Overview for libya

After Gaddafi's Rule, Libya Gets Sharia Law

If George Bush's adventures ended up handing Iraq on a silver platter to America's enemies in Iran, President Obama's softer and gentler imperialism has been the catalyst that stands to deliver North Africa into the hands of the anti-American Muslim Brotherhood. Dumb and Dumber could hardly ask …

Written by Tarek Fatah on Friday October 28, 2011

Mob Rule Comes to Libya

If there was any doubt in my mind that the so-called Arab Spring was nothing more than a backdrop to a long winter freeze, that doubt was set aside by the gory scenes of the death of Col. Gaddafi, played again and again on TV networks. The mad dog of the Middle East was dead, but not before he was …

Written by Tarek Fatah on Monday October 24, 2011

A Clownish Killer

It is perhaps a shame that no one will have a chance to interrogate Gaddafi and find out the details of his regime’s involvement in crimes like the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103, the equally appalling but less cited bringing down of UTA Flight 772 in 1989, the bombing of the Berlin discothèq…

Written by Jonathan Foreman on Friday October 21, 2011

Good Riddance for Gaddafi

The most noteworthy aspect of the rebellion in Libya and today's death of Muammar Gaddafi is that it took so long. When the rebellion started last February -- catching the world by surprise, since it was spontaneous and without advance planning -- it was initially expected to be quick and …

Written by Peter Worthington on Thursday October 20, 2011

Justice Now for the Lockerbie Bomber

It’s not necessary to have a conspiratorial mind, to be suspicious or cynical about Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie bomber, still being alive--albeit not thriving--in Libya. The guy was supposed to be dead within three months of being released to Libya and Moammar Qaddafi in …

Written by Peter Worthington on Wednesday August 31, 2011

Don't Expect Democracy in Libya

From the widespread reaction, you’d think the collapse of Muammar Qaddafi's regime in Libya was a World War II-type victory. In fact it took six months of U.S., Canadian, British, French and NATO air strikes–most of the target practice with no return fire–before the “rebels” broke through to …

Written by Peter Worthington on Thursday August 25, 2011

The Freedom Agenda Gets Vindicated

George W. Bush’s place in the pantheon of celebrated American presidents is far from secure. Nevertheless, the collapse of Muammar Qaddafi ’s regime in Libya sheds new light on President Bush’s vigorous support for democratic values across the entire Middle East. An Obama administration starved …

Written by Clifton Yin on Tuesday August 23, 2011

Debt Talks Crowd Out Libya News

Budget talks risk overshadowing this important news from Libya. Budget talks risk overshadowing this important Libyan news: The United States formally recognized the rebel leadership in Libya as the country’s legitimate government on Friday. The US is locking itself in - but where's …

Written by David Frum on Friday July 15, 2011

Libya Air War Has Lasted Longer Than Kosovo Campaign

Andrew Gilligan has pointed out that despite the sound and fury of NATO's spokesmen, the alliance's airstrikes against Muammar Qaddafi's military infrastructure in Libya are and always have been relatively light. Andrew Gilligan's account of the floundering campaign against Qaddafi in the UK …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Republicans Go Wobbly on Libya

The GOP is right to worry that Obama hasn't explained our aims in Libya. But backing Kucinich's Libya bill was the wrong way to express these concerns. Donald Rumsfeld famously said that a nation goes to war with the army it has, and not necessarily the army it wishes it had. Rumsfeld caught a …

Written by John Guardiano on Monday June 6, 2011

Arrest Warrant Won't Make Qaddafi Budge

By issuing an arrest warrant for his war crimes, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court will guarantee Qaddafi won’t go quietly. By issuing an arrest warrant for his war crimes, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court is guaranteeing that Libya’s Muammar …

Written by Peter Worthington on Tuesday May 31, 2011

Obama's Hazy Mideast Policy Reboot

There was scarcely a line in Obama's speech for me to disagree with; but what's troubling is the vagueness about what America will actually do. JOIN THE LIVE CHAT VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV Eli Lake reminds us that this is the same president who as …

Written by David Frum on Thursday May 19, 2011

Sen. McCain: Share What You Know About Libya

Sen. McCain is urging recognition of the anti-Qaddafi rebels as Libya's legitimate government. But his call would hold more weight if he explained why he's convinced they aren't inspired by or beholden to radical Islamists. Sen. John McCain in Libya urges recognition of the anti-Qaddafi rebels …

Written by David Frum on Friday April 22, 2011

Qaddafi's Choice: Power or Prison?

Before Libya, the White House was warming to the idea of an international criminal court. But now Qaddafi's fears of a war crime trial are hampering efforts to find an exit plan. "The Elba option is impossible in the modern world," sighed an unhappy German diplomat. Elba is a small, scenic …

Written by David Frum on Monday April 18, 2011

Obama Moves to Heal Rift with Merkel

The White House announcement of a state dinner for Chancellor Angela Merkel comes at a low point in US-German relations. The recent White House statement announcing that Angela Merkel would receive her “Medal of Freedom” at a June 7th state dinner came as a surprise to many. The last state …

Written by Robin Tim Weis on Wednesday April 6, 2011

Is Gates Undercutting Obama on Libya?

The blogosphere is up in arms after Secretary Gates' promise to Congress that there will be no ground troops in Libya. Is he overriding the president's foreign policy? Is Defense Secretary Robert Gates guilty of “insubordination”? Jennifer Rubin and Mark Thiessen think so. This because Gates …

Written by John Guardiano on Tuesday April 5, 2011

Is Libya's Star Defector a Fake?

The West claims Moussa Koussa is a defector with valuable information on Qaddafi, but what if he is really in deep cover? Is Libya’s most important defector to the West really on a deep-cover diplomatic mission? One of the architects of the 2001 prosecution of two Libyans charged with downing the …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Saturday April 2, 2011

The West’s Next Libyan Headache?

When Qaddafi ceases to be a problem, count on his former foreign minister, defector Moussa Koussa to be the next source of worry. The defection to Britain of Muammar Qaddafi foreign minister and intelligence and security chief, the comically-named Moussa Koussa, is devastating to the Libyan …

Written by Peter Worthington on Friday April 1, 2011

The Real Libya Policy Obama Won't Admit

President Obama’s campaign in Libya may be the most deceptively sold U.S. military policy since World War II. And people say George W. Bush lied about Iraq! President Obama’s campaign in Libya may be the most deceptively sold U.S. military policy since Franklin Roosevelt’s “all aid short of …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday March 30, 2011

Is Al Qaeda Gaining the Upper Hand in Libya?

With news reports that al Qaeda fighters have joined Libya's rebels, is the West about to watch the Qaddafi regime replaced with a jihadist-friendly government? A Libyan rebel commander who recruited his countrymen to serve as jihadists in the Iraqi insurgency has said radical Islamists "today …

Written by Tim Hodgson on Wednesday March 30, 2011