Obama White House: Sitting on the Fence & Dithering While Libyan Rebels Are Slaughtered Is Good Leadership
Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 5:52 AM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was grilled yesterday by CBS’ Chip Reid who was clearly fed up watching the administration do nothing about Libyan atrocities while claiming they were responding with “unprecedented” speed.
FOX Nation reported.
Video at Real Clear Politics
Here’s the transcript via FOX Nation:
Q On no-fly zone, what exactly is the U.S. — the administration’s position before the Security Council?
MR. CARNEY: Our position, Chip, remains that we are evaluating a number of options, military options, including —
Q But a decision has to be made now.
MR. CARNEY: — including a no-fly zone. We feel that it is important that any action like that that might be taken should be done in concert with our international partners. Through the United Nations would be our preferable vehicle for that, and therefore we would look to the U.N. as a forum for evaluating that option. I think I mentioned yesterday that today is the deadline for the no-fly zone option to — preparations or plans to be submitted in Brussels at NATO. And I believe the NAC will review those tomorrow. So this process is moving forward.
But our position is that action like that should be considered and taken if decided upon in coordination with our international partners, because it’s very important in the way that we respond to a situation like we see in Libya, that it be international and not unilateral; that it include the support and participation, for example, of the Arab League and other organizations and countries in the region.
And that is our sort of focus as we proceed with these conversations.
Q Is the President satisfied to follow, not lead, on deciding whether to do it?
MR. CARNEY: I take issue with the characterization. We think it is precisely because the President believes that the best outcome in a situation like we see in Libya, as we have seen in different forms in other countries in the region, that the best outcome will come when the action taken by countries — third-party countries outside of the country where the unrest is happening — be done in consensus with international partners, precisely so that it is not viewed by those who oppose positive democratic reform as the dictate of the West or the United States.
Q But wouldn’t it be fair to say — accurate to say the United States is still sitting on the fence on this? Isn’t it time to make a decision, yes or no?
MR. CARNEY: Well, Chip, you tell me if as an American citizen would you want your President not to consider all the implications and ramifications of taking military action.
Q Doesn’t there come a point to make a — where you have to make a decision?
MR. CARNEY: And I would go back to what I said to Jill, that we have acted with great haste, and we have coordinated international — led and coordinated an international response, the likes of which the world has never seen in such a short period of time. And we have — we continue to consult with our international partners. We meet — we have met with, as the Secretary of State did, with the Libyan opposition discussing new ways we can put pressure on Qaddafi.
And when it comes to considering military options, this President will always be mindful of what the mission, should it be engaged, what it entails, the risks that it poses to our men and women in uniform, and its likelihood of having the kind of impact that we set out for it to have. And that is his responsibility as Commander-in-Chief.
And I would suggest to you that that is what leadership is all about.
As Sarah Palin said, “2012 can’t come soon enough.”
The Libyan rebel leader told reporters today, “The world has failed us.”
Yes they have.
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Published February 22, 2012 at 4:19 pm - 32 Comments
Gothguy commented:
Yep…that’s real leadership.
/snarc
Chrissy B commented:
And I thought Slick Willie Clinton could talk in circles without answering a question.
jomojava the infidel commented:
Exercising leadership can get in the way of tee times.
Gini commented:
The WH actually believes this gibberish.
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Mark1957 commented:
# 4 Gini, No they just want the public to believe it, they think Americans are stupid, after all, they elected Obama.
Chisum commented:
Look, we all know that IT’S BUSH’S FAULT!
Mark1957 commented:
We have satelites that can read a license plates from space, a couple of cruise missles could have ended it weeks ago. But that would require bold leadership which we don’t have right now.
Somewhat Reasonable Voice commented:
Since when did “Action” mean talking? They talk, talk, talk, then plan for more talking and this boy idiot stands up and calls it “Action”. Action would have taken out the Libyan planes, talk got the rebels killed. Big difference. Words have meaning, and he needs to be called on it.
BuddyG commented:
0bama doesn’t know if he’s unsure or indecisive.
It’s a firm possibility of a definite maybe.
Bill Fabrizio commented:
This entire administration is a f***ing joke!
Ella commented:
I believe this has an awful lot to do with the fact that Zippy is a muslim. Can’t fight against muslim brothers.
