If Obama Takes Credit For Ouster Of Libya’s Gaddafi, He Also Accepts Blame For Whatever Happens As A Result

The news of the day (Sunday) is that the rebels have finally prevailed in their struggle to overthrow Libyan strongman dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Obama has not yet interrupted his vacation to speak about the development, clearly waiting until more information comes in.

I don’t doubt that Obama’s first impulse will be to crow about Gaddafi’s ouster in a “This justifies my actions over the last several months” victory speech.

But don’t forget that it took 155 days –here’s an article detailing the chaos and embarrassment of the mission at day 100 – for a clearly nearly useless US-backed NATO to do something that Obama promised the American people would take, “days, not weeks.”

Also don’t forget that Obama ran roughshod over Congress – and over even his own previous demagogic anti-Bush rhetoric – when he undertook this action without ever bothering to get congressional approval for this action.

But let’s put all that aside, as truly bad as it all is, just for the sake of argument.

If Muammar Gaddafi is truly overthrown from Libya, who or what is going to take his place?  A worse regime?  A French-Revolution-style bloodbath of mob-rule and executions galore?  Terrorist Islamist groups like al Qaeda? A pro-Iranian puppet state like Lebanon?

It shouldn’t surprise anybody if the factions that fought alongside one another to depose Gaddafi begin to fight against each other for control over the oil fields and political control.  There are the Berbers versus the Arabs, and a whole bunch of tribes versus a whole bunch of other tribes.

Just remember that if Barack Obama assumes the credit for the wonderful day that Gaddafi is overthrown, then he should assume every single particle of blame for Libya turning ugly.

Colin Powell famously told Bush regarding Iraq, “If you break it, you buy it.”  And liberals threw that in Bush’s face – even though Bush got Saddam Hussein and won the Iraq War.  If a crisis develops – which I think it will – shouldn’t Obama be held accountable for his substantial role in buying Libya???

I imagine his advisers are probably informing Obama of that as further information comes in.  It will be interesting to see what Obama says.  Frankly, the less Obama crows, the more concerned we should be that Libya might become a chaotic bloodbath.

The Dow had been predicted to open down in the triple digits due to bad economic news prior to the developments in Libya being announced, and the futures are currently moderately down some eight hours before the market opens.  It will also be interesting to see how the market reacts to what they are seeing from Libya.  But also remember that the Dow – like Obama – could surge on seemingly good news, only to plummet miserably later if anarchy begins to take hold.

Obama Tries To Fit Japan Crisis, Two Wars And Shocking Oil Prices In Between Golfing And NCAA Brackets

Obama is at a -22 approval, according to a just-breaking story:

Obama Approval Index: -22 Strongly Approve 20% Strongly Disapprove 42% Total Approval 43%

Here’s Obama’s trend for the past 8 days:

-10
-15
-16
-16
-15
-18
-20
-22

Does he deserve even that much credit?

Japan suffered a quake that has been upgraded to a 9.0 on the scale.  It is the fourth largest earthquake ever recorded in human history.  That quake resulted in a tsunami that did terrible damage.  And as a result of all that damage Japan is watching in horror as one nuclear power plant after another melts down.

Yet “no drama” Obama just doesn’t seem to care.  He didn’t even bother to mention Japan or it’s earthquake or its tsunami or its nuclear meltdown in his address the day after the disaster.  And just to demonstrate that he truly truly, truly didn’t give a damn, he played 18 holes of golf.

See the photos of Obama’s golf outing from Sadhill.

Then there’s the unfortunate fact that this disaster has coincided with the far more important NCAA basketball tournament.  A president has to choose his priorities, and clearly the basketball brackets won out.  It takes a lot of research and study to go out there and pick the winning teams.  And President Obama is clearly prepared to put in the time to make sure his picks are good ones.

Oh, yes, there’s one another thing that is keeping Obama busy: Democrat fundraisers at luxury hotels.  Obama had his second this week and his fourth such event this month.

American servicemen are facing radiation exposure.  Obama is facing ESPN sports reporters.  And which situation is more toxic?

Earlier, Obama’s excuse for failing to talk about Libya even as the protestors were being killed from far above by Gaddafi’s jets was becasue he had a “scheduling conflict.”  Now you know what his “conflicts” were.

