The Washington Times ^ | April 8, 2011 | Editorial
Posted on Friday, April 08, 2011 8:36:37 PM by jazusamo
When the intervention in Libya began, President Obama insisted no American ground forces would be involved. On Thursday, the U.S. Africa Command combatant commander speculated that troops may be needed, even if he considered it a bad idea.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Carter Ham discussed the increasingly complex situation in Libya, explaining that the war had reached a point of stalemate. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s offensive had largely been halted, but rebel forces have no chance of toppling him from power. Asked if U.S. ground forces might be needed to tip the balance, he said, “I suspect there might be some consideration of that.”
The general added his personal view that it probably would not be “the ideal circumstance, again for the regional reaction that having American boots on the ground would entail.”
The main problem with the Libyan war has been a lack of conceptual unity. Coalition military performance has been exemplary, as one might expect. Imposing a no-fly zone over Libya and conducting air strikes on Col. Gadhafi’s offensive ground forces come as close to a routine military operation as any such complex and violent effort can be. Mr. Obama could well have claimed “mission accomplished” when the White House blandly announced the advent of Operation Unified Protector, which continued the effort originally known as Operation Odyssey Dawn but under NATO leadership. The administration’s real “mission accomplished” was making sure Mr. Obama abandoned his global leadership role as quickly as possible.
America’s rush to the door is the root of the current problem. Mr. Obama’s original concept for intervention was little more than a bumper-sticker slogan, “protect Libyan civilians.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
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