BuddyG commented:
0bama the Invisible
olm commented:
Obama is incompetent.
Obama is the worst POTUS in the history of our country.
If you disagree please back up your statement. Literally anything will do.
Neo commented:
… the outstanding leadership of Pres**ent Obama
Dave-O commented:
Zippy has said previously that it would be easier to be President of China. Then he wouldn’t have to listen to an uppidity press corps asking impertinent questions such as those posed by Chip Reid.
Anyways, Urkel can’t be bothered by pesky foreign policy issues right now – he needs to “recharge” by taking in another round or so of golf, filling out NCAA brackets, and packing for his Spring Break trip to Brazil.
Bill Mitchell commented:
It really does make one wonder what the hell Obama is going to run on for 2012. The economy is in shambles, the deficit keeps going up, Obamacare and the stimulus are both abject failures and he refuses to lead.
He does have a nice smile I suppose. Maybe he can have the smile platform.
eaglewingz08 commented:
Yes, the quickest bestest response in the shortest amount of time. And here I was thinking that putting together the Afghanistan coalition in three weeks after September 11, 2001 might have been in the running. Silly me. Or the US response to the Thailand tsunami. Imagine if we had waited three weeks for international coordination? Or how about Nixon’s airlifts of military hardware to Israel during the Yom Kippur War, in which he had to circumvent antisemitic european countries, because they wouldn’t let US planes refuel?
Imagine if Obama was President and was still ‘coordinating’ his response to Israel’s urgent request for aid? But please, Obama’s response was the fastest, bestest wisest response evah!
It looks like that new WH press flack is turning the press briefings into even more of a Carney-val, than his predecessor, Gibbs.
Carlos commented:
#13 olm nailed it precisely.
For the first time in my adult life, I am embarrassed to be an American.
The world is in limbo, and Barry goes golfing, and then to Rio. I am truly, truly ashamed.
Interesting commented:
This is what comes of the false teaching that ANYONE can become President of the United States. NO ONE would DARE to say that everyone could become the President and CEO of a fortune 500 company – it is expected the candidate would be qualified for the position, and not tolerated for someone who does not qualify.
Someone ought to tell the kiddies it isn’t true.. and stop this false mantra from being spoken – before someone else without brains is allowed to do this to America again.
Dave-O commented:
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
Callipygian1 commented:
I think Jay Carney played it succinctly: “And that is our sort of focus”
That about sums it up, ne c’est pas?
cal rifkin commented:
Once you decide that Gadaffi is “bad” ( no doubt after Lockerbie ), then the next decision shouldn’t be that hard; Our pilots are burning lots of jet fuel anyway, and would love to paste that bunch of rif-raf Gadaffi has for a military. This lameass president we have is the worst kind of leader – to sum it up: a socialist, marxist coward who eventually will screw up so bad that he’ll get us into a big war. He even makes Clinton look good.
jd commented:
SHHH STUPID REBELS YOU ARE INTERFERING WITH THE PRESIDENTS NCAA BRACKET PICKS.
Redlite commented:
#13 said it all. The list of his accomplishments should include all school records, number of ssn’s he has, and his long form birth cirtificate. We should consider our selves lucky that his list of succesess is very short. But the damage he has done internationally will take years to undo. He is by far the worst president in history!
It does seem that some in the press is starting to wake up. With a fool like Carney his defense of BO makes great fodder for any one looking for a story. Carney will eventually dig a grave too deep to climb out of.
