Obama just helped the image of the US quite a bit

[ButterflyBlood]

We all know how tarnished it was after Bush. Simply electing Obama was a step forward. Toppling Gaddafi is another major step forward. It's a great example of a sensible foreign policy and taking action against dictators not in the worst and most idiotic way like Bush, and was done with the assistance of the traditional allies of the US. After all Canada and France deserve a lot of kudos too.

Plus with all the anti-American sentiment very strong in Middle Eastern countries, we now know there's going to be at least one where that isn't the case. :)

[liberal N proud]

1. But you know the M$M media will make sure no credit is given to Obama

They will do everything to keep from allowing that to happen.

[elleng]

4. And some here too, unfortunately.

[Pirate Smile]

9. Yep.

[applegrove]

11. Absolutely. McCain and Graham have already come out and put down Obama's policy.

[karynnj]

18. The Democrats will later need John Kerry or SoS Clinton out there to state the obvious

- AFTER Obama is in a position to make a statement - likely after Gadaffi is captured, killed or exiled. I would hope it is a low key reiteration of the situation when we came in, an explanation of the involvement of the Arab and Gulf states and NATO - emphasizing the role of the Libyans themselves. He could then speak of the hard work they now need to do to create a government, with all the structure needed.

The fact is that the Obama administration played this near perfectly - EXCEPT for not getting Congressional approval in the very early days. BUT, it may be that will be like the Republicans trying to give credit to Bush for starting the effort to get OBL. In addition, it is too early to

Look at what was done. The US/Nato maintained a no fly zone that prevented the imminent massacre of people in Bengarzi and then NATO weakened threats to the rebels. In conjunction with this, the US and NATO used economic sanctions and actual freezing of Libya's money in western countries to weaken Ghadafi.

What would McCain or Graham wanted? More bombing - leading to more casualties (like Iraq)? - US troops on the ground? (which would have changed the dynamic)

Are they meaning we should have gone in earlier, unilaterally, with no call from the Arab or the Gulf states and no UN authorization - you know, like Bush did in Iraq. I suspect what they don't like is that this looks at this point like it does show that the type of policy that Kerry in 2004 proposed vs exactly that Bush/neo-con approach. At this point, we still don't know what will result here, but it is far better than Iraq was at the point where their government fell.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

2. I must be behind a rock or something

Obama toppled Gaddafi? :shrug:

[elleng]

3. 'taking action against dictators

not in the worst and most idiotic way like Bush, and was done with the assistance of the traditional allies of the US. After all Canada and France deserve a lot of kudos too.'

[MadMaddie]

12. It's about the Environment that President Obama has created

Think about it, why didn't this happen under the previous administration? Because Junior and his rich cronies were benefitting from these strong regimes and the oil productin.

So what happens if you have an outsider of the system? President Obama whether people like it or not is an outsider, his history is not entrenched within the oil barrons and the profiteers in this country.

France and the UK wanted Khaddafy out for decades but were unable to get any traction.....what changed? The leadership in the U.S changed...which created the environment for the fall of Khaddafy....

President Obama supported Nato's efforts.....and that is the changed environment I am talking about.

[GillesDeleuze]

24. eh, its frances oil no matter which way you cut it.

[bhikkhu]

13. In the most wise and effective way -

by helping to empower the people Gadhafi had under his thumb to do it themselves.

I don't think bush or any repug would ever get past the head-scratching phase of that, or afterwards be able to form an idea in their pinched little minds of what actually happened.

[brewens]

5. Nyet so fast! We have a long way to go before we even think

we'd want any credit or blame for how it's going to turn out. Kind of like the "Mission Accomplished" thing. I said right away, give it five years and we'll see and I wasn't even close.

[bluestateguy]

6. Qadafi gone, Mubarak gone, bin Laden dead

He must be doing something right.

[FLyellowdog]

8. That would true, except

he's black. Get with the program, dude! :rofl:

[stuckinarut]

7. But...

"The President does not have the power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation." ~Barack Obama, December 2007

[elleng]

10. Right, 'a military attack.'

[stuckinarut]

19. Bombs and Predator Drones...

ARE military attack weapons. By your logic, Curtis LeMay should have been given the Nobel Prize for his humanitarian spirit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay

[elleng]

23. Pardon me, but you obviously understand NOTHING about my logic.

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. Predator drones dropping bombs and shooting missiles aren't exactly like Cessnas...

If they don't constitute a "military attack", WTF does?

[Ignis]

31. But no American casualties, and that's apparently all that counts.

I guess those footnotes don't translate so well into candidate speeches.

[Dawgs]

25. Wonder how you'd feel if bombs were dropped in or around where you live. n/t

[elleng]

29. If my 'government' were dropping them, I'd be enraged and HOPING

that another entity, United Nations, NATO, Canada, would bomb the heck out of my 'government.'

[Ignis]

32. Because that's the only option, of course.

"Let's declare war on War, and bomb the hell out of it!" :freak:

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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[babylonsister]

17. Do tell; what was unilateral about this? nt

[stuckinarut]

20. What was LEGAL about this?

Obama passed his 90 days, and instead of asking congress for permission, (as it states in the WPA), instead he redefined the word war.


What would we be saying if GWB had done this...I wonder...

And where does NATO get their funding from?

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. Thank You!

:hi:

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. The Libyan people and America's NATO allies just helped the image of the US quite a bit you mean

[JoePhilly]

21. Get ready for an endless stream of Republican talking heads taking credit

while claiming Reagan paved the wave, and Bush #2 did it.

[paulk]

22. maybe it will help get our bond rating back up to AAA

and we can borrow even more money for our foreign adventurism...

[no limit]

26. And if it all goes to hell will you blame Obama?

[flpoljunkie]

27. Shame on 'The Three Musketeers' for whining that it should've been faster-with more U.S. involvement

It's a weak argument and McCain, Lieberman and Graham look damn pathetic, and well--unpatriotic!