It’s 4th of July weekend and I have already seen and heard a fair share of patriotic television production. In the intellectual osmosis that is channel changing, I somehow subconsciously absorbed the Marine Hymn. I found myself humming it throughout most of the day. I don’t know the words really, but I do know the first two verses.

“From the Halls of Montezuma,”
“To the shores of Tripoli.”

I never though much about the words – or the song really – but the reference to Tripoli got me thinking that, just like 200 years ago in the Barbary Wars, we are in a fight in North Africa. This time the only pirate is Muammar Gaddafi, and as of this past week he is figuratively on the lam.

That’s right. Last Monday the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Gaddafi for crimes against humanity. The warrant charged Gaddafi of mass murder and persecution of civilians during national revolts in mid-February.

It is fascinating that the ICC, located in the Hague, actually issues warrants for thugs like Gaddafi. Without much insight into international law and how it all works, you could imagine that an international SWAT team would go to the door of his presidential palacein Tripoli, bang on the door, and shove papers in front of the peep hole, before busting down the door. But most of you know that Tripoli is not Chief Gates’s Los Angeles, and that Gaddafi’s “arrest” would be much more complicated.

What actually happens is that sovereign nations and the U.N. officially report acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and international aggression to the Hague for prosecution. The ICC opens an investigation, issues a warrant, and then waits for one of its member nations (most of the civilized world, save China) to make an arrest within the boarders of their own country, if he were indeed hiding out there. But until Gaddafi loses power, the warrant act as little more than an exile-travel advisory: DO NOT TAKE REFUGE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES…

The likelihood, of course, is that Gaddafi will die first before being taken alive. And even if he is captured alive, he would probably be tried and convicted for his crimes in what is left of Libya, much how Saddam Hussein was tried and convicted in Iraq. However, it doesn’t look like Gaddafi is going anywhere at the moment. Last week the U.S. passed the 100 day mark in Libya, with little progress to show for its commitment.

In the beginning, Obama supported NATO air strikesin hope that it would give protection to a Libyan rebellion bent on toppling Gaddafi. However, unlike neighboring leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, Gaddafi’s iron fist was rust proof. Apparently he had been prepared for something like this for years. Today the rebellion is out of resources, and NATO is forced to consider either ground troops or withdrawal.

On this 4th of July weekend, I say God bless America to this tragedy. Our heart is usually in the right place on things like this, but recently our vision has been myopic. Our leaders need to start learning what to do when plan A doesn’t work out. In a perfect world it would be a lot easier if an official Hague SWAT team could just knock down the palace door and cuff Gaddafi like they do on Cops. Then that warrant would really mean something.

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