Dave-O commented:
Eaglewingz08 #17 – don’t forget the Berlin Airlift on your list either. Any of these humanitarian or military logistical support efforts – from the Berlin Airlift organized by President Truman where he flew supplies into West Berlin for 327 straight days. The Marshall Plan which set about to rebuild a devastated Japan – also by President Truman. Operation Enduring Freedom, organized by President Bush, secured the cooperation and participation of over 50 different countries. The 2004 Thailand tsunami international relief effort led by President Bush. Nixon’s airlift of military support into Israel in the Yom Kippur war – all great examples from Eaglewingz08 –
the critical difference? In each of the cases mentioned, we were fortunate to have a LEADER in the White House – someone not just content to vote “Present” – but concerned enough about the humanitarian needs involved to actually get personally involved in the issue and actively reach out to world leaders and secure their cooperation, secured first by American leadership –
all we have now is an empty suit, who spends his time throwing endless lavish White House parties with movie stars and celebrities, bringing in the press corps to dutifully record his NCAA tournament bracket picks, endlessly golfing (more than any president in history), and arranging an endless stream of vacations to exotic places with his Mooochelle wife, his in-laws and children (India, now Brazil, and over 20 other countries – more than any other President in his first year of office) – the list goes on and on. His complete absence of foreign policy interest could be excused if he was otherwise engaged in domestic policy issue – but he has completely abdicated this area as well – completely and overwhelmingly overshadowed by congressional Democrats in terms of legislative initiatives, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi completely wrote the healthcare act for example with zero input from the White House. 16 million people (or more) chronically out of work. A complete and utter JOKE of a proposed budget. And the list goes on. He doesn’t care. He is completely disengaged from the process of leading and governing – an area completely foreign to him – having spent his entire career as a community activist agitator with nothing to show for it. Don’t get me started on this fraudulent puke of a man/child.
Robert commented:
“we have coordinated international — led and coordinated an international response, the likes of which the world has never seen”
I certainly agree.
I’ve never seen a response.
Mark1957 commented:
Next week Obama is going to Brazil for spring break.
Brazil preforms more sex change operations than any other country.
Maybe Obama will get a pair of balls.
mg4us commented:
Obama has voted present again. . . that is leadership – - – NOT!!!
Obama – incompetent, inexperienced, inept. . .
O-buma – leader of the Flee World
JoeyO commented:
Hey, to his credit, he is merely following the “sit around talking about the issue for months while possibly imposing sanctions to show displeasure” gameplan that worked ohh soo well leading up to WWII.
“Communicate the issue” – it’s what makes liberals so much “smarter” then conservatives who, like “barbarians”, want to run around solving problems. Because really, who wants problems actually solved when we can just talk about them and maybe take votes showing we aren’t pleased with situations? It really gets right back to the lefts idealism vs the rights realism that will continue to plague the country unless we separate Union and State to elevate the funding of, and in turn continued election of, huge percentages of democrats. Until then we will continue the Govt Raises->Union Dues->Campaign Donations->Democrats Elected->Govt Raises cycle which is leading to crippling regulations, idiotic focuses, huge deficits and overall weak positioning.
Andreas K. commented:
Here’s the funny thing. Many of those muselmaniac countries have shiny new airplanes.
You want a no-fly zone?
Enforce it yourself.
Why should America do it?
This is typical. If America does it, everyone will whine. If America doesn’t do it, everyone will whine just the same.
Don’t do it. People will whine either way, but by not getting involved you keep your own troops save.
“The Libyan rebel leader told reporters today, “The world has failed us.”
Yes they have.”
No they haven’t. I don’t care which dictator is sitting down there in power. Gaddafi or some mullah, what’s the difference? Besides, if you can’t push through with a revolution, don’t start one.
This poses the question: would Sarah Palin risk American lives for some muselmaniac hell hole? I’m curious.
And don’t start with freedom and democracy. This revolution isn’t about any of that. None of those “revolutions” are about that. Look into Egypt. Where’s freedom and democracy now that Mubarak’s gone?
Nowhere.
Copts are still under assault, maybe even worse than before.
Should the rebels in Libya win, what do you think will happen? They’ll kill all pro-Gaddafi people. That’s the way they operate.
Let them kill each other.
NeoKong commented:
Just words.
chicago commented:
Obama’s repaying the financial support that Qaddafi gave to Farrakhan, that’s all. Qaddafi must remain as Libya’s dictator or else the river of financial support for Farrakhan will dry up and we can’t have that now can we???
Infidel #2,945,732 commented:
Would someone pass this idea on to our brilliant (I use that term loosely) President.
We know where the air bases are located. Why not blow up the runways and the control facilities? That would eliminate the need for a no-fly zone for quite a period of time.
Doesn’t take a rocket scientist and weeks to come up with a plan.
Ladue Pundit commented:
Any U.S. involvement in Libya can be done at 20,000 feet, or launched from a sub.
No more American blood for Muslims.