It’s not just Japan or Libya, of course.  It’s not just the fact that radiation leaks have made over a hundred thousand people prisoners in their own homes.  It’s not the fact that Japan’s market has lost more than 16% of its value in just two days.  And it’s not just the terrible impact that a devasted Japan (which is the 2nd largest purchaser of U.S. debt) will have on America.  It’s not just the shocking increases in the price of oil and gasoline.  It’s not the collapse of one government after another across the Arab world.  It’s not that Bahrain is declaring a state of emergency after the protests and rioting has overtaken that kingdom.  It’s not that Obama made it American policy that Gaddafi fall, and then did nothing to make that happen as Gaddafi’s forces begin to rout the unsupported rebels who are screaming for George Bush and for a no-fly zone.

It’s the fact that the world is burning, and we have a pathetic weakling appeasing president who cannot lead because he was never more than a community agitator.

Libyans Facing Down Dictator Gaddafi Are Seriously Missing George Bush

As to the question of this sign:

The answer of the Libyans who are trying to free themselves from a murderous dictator thug named Muammar Gaddafi is, “Hell yes we do!”

In this case, one Bush is as good as another.  Both men were far more morally courageous than our current Coward-in-Chief who is casually putting his feet up on the Oval Office furniture.

George Herbert Walker Bush famously said, “This will not stand.  This will not stand, this aggressiona against Kuwait,” when informed that Saddam Hussein had just brutally invaded that tiny country.  And it didn’t.  Saddam Hussein had the fourth largest military in the world at the time; but it sure didn’t after we cut them down to size.  Barack Obama, in contrast, didn’t say a word criticizing Muammar Gaddafi for over a week while he sent first a boat too small, then a ferry that couldn’t handle rough water, while hundreds of Americans literally thought they would be killed.  Because the commander in chief of the most powerful navy in the history of the world did not want to risk provoking Gaddafi – even though several other nations had sent their own warships to save their people.  And after a lengthy period in which Obama refused to directly criticize Gaddafi for his murder of his own people, Obama has since looked at the polls and started making all manner of provocative threats that he has no intention of backing up with action.

Even the most evenhanded accounts are affirming that Obama is undermining American leadership.

BREGA, Libya (Reuters) – Muammar Gaddafi’s forces struck at rebel control of oil export hubs in Libya’s east for a second day on Thursday as Arab states weighed a plan to end turmoil Washington said could make the nation “a giant Somalia.”

A leader of the uprising against Gaddafi’s 41-year-old rule said he would reject any proposal for talks with Gaddafi to end the conflict in the world’s 12th largest oil exporting nation.

In The Hague, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Gaddafi and members of his inner circle could be investigated for alleged crimes committed against civilians by security forces since the uprising broke out in mid-February.

Italy said it was preparing for a potential mass exodus of migrants escaping turmoil in North Africa after a rise in flows of illegal immigrants from Tunisia, the initial destination for tens of thousands who have fled violence in Libya.

Save The Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres said they were struggling to get medicines and care to Libya’s needy, with gunmen blocking roads and civilians too scared to seek help.

Witnesses said a warplane bombed the eastern oil terminal town of Brega, a day after troops loyal to Gaddafi launched a ground and air attack on the town that was repulsed by rebels spearheading a popular revolt against his four-decade-old rule.

The rebels, armed with rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns and tanks, called on Wednesday for U.N.-backed air strikes on foreign mercenaries it said were fighting for Gaddafi.

Opposition activists called for a no-fly zone, echoing a demand by Libya’s deputy U.N. envoy, who now opposes Gaddafi.

“Bring Bush! Make a no fly zone, bomb the planes,” shouted soldier-turned-rebel Nasr Ali, referring to a no-fly zone imposed on Iraq in 1991 by then U.S. President George Bush.

But perhaps mindful of a warning by Gaddafi that foreign intervention could cause “another Vietnam,” Western officials expressed caution about any sort of military involvement including the imposition of a no-fly zone.

I began with a question.  Might as well throw in another one:

Libya: Just how pathetic is Barack Obama?
**Posted by Phineas

The British have dispatched the Royal Navy and their SAS –their elite Special Air Service– to evacuate their citizens from Libya:

The SAS was ordered into Libya on Thursday to oversee the evacuation of hundreds of British nationals after the Government’s response to the crisis came in for widespread criticism.

Nearly 500 Britons were successfully repatriated throughout the day after three RAF Hercules transport aircraft and a Royal Navy frigate were pressed into action.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that special forces were on the ground in Tripoli to ensure the evacuation of all British nationals went smoothly.

