U.S. F-15E CRASHES IN LIBYA – AT 8:14 A.M. ET:  Details are sketchy, but an American F-15E has crashed in Libya after both crew members ejected.

Obviously, Americans on the ground in Libya would set up a potential hostage situation, but this story, after hours of waiting, now has a happy ending:

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- A U.S. Air Force fighter jet crashed in Libya after experiencing an equipment malfunction, but both crew members ejected safely and are now out of Libya and in U.S. hands, the U.S. military and a senior U.S. defense official said Tuesday.

A pilot and weapons officer aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle had flown from Aviano Air Base in Italy to Libya when the fighter experienced problems, the U.S. military command for Africa said in a statement. Both pilots ejected, the statement said.

The pilot and weapons officer suffered minor injuries but landed safely in Libya, the military said.
A U.S. military plane picked up the pilot, a senior defense official said. Libyan rebels recovered the second crew member and "took good care of him" until coalition forces "could come get him," the official said.

COMMENT:  An instructive story.  How many times have you heard that "they all hate us"?  How many times have you heard that we don't dare intervene in the Mideast because the "Arab street" will explode? 

Well, the Arab street has exploded...against its own leaders.  That wasn't in the playbook written by left-wing academics and journalists who parroted the line that we were uniquely hated.

Here we have a rebel force that didn't take an American hostage, but took good care of him and got him back safely to our people.  The rebels appreciate American and allied intervention.  They may not have loved colonialism, but they love our power, when it's on their side.  That mutual interest has value to us, if we recognize it.

March 22,  2011