StrangernFiction commented:
#32 March 16, 2011 at 11:54 am
Andreas K. commented:
I would even things up a bit (shouldn’t be that tough to do), but otherwise I completely agree with you. That being said, I do so enjoy watching this regime twist in the wind.
bg commented:
++
Obama might as well have announced “what happens in Libya, stays in
Libya” from the get go.. you see, Obama is working hard behind closed
doors “diplomatically dialoguing” for not only the ObaMessiah’ long time
pal Qaddafi, but also Imams Wright, Farrakhan and Jackson..
(more links @ link/s)
==
JoeyO commented:
“Any U.S. involvement in Libya can be done at 20,000 feet, or launched from a sub.”
Its not like their anti-aircraft systems can pick up our stealth bombers anyway. There is zero, and I mean ZERO risk to the US in taking out runways, planes on the ground, storage/strongholds, tanks, etc.
Roughly 10 hours of effort and we could have given the rebels a clear path to overthrow a terrorist dictator responsible for a huge amount of US/international/Libya deaths. Instead, we sat around talking while the uprising has been squashed.
Anyway, last rebel stronghold falling as we speak, so UN might as well stop talking about it now – its over, and their “help” did little more then piss off both the terrorist dictator/his supporters and innocent people/rebels in the country that wanted a chance for freedom.
In a Win-Win situation (overthrow terrorist and gain respect from the people) our so-called “leader” failed miserably – that’s hard to do!
bg commented:
++
would just like to remind everyone thta we are dealing
with real human beings, not that propaganda crapola..
Islamists are not only animals, and our enemy, but they are also Muslims
enemy, so lets root for FREEDOM & DEMOCRACY, it will be enlightening for
all of US.. and we have more to fear from Sharia Law over here than they
do over there anyways.. bottom line:
if “we the people” allow the Islamization that is occurring all over Europe
to happen here (not that is hasn’t been, duh) , we’ll only have ourselves
to blame for not heeding ANTI-ISLAMIST/POLITICAL ISLAM./SHARIA LAW
MUSLIMS, and paying way too much attention to the Sunni Shia conflict
mongers.. the zealots are dying out, the youth want a new way, they’re
choice is “FREEDOM & DEMOCRACY via CONSTITUTIONAL STATE”..
==
Dave-O commented:
Amazing coincidence, don’t you think?, that Obama’s upcoming trip to South America (meeting with heads of state, discussing western hemispheric trade, regional security threats, etc.) coincides with The Sidwell Friends’ School academic calendar?
As we all know, it’d be a darn shame that Obama would have to conduct the business of the people of the United States on a time frame not conducive to his family getting a little va-cay out of it.
This while chronic record unemployment pervades the country, food and gas prices going thru the roof, energy policy in disarray, unprecedented record budget deficits, an on-going and increasingly bitter dispute in Congress over extending the national debt limit, etc. –
And Moochelle’s attitude is “Let them eat cake” – time for spring break party action! Let’s hit the beach in Rio!!
Andreas K. commented:
bg, I wish they were animals. They’re far worse than that.
And it’s not the “islamists”. “Normal” mohammedans can be just as bad. The problem is islam itself.
A few years back (I think 2 years) there was an honor killing in Germany, where a young Turkish man killed his own sister. She was “too westernized” apparently. He and an accomplice knocked her out, dragged her into the woods and there her own brother beat her head into a pulp with a wooden stick. Literally. The autopsy revealed that he continued to beat her skull when she was already dead. Her own brother. The damages were horrifying.
That was not an islamist. That was a normal mohammedan who lived out his “culture”. And his “culture” wouldn’t have been like that without islam.
Islam is the problem.
jorgen commented:
Didn’t it take Obama more than 8 months to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan?
CattusMagnus commented:
“The likes of which the world has never seen.” lol
bg commented:
++
Andreas K. #42
oh, so we were wrong to go into Iraq & not only Liberate them from
their genocidal king, but our king was right when he posed what’s a
little genocide in Iraq?? /s/
EARTH TO RATIONAL PEOPLE:
NOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE BARBARIC ANIMALS..
btw AK, seems to me honor killing is just as much an “CULTURAL ARAB”
problem as it is an ISLAMIC problem, but then again, depending on the
source, they can be as much alike as they are different..*sigh*
==
jimg commented:
That’s fine, Andreas K. No-fly zone. Don’t have a no-fly zone.
