One of my favorite childhood fables was the Wonderful Tar Baby Story. Based loosely on an African folk tale, this story by the fictional Uncle Remus featuring the cunning Brer Fox and the resourceful Brer Rabbit, contains a valuable lesson for our recent intervention in Libya. Perhaps our leaders would do well to revisit this story before committing ourselves to deeper involvement in this bizarre and risky adventure.
With apologies to Uncle Remus, I will paraphrase the story for those who may not be familiar with it. The sly old Brer Fox, intent on catching Brer Rabbit, decided to construct a large doll—The Tar Baby—out of tar and turpentine, put a hat on it, and set it on a log by the side of the road. Retreating to a concealed position on the other side of the road, the fox sat silently waiting for the rabbit to come along.