Opinion: From Baghdad to Benghazi By Charles Krauthammer – 4 Mar 11
“Voices around the world, from Europe to America to Libya, are calling for U.S. intervention to help bring down Moammar Gaddafi. Yet for bringing down Saddam Hussein, the United States has been denounced variously for aggression, deception, arrogance and imperialism…”
Newsletter comment: It does seem strange to me that while many have been screaming about getting our troops out of Iraq & Afghanistan, they now seemingly can’t wait to send our stretched forces into Africa. Guess it depends on what your cause is? Even Sen. McCain is pushing to establish a no-fly zone in Libya.
Whatever the decision it will be our brave troops that will pay the price if they get the green light. Remember the folly in Somalia? Best intentions but with no resolve from the Clinton White House when things turned ugly. – Roger Young, editor
U.S. Military Aircraft to Deliver Libya-related Aid – DoD – 4 Mar 11
Clinton: No-Fly Zone Over Libya Cannot be U.S.-Led Effort – FoxNews 9 Mar 11
U.S. readying plans to enforce Libya no-fly zone – ArmyTimes – 17 Mar 11
Obama Warns Qaddafi to Stop Attacks or Face Consequences – FoxNews – 18 Mar 11
Obama: No ground invasion in Libya – ArmyTimes – 23 Mar 11
2,200 Marines Go To Libya, ‘What Happened to No Boots on the Ground’? – CanadaFreePress – 23 Mar 11
Opinion: The Speech Obama Hasn’t Given What are we doing in Libya? Americans deserve an explanation. By Peggy Noonan – 25 Mar 11
President’s address – 28 Mar 11
Gates, Mullen downplay nature of Libya mission – ArmyTimes – 31 Mar 11
NATO Warns Rebels Against Attacking Civilians – New York Times – 31 Mar 11
U.S. ending its air combat role in Libya – ArmyTimes – 1 Apr 11
U.S. General: We May Consider Sending Troops Into Libya – FoxNews – 7 Apr 11
At NATO summit, U.S. resists calls for greater engagement in Libya – The Washington Post – 14 Apr 11
Opinion: Qaddafi May Be Crazy Like a Fox, But He Has Also Emulated the Success of Rommel, the Famous ‘Desert Fox’ From 70 Years Ago by Martin Sieff – 20 Apr 11
Obama Approves Use of Predator Drones in Libya – FoxNews – 21 Apr 11
“The U.S. is not at war with Libya and has not taken sides, but President Obama nevertheless has signed off on the use of armed predator drones in the North African nation that has been torn by a weeks-old bloody conflict, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday…”
Newsletter comment: Not a war, not taking sides, and where is the Congressional Resolution authorizing this action? – Roger Young, editor
House puts off vote on Libya resolution – ArmyTimes – 1 Jun 11
House Chides Obama Over Libya – FoxNews – 3 Jun 11
Gates Cautions Against Ending U.S. Support in Libya – DoD – 3 Jun 11
Divisions delay Senate work on Libya resolution – ArmyTimes – 7 Jun 11
Boehner Blasts Obama on Libya – FoxNews – 14 Jun 11
President Obama’s Letter to Congress on the War Powers Resolution and the U.S. Mission in Libya – FoxNews – 15 Jun 11
Obama Reportedly Sided Against 2 Top Administration Lawyers in Libya War Debate – FoxNews – 18 Jun 11
NATO: Airstrike Mistakenly Hit Libyan Rebels – FoxNews – 18 Jun 11
Gates Defends Libya Action Minus Congressional OK – FoxNews – 19 Jun 11
House Rebukes Obama on Libya, Stops Short of Funding Cutoff – FoxNews – 24 Jun 11
Euphoric rebels control much of Libyan capital – ArmyTimes – 22 Aug 11
Muammar Qaddafi Killed, Libya’s Prime Minister Confirms – FoxNews – 20 Oct 11
Tough talk by the President (18 Mar 11) as he’s about to jump aboard Air Force 1 on another field trip with crisis after crisis around the world.
Once again, leadership by committee, just like the months it took to put together his Afghanistan strategy that he supposedly had ready during his election campaign.
Delegate everything, that way if it goes south he can point fingers, if it works out well he will take the credit and pump his chest.
I’m sure Qaddafi is trembling!
I’m confused. The President has repeatedly stated, “Qadaffi Must Go” and yet this is supposedly a humanitarian mission to protect civilians. Are the rebels civilians? Are Qadaffi ground forces part of the “no-fly zone” targets?
What is the true mission? Who is in charge? Guess we’ll need to wait for our President to return from South America to get any explanation…
Peggy Noonan (opinion above) is correct that President Obama owes all of us a detailed explanation and by law must report to Congress. Even Nixon when some of us were directly involved in the Cambodia Incursion addressed the nation with a detailed explanation.
Instead, President Obama seems very content to let his press secretary take a daily beating and parade Sec. of State Clinton out before the cameras, doing what is his job.
In my opinion, President Obama prefers to hide behind a curtain and take the course of a coward… probably because he doesn’t have a reasonable explanation for his actions, yet. What kind of leadership is that?
It is becoming very clear after listening to Mullen & Gates today at the Senate hearing (31 Mar 11), that this mission may shortly become a stalemate at best.
With close air support by U.S. C-130 gunships and A-10s being withdrawn with the shift to NATO control, how can one expect the rebels – whomever they are – to drive Qadaffi from power?
I foresee a protracted mess in Libya and it was pretty clear to me that SECDEF Gates is not comfortable with this mission.
Now NATO is warning the rebels not to fire on civilians. Good luck attempting to separate the civilians from the rebels and the Qadaffi forces now running around in pickups disquised at rebel forces!
And to make matters worse, the rebels are calling for a ceasefire!
In just two weeks this has turned into a complete cluster f–k of a mission! Guess NATO will be there guarding someone from somebody for a long time…
Today, April 7th, there is talk about sending ground troops now into Libya. Is this a trial balloon?
Meanwhile with a federal shutdown looming, Congress can’t even pass a 2011 budget to fund the DoD or pay the troops! Nor has there been a Congressional resolution approving this mission – whatever that mission may be – in Libya.
What a bunch of irresponsible “representatives” in Congress…