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Friday, March 18, 2011; 01:35:00
AM © Copyright 2010, The Ultrapolis Project – May be used freely with
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Sudden
American Aggressiveness Offers Late Hope for Libyans
Will
it Be Enough?
Everyone
here is puzzled as to how many casualties the international community judges to
be enough for them to help. Maybe we
should start committing suicide to reach the required number.
-Essam Gheriani, Bengjazi rebel spokesman
As of late, even reporters friendly to the president since his
days on the campaign trail have been questioning his diffidence in the face of Middle
East upheaval and the recent disasters in Japan. His insistence on sticking with his planned
trip to beautiful Rio de Janeiro, complete with scenic tours, even as developments are proceeding rapidly
and are at critical stages in both these areas has not helped his public
image. We thought it unlikely that Obama
would change course. Yet, with the fall
of the rebels predicted to be within hours, the pressure of the consequences of
possibly losing Libya has apparently not been lost on the president
According to Colum Lynch, reporter for the Washington Post
covering the United Nations, Wednesday night at the world body, American policy
on the Libyan rebellion abruptly (but discreetly) stepped on the gas. Interviewed in the NewsHour show, Mr. Lynch was
asked “has the American position [regarding Libya] changed in recent days, or
even in recent hours?” He
responded: “The American position has
been very difficult to read over the last two weeks. Suddenly, last night, they became very
assertive, introduced language [into the UN resolution on Libya] calling
for…operations on land, sea, and air [our emphasis] and have now
tried to associate themselves with a more combative approach to this problem.”
President
Obama seems to remain insistent, at least publicly, that this must be an
international effort. And, there is
merit to that view. Unfortunately, like
the feeble and hapless Jimmy Carter, he seems to harbor some naïve illusions of
how the world ought to be and how it actually works. Fortunately, unlike
President Carter, he seems to learn, and has apparently decided that, at least
behind the scenes, Americans still have to lead the call for action. The question now is: does he learn fast
enough? American prestige, psychological
power projection, strategic gains, and the freedom of millions hang in the
balance.
Nevertheless,
the United States efforts at international consensus will not gain an ounce of
goodwill if the rebels fall, and very little of any negotiable value if they
win without visible American leadership.
