In recent days, the world has watched in horror as the Gaddafi regime has brutally massacred its own people for simply expressing their desire to live in a free and peaceful Libya.
Without hesitation, Americans should condemn the brutal Gaddafi regime and this wanton killing of civilians. We should unflinchingly support the Libyan people’s legitimate demands to build a freer and peaceful country.
Unfortunately, the administration’s initial response has been inadequate. Instead of taking the initiative, the administration is relying on other countries and international bodies to lead. For example, it makes no sense to rely on the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body that has long been comprised of and even led by some of the world’s worst human-rights abusers, including Libya.
Instead, we should immediately engage willing partners to limit the regime’s ability to wage war against its own citizens.
These measures could include (but are not limited to) pressing bordering nations to stop the flow of mercenaries into Libya, finding ways to restore severed communications, imposing a no-fly zone to protect civilians against aircraft attacks, and mobilizing a humanitarian relief effort.
The U.S. must make it crystal clear to Libyan officials that harm to any Americans will not be tolerated and would carry the heaviest consequences to those engaged in or ordering any such measures.
In addressing this crisis, the United States should remember the cold-blooded ruthlessness that the Libyan regime has demonstrated over decades. Remember that this regime was responsible for the deaths of 178 American airline passengers in a terrorist attack over Lockerbie, and has exported and promoted terrorism around the world.
Today, its target is the Libyan people, who simply yearn to usher in a new era freedom as their neighbors in Tunisia and Egypt have peacefully done. America must stand with the Libyan people in this effort.
— Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Sadly, any US assistance or support of any middle eastern (not just Libyan) anti-government movement labels that movement as American proxies and makes them less legitimate. Nothing the average middle eastern dictator likes more than railing against the "Great Satan".
Instead, Gadaffi is stuck railing against Bin Laden (and hallucinogens).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo I guess if Rubio was around in 1861 he would call for the British navy to break the Union blockade of the South and perhaps a few years later call for a European army to stop Sherman's "terrorist" march to the sea. Would Rubio be so brave to call for such intervention if there is another Tianamen incident in the PRC. Let's the Libyans deal with "Mad Dog" Qaddafi on their own terms.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy is it that a clear-cut, concise response like this is not coming from the White House? Why does it take a freshman Senator from Florida to articulate a position that our country has held against despots for as long as I can remember?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse189 Americans (not 178) were mass murdered on Clipper Maid of the Seas.
Kaddafi's long train of abuses were ignored.
Munich Olympic Massacre
Constable Fletcher Murder
Rome/Vienna Airport Massacres
Berlin Discoteque Massacre
PA103 Massacre
UTA772 Massacre
IRA proxy massacres
EU Nurse Prison Sextortion
Swiss hostage extortion
Libyan civilian massacres
For the sake of his many thousands of innocent victims, we must ensure justice comes to Kaddafi.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm good with everything but the no-fly zone. Strong condemnation? Sure. Moral support? Definitely. Prayers and hopes for a good outcome? Definitely. Humanitarian aid? If Kuwait and Qutar and the UAE want to kick in the majority of it, I suppose. And if someone wants to impose a no-fly zone, fine with me, as long as its with other than American aircraft and American pilots. Let the Saudis impose a no-fly zone with those fancy jets we've been selling them for 30 years. Libya is one proposed-use-of-American-blood-and-treasure-to-protect-the-lives-of-ungrateful-Muslims too far.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh come on!
People from America and other nations are getting the blank outta Dodge.
Give it a few days!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a highly simplistic analysis of the situation. In addition, it ignores the US interests and focuses instead on the interest of the Libyans. But our national interests must come first.
Senator Rubio needs to read Bolton's and NRO's own Andrew McCarthy's analysis of what is going on in the Middle East.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHold on there senator, this foreign policy stuff is complicated. Community organizing it ain't.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSorry, I disagree.
The people of Libya are NOT our friends. I am both sick and tired of this idea that we have to be the friend of all oppressed peoples. Nope. If you want freedom from a tyrant, if you want liberty, you have to fight for it. It cannot be given to you.
When you have bled and your father has died to overthrow the despotism, and you want my friendship, then I will be happy to be your friend.
My friendship will wait until you can prove that you are worthy of your freedom and my friendship.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCondemning a mass murderer to make him stop murdering is not likely to be effective. With Americans in danger, possibly trapped, effectively hostages, is a time we urgently need intermediaries, not swaggering, and not second guessing the Administration.
The Administration clearly knows who Gaddafi is, and this is an appropriate time for the Senator to support our Commander in Chief.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, he's already sounding more presidential than the current president.
"So I guess if Rubio was around in 1861 he would call for the British navy to break the Union blockade of the South and perhaps a few years later call for a European army to stop Sherman's "terrorist" march to the sea. Would Rubio be so brave to call for such intervention if there is another Tianamen incident in the PRC. Let's the Libyans deal with "Mad Dog" Qaddafi on their own terms."
Or maybe it means he would call for the US army to be used to free 4 million people whose natural rights had been violated for centuries. Who knows. Sherman a terrorist? What about Lee's army in Pennsylvania? Armies don't act nice in wartime...it's a fact of warfare. And Sherman's army hardly acted as nasty as is often portrayed.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAlready Marco Rubio is putting forward his nation building ideas. i knew he was a fake. libya is absolutely none of our business. the people of libya have proven and will continue to prove that they can fight their own battles. we are raiding 'raw milk' producers, we've already consigned the 4th amendment to the toilet along with centuries old, habeas corpus, now we want to preach about liberty? really? we live in a glass house senator, try concentrating on cleaning your own house first!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI totally agree with Senator Rubio. I offer my full support of him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, Ghedaffy must go, but what, Mr. Rubio, will follow? Democracy? Certainly not.In the Arab world we have seen that things go from bad to worse--that is the general rule and pattern--from Thugocracy /Mullocracy/ and back to Thugocracy again.Sad to say, we may soon regret the death/fall of Ghedaffy.I foresee the rise of Radical Islamic states a la Al-Queda/Taliban/Hezbollah/Hamas throughout North Africa and the ME.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt least Sen. Rubio seems to a have a formulated opinion on the Liby issue. But how, I must ask, are we going to pay for this humanitarian relief and restored communcation? A simple question, but I find it a bit ridiculous of our nation to throw dollars at "potential threats" when there are so many domestic issues to take into account. Yes, we should support the voluntary creation of democracy, but American hasn't the funds to export democracy and hospital tents. We are still shipping those to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Sen. Rubio is naive to think that the protests of Egypt parallel those of Libya. The leaders of the respective nations are very different from one another. While both are dictators, Gaddafi sponsored terrorism and did so un-apologetically. Mubarak on the other hand was a rather secular leader who, while I'm sure did not enjoy it, kept peace with Israel when so many Middle Eastern leaders wanted conflict.
Its possible Sen. Rubio, being a statesman, has access to classified information which substantiates his point of view, but from the perspective of humble citizen it seems he has formulated a opinion based on dangerous idealism.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe need coherent and professional negotiations to protect our national interests, not the swaggering and political chest-pounding that led to our multi-trillion dollar escapade in Iraq.
Understanding the need for diplomacy, the First Congress of the United States created the first cabinet office. The Department of Foreign Affairs (now the Department of State) with a Secretary reporting to the President to ". . . perform . . . negotiations with public ministers
from foreign states . . ." among other duties, which was signed into law by President George Washington on July 27, 1789.
Perhaps Senator Rubio would rather be in Mrs. Clinton's shoes instead of being in the Senate. Otherwise his time would be better used studying the Constitution that he claims to honor, and learning the traditions of Freedom from our founders.
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