It appears as though the Qaddafi nightmare for Libya has ended or is about to end, and for that we can all be thankful. As you may recall in June I was upset with President Obama's flagrant disregard for our Constitution and the War Powers Act (here). I remain just as upset with President Obama's imperial presidency views, but I must admit that the end of the Qaddafi regime in Libya is a significant foreign policy victory.
President Obama's restraint with respect to the use of all out American force, his understanding of the need for the Libyans to own this revolt and its outcome and his willingness to try to tip the balance towards the rebels even though they might not prevail proved to be absolutely correct approach. The stark difference between President Obama's approach to foreign policy and that of President George W. Bush is something that all Americans should remember. The fact that Senators McCain and Graham today criticized President Obama for not using the full force of American air power makes the contrast between President Obama's approach to the world and that of the Republicans even clearer. As an American, I am proud of President Obama's foreign policy with respect to Libya.
His failure to follow the Constitution and the War Powers Act is not forgiven because of the result, he could have achieved the same result in a constitutional and legal way. But we need to separate the issue of his imperial presidency views with his approach to foreign policy.
Thanks for reading and please comment,
The Unabashed Liberal
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