From the article: Profile: Libya's Muammar el Qaddafi
In February 2011, the rebellion against the 41-year rule of Libya's leader, Muammar el Qaddafi, the man Ronald Reagan once called the "Mad Dog of the Middle East," managed to take over the entirety of Western Libya and lead the fight from Benghazi, Libya's second-biggest city. By mid-March, and by calling on mercenaries and buying support at home, Qaddafi was sweeping back over Western Libya. President Obama and other Western leaders condemned Qaddafi and said he had to go. But they stopped short of calling in air strikes or establishing a no-fly zone, which may have helped the rebels. Was that the wrong call?
No.
- The U.S. military has spread itself too thin. The US should stop messing with other countries and work on improving it's own country. The US military has already ruined one country and its in the process of ruining another one. In addition, it has military bases in over 100 countries. Obama should not intervene, it's none of the U.S's business.
- —Guest Responder
Hitting the nail on the head
- Mr. Nehad Ismail's article paints a very clear picture of the situation in Libya. His questions and scenarios are all apt, to the point and deserve a deeper look. But though I agree with most of his sentiments I am afraid, as a Palestinian, I must reject any actual military interference from a foreign force into yet another Arabic arena. We all feel with the Libyan people and understand the suffering and sacrifice they face on a daily basis but the struggle to get rid of the tyrant in Tripoli must be left to the Libyan people or any other Arab volunteers who could give them a meaningful and helping hand in their struggle. The Arab League and most of the countries mentioned by Mr. Ismail will never, ever do anything meaningful in the struggle of the Arab masses for their freedom and human rights. Why the pessimism? Because ALL the regimes in the Arab world are interchangeable and their entire existence is to service the ruling elite and their hangers-on and not the people they govern .
- —salamwalaisaestislam
prevent fertile grounds for Al Qaeda
- For years Qaddafi ruled his people with oppression and lunacy.. but still I was not In favor of western intervention.. and I supported the thought that the Arab league should carry such responsibility. Now both the Arab league and the Nato proved to be incapable of such mission . And we are faced with a sad continuation of the fighting and the inability of the people to overthrow him.. while Nato is incapable of getting rid of him or even weakening him.. dividing Libya and keeping him in one part .. should not be considered an option ..nor allowing him to seek refuge in any other country .. the brutality he is practicing on his people proved him to be a war criminal. The only option is to target Qaddafi himself and end the continuation of the killing of civilians from both sides.. time will prove that Libyan will not forget western killing, while some, might justify Qaddafi’s killing and that is the danger we must avoid.. because that will make it the fertile gr
- —Guest Ahlam Akram
Too little too late
- Obama has dithered and is still dithering. He has failed to take a lead in freeing the Libyan people from a 42 year old tyranny. Nato has underperformed and as a result we will have a stalemate and more bloodshed. An opportunity has been missed and missed up for that.
- —Guest nehad ismail
of cors
- Yes Obama should lead the NATO military intervention against Gaddafi...
- —Guest pynshisha