsfield is due Fall I IMAGINED Yorkfield would be ready to roll by Spring 2007. Maybe later? OK maybe later. I have no idea. Just feeling optimistic about Intel's accelerated rollout luck lately.
Well at the very least we will have pairs of Tigertons providing 8 cores by Spring 2007 as a stop-gap on a Woodcrest motherboard. Won't we?
My point wasn't so much exactly when Yorkfield will arrive as much as it was that Kentsfield is not THE END of increasingly more cores on the Conroe front as you had stated as fact.
Anyone else having confusion with all these -field, -town and -ton processor name suffixes? Aparently even the moderators here are. They have mispelled Clovertown in the original news story and post as well as on this forum's web page titles.
I agree single Woodcrest doesn't make sense. So we have two options for Quad core - Dual Woodcrest and single Kentsfield. Of course 2xWodcrest is going to be more expensive but I wonder by how much more. I am guessing $400. But, if you do that, you have the same motherboard across the Mac Pro (and possibly shared with XServe as well) and for that $400 you also get FB-DIMM and higher RAM ceiling. Also, the same platform can be used with Clovertown to scale to 8 core workstation early Q1'07. If Kentsfield is used then 4 core is the end of the line.
So I don't expect Mac Pro to exclusively use Conroe/Kentsfield. Either two different boards - Conroe/Kentsfield on the low end and Woodcrest/Clovertown on the high end. Or Woodcrest/Clovertown across the board. Given the reasons above, I expect it will be the latter.
Conroe deserves to be in the Apple lineup. I expect it will be in the upgraded (perhaps a larger i.e. 23") iMac. Apple may also release another desktop to fill the gap between the Mini and the Pro. That option has been discussed here as well.Not really. Yorkfield is the 8 core follow on to Kentsfield in the Conroe class motherboard. Should be shipping by next Spring.Next Spring??? Can you please point me to the source of that information.
I don't believe Intel can go to 8 core chip before going to a true 4 core instead of 2 dual cores on the MCM. That may have to wait till the process moves to 45nm and they have the Common System Interface worked out i.e. towards the end of 2007. This is all an educated guess on my part ... nothing concrete.It's in the roadmap listed to follow Kentsfield (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_Microarchitecture).
"Yorkfield, eight-core MCM, 45 nm, 12 MiB L2, successor to Kentsfield"
Since Kentsfield is due Fall I IMAGINED Yorkfield would be ready to roll by Spring 2007. Maybe later? OK maybe later. I have no idea. Just feeling optimistic about Intel's accelerated rollout luck lately.
Well at the very least we will have pairs of Tigertons providing 8 cores by Spring 2007 as a stop-gap on a Woodcrest motherboard. Won't we?
My point wasn't so much exactly when Yorkfield will arrive as much as it was that Kentsfield is not THE END of increasingly more cores on the Conroe front as you had stated as fact.
Anyone else having confusion with all these -field, -town and -ton processor name suffixes? Aparently even the moderators here are. They have mispelled Clovertown in the original news story and post as well as on this forum's web page titles.
Dan==
Jul 27, 02:29 PM
While I like your thinking, your mock-up is wrong. If Apple are going to release a mid-Tower it has to appeal to both gamers and those looking for a headless iMac. They would really have to bring out about three main models, one which was basically an upgradable iMac spec for a couple to few hundred bucks less than the real deal and two higher spec conroes, (short of Mac Pro though). From what I can see, yours looks too small to easily customise, which would appeal to gamers.
Single optical, single HD (2nd slot free), assume better specs will mainly lie with graphics and ram.
I'm not much of a gamer, so take this with a healthy grain of salt...
Gamers seem to like to do a few things:
i love you forever baby.
love you forever baby. I Love
Single optical, single HD (2nd slot free), assume better specs will mainly lie with graphics and ram.
I'm not much of a gamer, so take this with a healthy grain of salt...
Gamers seem to like to do a few things:
striker33
Apr 6, 06:39 PM
I have something better than a MacBook Air. It's called an iPad 2.
That with my iMac and I have no need anymore for my 13" aluminum MacBook. While the Air is a nice looking and light machine, I still like having things like Firewire, an optical drive (without having to pay extra for it or plug it in), and above all, screen real estate.
My 24" iMac gives me that. While my iPad 2 gives my instant on, mobile, and light. When the iMacs get a refresh and ship with Lion, it will be time for a 27".
