OPINION:
President Obama has once again retreated into his typical passivity in response to the murderous bloodbath being inflicted on the Libyan people by the despotic Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi (“Get tough on Libya, senators tell Obama,” Web, Feb. 27).
Rather than lead a coalition of countries in stopping indiscriminate bombing of Libyan civilians through the imposition of a no-fly zone, Mr. Obama withdraws into inaction. A no-fly zone is supported by the countries in the region and endorsed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, former President Bill Clinton and Arizona’s Republican Sen. John McCain- yet Mr. Obama still demurs.
The vast difference between Mr. Obama’s strong words against Egypt’s ousted President Hosni Mubarak, a one-time pillar of American Middle East policy, and his long silence regarding Libya’s Col. Gadhafi, whose hands are dripping with American blood after four decades of terrorism, demonstrates to the Arab world that the White House has an inconsistent policy in the region.
Mr. Obama’s passivity was initially on display in June 2009 when millions of Iranians took to the streets in an uprising against the rigged election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At a time when Iran’s Green Revolution needed American support, Mr. Obama dithered for two weeks. His timid and feckless Middle East policy only fortifies the tyrannies in Iran and Libya.
JIM HARTMAN
Berkeley, Calif.
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