I'll scratch your back...

Candid words from former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in justification of the Libyan war:

"These allies, particularly the British and the French, and the Italians for that matter, have really been a big help to us in Afghanistan. They consider Libya a vital interest for them. Our alliance with them is a vital interest for us. So as they have helped us in Afghanistan, it seems to me that we are in a position of helping them with respect to Libya."

Hmm. Anyone familiar with the term "imperialist war"?