So when your away from your iMac, how does one use CS5 on-the-go?
These "I dont use anything other than facebook and itunes so therefore my iPad wins" idiots need to sit the **** down and realise that people actually buy Mac's based on the OS and apps that they NEED, and dont buy Apple products just to sit there and look shiny like most people do.
That with my iMac and I have no need anymore for my 13" aluminum MacBook. While the Air is a nice looking and light machine, I still like having things like Firewire, an optical drive (without having to pay extra for it or plug it in), and above all, screen real estate.
My 24" iMac gives me that. While my iPad 2 gives my instant on, mobile, and light. When the iMacs get a refresh and ship with Lion, it will be time for a 27".
So when your away from your iMac, how does one use CS5 on-the-go?
These "I dont use anything other than facebook and itunes so therefore my iPad wins" idiots need to sit the **** down and realise that people actually buy Mac's based on the OS and apps that they NEED, and dont buy Apple products just to sit there and look shiny like most people do.
brammp
Apr 25, 03:40 PM
Except secured
Irrelevant.
Irrelevant.
WildPalms
Sep 13, 09:12 AM
*sigh* My poor, poor wallet.....may as well call it iWallet for the use it gets buying Apple gear constantly....:o
mediasorcerer
Mar 31, 10:41 PM
Whether they're right to start regulating or not, they're still shamless hypocrites. What happened to all the principles that they waved around in the air? Andy Rubin himself said that the "definition of open" was that anyone could download the Android source and do whatever they wanted to it. Now people have to kiss his ring?
Google are the ones who waved the bloody shirt and shrieked about how Android-vs-the-iPhone was about freedom. Just because they're forced to backtrack now doesn't mean it's not blatant hypocrisy.
it is hypocrisy,and its to be expected from google too,lets face it,they are the data miners right hand man,they went around stealing peoples wifi details recently,and were caught,what sort of a company does that i ask you?thieving personal info!!!!
ive never heard of apple doing that.
Google are the ones who waved the bloody shirt and shrieked about how Android-vs-the-iPhone was about freedom. Just because they're forced to backtrack now doesn't mean it's not blatant hypocrisy.
it is hypocrisy,and its to be expected from google too,lets face it,they are the data miners right hand man,they went around stealing peoples wifi details recently,and were caught,what sort of a company does that i ask you?thieving personal info!!!!
ive never heard of apple doing that.
eMagius
Aug 7, 07:36 PM
As others have said, Time Machine is likely either a direct port of Sun's ZFS, or an equivalent implementation in HFS+.
I don't think we can say exactly how things work underneath. Windows 2003 offers differential snapshots without making massive changes to NTFS, for example. It would be neat if Apple did throw its weight behind ZFS, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen with 10.5.
According to today's keynote, Apple has finally added support for network drives. But I wonder -- does this mean only other Leopard Macs, or any shared drive that the Mac can connect to? Can I index a Windows shared drive from my Mac, or even a Unix NFS mount? Or is it only other Macs? Once again, if it's limited to other Leopard Macs, then this would be useless for a lot of people (mostly ME! :D).
I don't see how this would work for anything other than other Leopard (maybe Tiger, with a software update) Macs. Spotlight has to have the indexes pre-generated, after all.
Finally, gotta wonder what those "top secret" features are, and why so secret?
Call me a cynic, but I'd say Apple either hasn't implemented them yet or hasn't thought of them yet.
I don't think we can say exactly how things work underneath. Windows 2003 offers differential snapshots without making massive changes to NTFS, for example. It would be neat if Apple did throw its weight behind ZFS, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen with 10.5.
According to today's keynote, Apple has finally added support for network drives. But I wonder -- does this mean only other Leopard Macs, or any shared drive that the Mac can connect to? Can I index a Windows shared drive from my Mac, or even a Unix NFS mount? Or is it only other Macs? Once again, if it's limited to other Leopard Macs, then this would be useless for a lot of people (mostly ME! :D).
I don't see how this would work for anything other than other Leopard (maybe Tiger, with a software update) Macs. Spotlight has to have the indexes pre-generated, after all.
Finally, gotta wonder what those "top secret" features are, and why so secret?
