Overview for qaddafi

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

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

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

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

Intel Experts: 'Don't Quit Until Qaddafi's Gone'

Monday, the president argued the case for our mission in Libya. FF asked members of the intel community for their views on the Obama doctrine. In his Libyan speech, President Obama established the Obama Doctrine: America would intervene to stop a murderous tyrant from massacring their citizens. …

Written by Elise Cooper on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Obama's Real Libya Goal: Regime Change

Obama’s Libya speech was intended to reassure voters that the U.S. was only intervening to save lives and not pushing for regime change. Unfortunately, it's just not true. It was a good speech, but it told us nothing that we don’t know. President Barack Obama’s intent was to reassure the …

Written by Peter Worthington on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Libyan Dissidents: We Can Rebuild Post-Qaddafi

In a forum in Washington Monday night, Libyan dissidents claimed they could unite the country. But with few concrete plans, will the West need to play a greater role? On a night when the nation listened to President Obama make his case for the U.S. led coalition’s intervention in Libya, the …

Written by Bryce McNitt on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Obama's Libyan "Mission Accomplished" Moment

As written and delivered, President Obama's speech on Libya was preposterous. "I hope you are not merely pretending to be wicked, while being secretly good. That would be hypocrisy." As written and delivered, President Obama's speech on Libya was preposterous. We intervened in the midst of …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 28, 2011

What Obama Should Say About Libya

Sometimes it seems Obama has been so concerned to avoid offending Middle Eastern opinion on Libya that he has disregarded American opinion. President Obama's communications efforts on Libya have received generally bad reviews. Sometimes it has seemed the president has been so concerned to avoid …

Written by David Frum on Monday March 28, 2011

Obama's Libya Plan: What's the Endgame?

Obama says it is US "policy" that Qaddafi must go. Yet, Defense Secretary Gates says US operations in Libya will dwindle over the next few days. Does any of this add up? So Defense Secretary Bob Gates says the US opposes the division of Libya into autonomous zones. Yet US war aims do not …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 22, 2011

France's Grudge Match with Qaddafi

Don't be surprised by Sarkozy’s leadership of the intervention in Libya. For years, France has been champing at the bit to send Qaddafi packing. Many commentators seem surprised by France’s enthusiastic leadership of the intervention in Libya. They should not be. It arguably makes perfect sense …

Written by Jonathan Foreman on Monday March 21, 2011

America Takes the Backseat

For one of the few times since WWII, the U.S. isn't taking the lead in a necessary military action. But having the U.S. play a supporting role may be good for the West. The essential significance of the 22-nation attack on Libya is not that it’ll get rid of Muammar Qaddafi, but that it marks a …

Written by Peter Worthington on Monday March 21, 2011

War by Committee

The enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya is being described as America's "third war". But with no clear objective it's more like a glorified international police action. "War is diplomacy by other means." - Clausewitz "You are a professional, but the world is full of dangerous amateurs." …

Written by Sean Linnane on Sunday March 20, 2011

Follower-in-Chief

In his desire not to repeat our open-ended commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama's just pledged the U.S. to an open-ended fight in Libya. It’s not just generals who fight the last war. President Obama’s speech about Libya on Friday afternoon served notice: he is still fighting against the …

Written by David Frum on Friday March 18, 2011

Should the West Ignore Qaddafi's Ceasefire?

UPDATED: It's a pity the UN didn’t show resolve weeks ago when Qaddafi was vulnerable. Now he's declared a ceasefire. Is it too late for regime change? Does the UN know what it’s doing? It makes little sense for the UN Security Council to have waited until Muammar Qaddafi had rebounded to …

Written by Peter Worthington on Friday March 18, 2011

Obama’s Libyan Opportunity

A success in Libya could give Obama cover for a faster windup of the war in Afghanistan. A success in Libya could give cover for a faster windup of the war in Afghanistan. With Saddam and Qaddafi overthrown, it may not matter so much that we were unable to build a stable government in poor and …

Written by David Frum on Friday March 18, 2011