The point is somebody – anybody – DECIDE already. One way or the other.
bg commented:
++
Andreas K. #42
and for the umpteenth time..
WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS..
WHAT’S THE/YOUR SOLUTION??
this man, and many others have answers..
what, just snap your fingers and expect peace and happiness
to reign in the land of Oz?? heh, you & Obama can dream on..
==
DANEgerus commented:
In his defense, while the Libyan rebels are slaughtered by air strikes, Barack Hussein Obama is golfing. Hard.
BurmaShave commented:
Doesn’t there come to a point where you have to make a decision?
No, if it did, that would require a decision. The Obama White House doesn’t do decisions. And anyway when all of the freedom fighters are dead the whole issue is resolved, and there is no real need for providing them support.
Obama is probably sneering in his beer thinking: “So there, you effing teabaggers; think of all the money this is saving.”
Andreas K. commented:
bg, my solution?
Simple.
Let them kill each other. Fortify our borders. Let none of them in anymore. They will eventually butcher each other into obilivion. Better they kill each other than attacking us.
As for Iraq, time will tell. Personally, I don’t give the Iraqi democracy more than 10 years. Islam and democracy are mutually excluding each other. Look at the Christians in Iraq.
And the only mohammedans who are not barbarians are the secular ones. Whenever you have the “allahu ackbar” screaming, it’s best to drop a few kilotons of nuclear material on them.
It’s 1.5 billion mohammedans vs 5+billion non-mohammedans, so called “infidels”, who, under islamic law, can be killed.
Better them than us.
Andreas K. commented:
Btw, yes going into Iraq was a mistake. A mistake that could have been avoided if Bush sr and the whole bloody UN would have removed Saddam back after Desert Storm.
Going into A-stan was for the ass, too.
Why not nuke them? Seriously. They attack us, we strike back a hundred times as hard and we’ll repeat this until they learn the lesson that attacking us is stupid. They only respect strength.
I know. “OMG! That’s genocide!” So what? It’s a war that has been going for 1,400 years and their goal is still the same: world domination and wiping out everything that’s different. Better them than us.
bg commented:
++
AK.
if yhit were nickles, we’d all be rich, some even richer, but like i said, “if”..
and albeit only your opinion, mine is that you’re wrong about US not going
into Iraq, imo, it was not only the right thing to do, but it’s the reason the
domino Imams are falling all over one another to clamp down their slaves..
it’s the O-posite over here..
==
bg commented:
++
ps re: #52
just a sample:
[GEORGE W. BUSH: I'm credible because I read the intelligence data
and make it abundantly clear, in plain terms, that, if we let up, we'll
be attacked. And I firmly believe that.
Look, this has been a long, difficult experience for the American people.
I can assure you al-Qaida, who would like to attack us again, have got
plenty of patience and persistence. And the question is, will we?
Yes, I talked about intelligence yesterday. I wanted to make sure the
intelligence I laid out was credible, so we took our time. Failure in Iraq
will cause generations to suffer, in my judgment. Al-Qaida will be
emboldened. They will say, "Yes, once again, we've driven the great
soft America out of a part of the region." It will cause them to be able
to recruit more; it will give them safe haven. They are a direct threat
to the United States.
And I'm going to keep talking about it. That's my job as the president, is
to tell people the threats we face and what we're doing about it. They're
dangerous, and I can't put it any more plainly to the American people, and
to them, we will stay on the offense. It's better to fight them there than
here.
And this concept about, well, maybe, you know, let's just kind of just leave
them alone and maybe they'll be all right is naive. These people attacked us
before we were in Iraq. They viciously attacked us before we were in Iraq,
and they've been attacking ever since.
They are a threat to your children, David. And whoever is in that Oval Office
better understand it and take measures necessary to protect the American
people.]
if you don’t think Saddam was either directly or indirectly involved
with 9/11, read the 9/11 commission report and get back to me..
==
bg commented:
++
re: #52/53
“wasted two and a half years”
==
raugaj commented:
I was never a Bush fan, but respected his willingness to make a decision and really respected his willingness to do so and stick to it no matter what the polls said. I have never missed him more.
Just for fun, play “what would Ronnie do?”. Be careful though as this may cause tremendous dispair when you return to reality.
tommy mc donnell commented:
we have to work with the UN. maybe the UN can reappoint him to their human rights commission.