Last night, Hillary Clinton declared that American intervention in Libya represented “smart power at its best.” Rather than respond with an essay, let’s just say that pictures can be worth a thousand words.

In Benghazi, an Islamic militant exults as an American diplomatic compound burns:

In America, Ambassador Stevens and three other brave Americans come home:

In Libya, the black flag of ISIS proudly waves:

In Tripoli, an Islamic militia swims in an American pool:

And, finally, Libyan citizens express their love for the nation that freed them from Muammar Gaddafi’s intolerable oppression: