Libya: Will Sarko Save the Day?

Confusion reigns as bombs fall....

Begin with a Big Error of mine; President Obama did not truly consult with Congressional leaders.  He informed them 90 minutes before Operation Odyssey Dawn started, that it was starting.  This is no more consultation than a call from the IRS to you asking for more tax payments is mere consultation.

Add to this a second error of mine: I suggested that if reporters could go around Tripoli so should special ops guys posing as reporters.  But all reporters there travel with government minders.  Thus the chance for those in  mufti to send messages where Gaddafi in Tripoli probably is zero while accompanied by minders.  Perhaps they could have returned to the hotel and sent coded messages, perhaps not.

Reports have Gulf Arab warplanes (Qatari) flying missions over Libya, which would be a first.  Nice to see, too.  Gen. Charles Horner (Ret.), who commanded the air campaign during the 1991 Gulf War says air power can be decisive in Libya, by eliminating artillery & tanks. Conrad Black wittily explains why France will save the day and prevail in Libya, even with America soon going AWOL.  (Hint: It will help French President Nicholas Sarkozy's chances of winning a second term.)

WSJ pundit Dan Henninger sees economic modernity as the only hopeful way to avoid tyrants, secular & theocratic, in the region.  Benny Morris sees an element of revenge in the coalition's action, nailing Gaddafi for past monstrous crimes.

Bottom Line.  It seems clear that President Obama seeks an early exit and hand-off to allies.  Which will leave the French to bring "freedom fries" to Libyans.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics