Next Stop, Libya?

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 AidDoD – 4 Mar 11

Clinton: No-Fly Zone Over Libya Cannot be U.S.-Led EffortFoxNews 9 Mar 11

U.S. readying plans to enforce Libya no-fly zoneArmyTimes – 17 Mar 11

Obama Warns Qaddafi to Stop Attacks or Face ConsequencesFoxNews – 18 Mar 11

Obama: No ground invasion in LibyaArmyTimes – 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 missionArmyTimes – 31 Mar 11

NATO Warns Rebels Against Attacking CiviliansNew York Times – 31 Mar 11

U.S. ending its air combat role in LibyaArmyTimes – 1 Apr 11

U.S. General: We May Consider Sending Troops Into LibyaFoxNews – 7 Apr 11

At NATO summit, U.S. resists calls for greater engagement in LibyaThe 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 LibyaFoxNews – 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 resolutionArmyTimes – 1 Jun 11

House Chides Obama Over LibyaFoxNews – 3 Jun 11

Gates Cautions Against Ending U.S. Support in LibyaDoD – 3 Jun 11

Divisions delay Senate work on Libya resolutionArmyTimes – 7 Jun 11

Boehner Blasts Obama on LibyaFoxNews – 14 Jun 11

President Obama’s Letter to Congress on the War Powers Resolution and the U.S. Mission in LibyaFoxNews – 15 Jun 11

Obama Reportedly Sided Against 2 Top Administration Lawyers in Libya War DebateFoxNews – 18 Jun 11

NATO: Airstrike Mistakenly Hit Libyan RebelsFoxNews – 18 Jun 11

Gates Defends Libya Action Minus Congressional OKFoxNews – 19 Jun 11

House Rebukes Obama on Libya, Stops Short of Funding CutoffFoxNews – 24 Jun 11

Euphoric rebels control much of Libyan capitalArmyTimes – 22 Aug 11

Muammar Qaddafi Killed, Libya’s Prime Minister ConfirmsFoxNews – 20 Oct 11

About Roger Young

Roger served with A Troop, 3/17th Air Cav "Silver Spurs" as a Scout Crew Chief in Vietnam from '69 - '70.
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6 Responses to Next Stop, Libya?

  1. Bear says:

    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!

  2. Bear says:

    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…

  3. Roger Young says:

    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?

  4. Roger Young says:

    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.

  5. Roger Young says:

    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…

  6. Bear says:

    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…

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