SAS officers offered support and advice to private security firms drafted in to rescue more than 170 oil workers stranded in remote desert compounds.

Last night the frigate HMS Cumberland set sail from Benghazi with 200 passengers on board, many of them British.

Rescue efforts were still under way last night but the Government insisted that it was close to getting everybody out.

That is how the government of a world power is supposed to take care of its people!

So, what did President of the United States Barack Hussein Obama, Commander in Chief of the mightiest military the world has ever seen, do? Dispatch a carrier battle group with Marines to rescue our people? Drop in Special Forces to secure an evacuation zone? Declare a no-fly zone and crack a few sonic booms over Tripoli as a warning to Qaddafi?

Nope. The 45th President of the United States, successor in office to Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, TR, FDR, Reagan, and all the rest… rented a ferry:

Right now, in Libya, there are hundreds of Americans waiting for evacuation … by ferry.

Seriously. The State Department has chartered a ferry to take the hundreds of waiting Americans to Malta. But rough seas have delayed the ferry’s departure until Friday.

A ferry. We have the biggest navy in the world and all that wimp can do is rent a ferry, as if this were some excursion in the bay instead of an evacuation in the middle of a civil war.

Others offered earlier the reasonable argument that Obama wasn’t doing more because he didn’t want to do something that might set Qaddafi off to take revenge on Americans. But that obviously isn’t a concern if the Brits feel they can send in the SAS…

Yet we rent a ferry.

Unbelievable.

Mr. President… Barry… Stop it. Just stop. You’re embarrassing us.

UPDATE: After three days, the ferry has finally left the dock in Tripoli and the Americans are out. Maybe next time we should ask London to do it for us.

This doesn’t adequately deal with Obama’s incompetence.  Before sending the stupid ferry, Obama had actually initially sent a boat that was much too small.  It would actually be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.

The Americans were waiting for the ferry because – unlike the British warships – it couldn’t handle heavy seas.  The hope of America rested in a ferry that could sink with a big wave because appeasing coward Hussein didn’t want to appear threatening.  And rather than demanding that if a single American were killed Libya would be bombed until the stone ages looked like Futurama, Obama actually pleaded for permission to evacuate threatened American citizens.

And WHY has Obama acted this pathetically and this weakly?

Read this for the answer to that question.  Basically, Obama actually has more in common with Gaddafi ideologically than practically anyone else.

In a story by CBS titled, “Libya rebels beg for no-fly as bombings persist,” we have these words:

In a firsthand look at why Libya’s rebels are begging for a no-fly zone, CBS News was first on the scene after a bombing. People ignored the danger and raced to show the damage.”He’s hitting his own people with bombs,” one man said through a translator. “Young children. He’s killing them.”

CBS News was en route to the front line when a government warplane dropped two bombs on a road leading there. The shrapnel from those bombs was still warm when CBS News arrived at the blast site.

Near the craters was the wreckage of a pickup truck. A family with three children was in it when Qaddafi’s air force struck. Two of the children died. 

The survivors were slashed by shrapnel. The circling warplanes made for a very jumpy day on the front line.

The rebels have had trouble on the ground as well, their advance slowed by better-armed government forces counterattacking to defend Qaddafi’s home turf in the west.

Well, whether it’s the Sunni world fearing the Shiite Iranian nuclear bomb, or whether it’s Muslims across the Middle East yearning from freedom from tyrants, go knock on another door. 

The Muslim world wanted a weak American president, and now it’s got one.

This same Muammar Gaddafi watched George W. Bush take Saddam Hussein out, and he gave America the keys to his nuclear arsenal because he didn’t want to be the next dictator to be deposed.  Now he sneers at us while sending his jets to obliterate unarmed civilians from the air.

According to liberals – the quintessential moral idiots – that is actually proof that the U.S.  has regained the prestige it lost: because we are weaker and less feared in the world than we’ve ever been since Jimmy Carter.

I miss Bush, yes.  I miss a guy who did what he said and said what he did.  Verus Obama.  For example, just today, the weakling is abandoning yet another key campaign pledge.

The smell of weakness really stinks.  And whether we look at Russia, or at Iran, or at Egypt, or at Libya, or at China,  or at North Korea, or at the Sudan, it really reeks of stink at the White House these days.