Israel Matzav

President Obama's in the Cone of Silence

Remember when President Obama went into a Get Smart-style Cone of Silence? Well, he's done it again on Libya.

It is rumored that there are differences within the administration, but it is still unclear who could be counseling silence, or for what purpose. To be sure, the Bush administration neutered Qaddafi with the 2003 invasion of Iraq, leaving him to believe he was next on Washington’s agenda. He dropped his nuclear weapons program and stopped sponsoring terrorism—but Qaddafi is not a U.S. ally, and with his treatment of his Libyan citizens he has shown he is the same old Qaddafi, a danger to his own people as well as the rest of the world.

The Obama administration would do well to exercise some moral clarity regarding a man whose personal demeanor has long symbolized the most repressively autocratic and obscurantist features of Arab political culture—a man who reportedly has now, among other things, dispatched his air force to put down the people he rules. The White House’s silence is perhaps explained by the idea that a public statement will do more harm than good.

“It is remarkable,” says Elliott Abrams, deputy national security adviser handling Middle East affairs in the George W. Bush White House, “that the administration appears to believe at the same time that our government is headed by a Nobel Peace Prize winner who is globally beloved, and that if he states his support for any cause it is immediately doomed or at least damaged. This may be some complex cognitive dissonance, but it appears more like simple confusion.”

The same is true of the White House’s decision to keep its support of Iranian protestors muted, for fear that the Islamic Republic might turn even more vicious. This policy seems to be a result of the Obama White House buying into the “kiss of death” fallacy. This line of thinking holds that since the U.S. is so hated in the Middle East, American support for any political cause in the region can only backfire by undermining the cause.

Others, however, are speaking out. Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Ct - won't we miss him when he retires in 2012) and John McCain (R-Az) issued a statement on Tuesday in which they called for a 'no-fly zone' over Libya, which would prevent Gadhafi from using his air force to attack his own people.

"The community of responsible nations must now take concrete steps to support the Libyan people as they seek their liberation from a brutal dictatorship. There is an array of measures that the United States and our global partners, including the European Union and African Union, should immediately pursue.

"Some Libyan diplomats have bravely called for a no-fly zone to stop the Qaddafi regime's use of airpower to attack Libyan civilians. We support this course of action. Other steps that should be considered include targeted sanctions and asset freezes against Libyan officials, an arms embargo, and the immediate suspension of Libya from international organizations.

"In recent weeks we have witnessed revolutions that have opened the door to freedom and democracy in Tunisia and Egypt. We hope and believe the Libyan people will have the same opportunity."

And Sarah Palin called on Obama to speak out for the Libyan people.

But nothing on the slaughter in Libya? The protests in many places in the Middle East affect regimes that have cooperated with the U.S. on issues from peace with Israel, fighting al Qaeda, hosting our military forces, or cooperating against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Gaddafi’s Libya is different. For four decades, this tyrant has held power. Gaddafi was Osama before Osama hit the scene. He ordered the bombing of a disco in Germany to kill Americans. When he paid the price for that – after President Reagan rightly ordered retaliation – he directed his agents to blow up Pan Am Flight 103. They did, and more than 250 innocent people died. Gaddafi tried to come in from the cold in 2003 – scared by the demonstration effect of Iraq. But we should have no illusions. Gaddafi is a brutal killer and Libya – not to mention the world – would be better off if he were out of power. Now is the time to speak out. Speak out for the long-suffering Libyan people. Speak out for the victims of Gaddafi’s terror. NATO and our allies should look at establishing a no-fly zone so Libyan air forces cannot continue slaughtering the Libyan people. We should not be afraid of freedom, especially when it comes to people suffering under a brutal enemy of America. Here’s to freedom from Gaddafi for the people of Libya.

Earlier, Israel radio reported - based on a report in an Arabic newspaper published in London - that Gadhafi's air force is being supplemented with mercenaries from Mali and Niger (they also come from Chad and Sudan). The mercenaries are being brought to a staging area in Algeria, from which they are flown to various army bases in Libya. The mercenaries are each paid $2,000 per day.

Do you mean to tell me that no one can force Algeria to shut down that pipeline? Where are the Western leaders?

Someone has to get Obama out of his cone of silence.

Labels: Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mali, mercenaries, Muammar Gaddafi, Niger, Sudan

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:38 PM