Call me a cynic, but I'd say Apple either hasn't implemented them yet or hasn't thought of them yet.
icloud
Aug 7, 09:53 PM
I don't know, I thought Spaces and Time Machine looked very polished, personally. Spaces in particular is one of those things that I actually think will be genuinely useful (like Expose before it), and I like that it seems to be an even more useful implementation of the virtual desktops concept than what I've seen in Linux.
I was refering to things such as the finishing touches, ala unified interface and what not. I remember seeing how much dashboard evolved in the previews to what it is today...dramatically different
I was refering to things such as the finishing touches, ala unified interface and what not. I remember seeing how much dashboard evolved in the previews to what it is today...dramatically different
Lord Blackadder
Mar 22, 10:19 PM
The U.N. Security Council perhaps, but not the entire assembly. It would have been interesting to open that issue up to debate and seen how all the members would have voted.
The security council, not the general assembly, is the organ tasked with authorizing UN military action. The point of the security council is to enable the UN to make rapid strategic decisions without a general debate. It's an imperfect system to be sure, but I don't think requiring a full debate in the general assembly would be an efficient way to respond to this sort of situation.
What I always wonder is what diplomatic efforts were used to pressure Qaddafi? There were no (as far as I know) threats of economic embargoes, freezing of assets, or other less violent methods to coerce Qaddafi. We didn't need to convince him to step dow. We simply needed to convince him that he needed to tone down, defend himself against the armed insurrection, but not cast a wider and violent campaign against innocent civilians.
We could have responded simply with economic sanctions.
Based on Gaddafi's treatment of the initial protests (not to mention his tendencies over 40 years of autocratic rule), I strongly question whether economic sanctions are going to apply sufficient pressure to Gaddafi to relinquish power. Like Mubarak, he is a political strongman who is not easily cowed by threats.
I need a clearer demonstration that serious steps were taken before resorting to war. War should be used as the last resort and only when it's clear that all other options have failed.
I agree that war should be considered a last resort. I also think that the US government is generally too quick to undertake armed intervention. But in this case we took sides in a war that was already in progress. The UN's choices were either non-intervention, non-military intervention, or direct military intervention in some form.
I suppose the point at which "all other options have failed" is a debatable one, since everyone has different opinions on what constitutes a valid option. There are many questions without simple answers. How do we judge failure? Is the purpose of the intervention (military or otherwise) to aid the rebels? Or is it merely to prevent Gaddafi killing civilians? If the latter is the case, does allowing him to remain in power serve that cause? If not, what should we do about it?
At the bottom of all this though, the goal of current foreign intervention (military or otherwise) is clear to me - to remove Gaddafi from power and recognize the rebel transitional government as the legitimate government of Libya.
The security council, not the general assembly, is the organ tasked with authorizing UN military action. The point of the security council is to enable the UN to make rapid strategic decisions without a general debate. It's an imperfect system to be sure, but I don't think requiring a full debate in the general assembly would be an efficient way to respond to this sort of situation.
What I always wonder is what diplomatic efforts were used to pressure Qaddafi? There were no (as far as I know) threats of economic embargoes, freezing of assets, or other less violent methods to coerce Qaddafi. We didn't need to convince him to step dow. We simply needed to convince him that he needed to tone down, defend himself against the armed insurrection, but not cast a wider and violent campaign against innocent civilians.
We could have responded simply with economic sanctions.
Based on Gaddafi's treatment of the initial protests (not to mention his tendencies over 40 years of autocratic rule), I strongly question whether economic sanctions are going to apply sufficient pressure to Gaddafi to relinquish power. Like Mubarak, he is a political strongman who is not easily cowed by threats.
I need a clearer demonstration that serious steps were taken before resorting to war. War should be used as the last resort and only when it's clear that all other options have failed.
I agree that war should be considered a last resort. I also think that the US government is generally too quick to undertake armed intervention. But in this case we took sides in a war that was already in progress. The UN's choices were either non-intervention, non-military intervention, or direct military intervention in some form.
I suppose the point at which "all other options have failed" is a debatable one, since everyone has different opinions on what constitutes a valid option. There are many questions without simple answers. How do we judge failure? Is the purpose of the intervention (military or otherwise) to aid the rebels? Or is it merely to prevent Gaddafi killing civilians? If the latter is the case, does allowing him to remain in power serve that cause? If not, what should we do about it?
At the bottom of all this though, the goal of current foreign intervention (military or otherwise) is clear to me - to remove Gaddafi from power and recognize the rebel transitional government as the legitimate government of Libya.
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