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You get to wind up and hurl any criticism you want -- and chances are that you’ll land some strikes. But you have to be sure that your criticism doesn’t backfire, which appears to be the case with Libya. Since the U.S. and NATO operations began there back in March, the GOP presidential candidates have had a field day. Romney ridiculed President Obama for “leading from behind” on Libya. Yet in an interview yesterday, he told FOX’s Neil Cavuto that “the world celebrates the idea of getting rid of Khaddafy.” Huntsman criticized the entire intervention, saying it wasn’t core to U.S. national security interests. But yesterday, he said that Khaddafy’s defeat “is a step toward openness, democracy, and human rights for a people who greatly deserve it.”
Huntsman is the only candidate I would classify as viable in the current Repub lineup but t-publicans won't vote for him because he isn't tossing red meat to the social conservatives.
First Read - First Thoughts: Republicans backtrack on Libya
You get to wind up and hurl any criticism you want -- and chances are that youll land some strikes. But you have to be sure that your criticism doesnt backfire, which appears to be the case with Libya. Since the U.S. and NATO operations began there back in March, the GOP presidential candidates have had a field day. Romney ridiculed President Obama for leading from behind on Libya. Yet in an interview yesterday, he told FOXs Neil Cavuto that the world celebrates the idea of getting rid of Khaddafy. Huntsman criticized the entire intervention, saying it wasnt core to U.S. national security interests. But yesterday, he said that Khaddafys defeat is a step toward openness, democracy, and human rights for a people who greatly deserve it.
I didn't agree w/ the "leading from behind" part of the article either because the U.S. pretty much single-handedly softened-up the area before anyone else went in. I still remember Repubs bellyaching about our involvement/taking the lead there.Huntsman is the only candidate I would classify as viable in the current Repub lineup but t-publicans won't vote for him because he isn't tossing red meat to the social conservatives.
First Read - First Thoughts: Republicans backtrack on Libya
You get to wind up and hurl any criticism you want -- and chances are that you’ll land some strikes. But you have to be sure that your criticism doesn’t backfire, which appears to be the case with Libya. Since the U.S. and NATO operations began there back in March, the GOP presidential candidates have had a field day. Romney ridiculed President Obama for “leading from behind” on Libya. Yet in an interview yesterday, he told FOX’s Neil Cavuto that “the world celebrates the idea of getting rid of Khaddafy.” Huntsman criticized the entire intervention, saying it wasn’t core to U.S. national security interests. But yesterday, he said that Khaddafy’s defeat “is a step toward openness, democracy, and human rights for a people who greatly deserve it.”
The "leading from behind" quote is laughable, since many of those same people would say we shouldn't be the world's policeman. So, this time we get our allies to do most of the work, while we provide back-up and a reserve force. What's wrong with that? It proves NATO isn't just us and shows things can get done with a helluva force in reserve, if things go bad. Also, since when is a civil war in an oil-producing country not "core to U.S. national security interests"?
The relationship was close enough that the CIA moved to establish "a permanent presence" in Libya in 2004, according to a note from Stephen Kappes, at the time the No. 2 in the CIA's clandestine service, to Libya's then-intelligence chief, Moussa Koussa. The memo began "Dear Musa," and was signed by hand, "Steve." Mr. Kappes was a critical player in the secret negotiations that led to Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi's 2003 decision to give up his nuclear program. Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Kappes, who has retired from the agency, declined to comment. A U.S. official said Libya had showed progress at the time. "Let's keep in mind the context here: By 2004, the U.S. had successfully convinced the Libyan government to renounce its nuclear-weapons program and to help stop terrorists who were actively targeting Americans in the U.S. and abroad," the official said.
The files documenting the renewal of ties between the CIA and Libyan intelligence were reviewed and copied by researchers from Human Rights Watch during a tour of Libya's External Security agency headquarters in downtown Tripoli. Emergencies Director Peter Bouckaert said he was touring the building on Friday as part of the group's effort to help the Libyan transitional authority secure sensitive documents left by the Gadhafi regime, which collapsed in August after a five-month rebellion. Mr. Bouckaert said he discovered the files inside the complex in a room that guards described as the former office of Mr. Koussa, who became foreign minister in 2009. Mr. Bouckaert photographed the documents, leaving the originals in their place, and gave copies to The Wall Street Journal. Human Rights Watch has been critical of the U.S. policy of sending terror suspects to third countries for interrogation, a practice known as rendition. The practice dates at least to 1995, when Egypt began aiding the U.S. with rendition.
U.S. officials say they obtained assurances from the recipient countries that the rendered detainees would be treated humanely. "There are lots of countries willing to take terrorists off the street who want to kill Americans," the U.S. official said. "That doesn't mean U.S. concerns about human rights are ignored in the process." In an April 15, 2004 letter to Libyan intelligence, the CIA proposed the rendition of another man, saying, "We respectfully request an expression of interest from your service regarding taking custody." Citing "recently developed agreements," the CIA asked the Libyans to "agree to take our requirements for debriefings of [the suspect], as well as a guarantee that [his] human rights will be protected." The files also show the close relationship that some British intelligence officials had with Mr. Koussa.
Mr. Koussa, who defected from Col. Gadhafi's government in March, was credited with helping negotiate Libya's rapprochement with the international community and bartering an end to sanctions in return for Libya renouncing its weapons-of-mass-destruction program. Yet he was also one of the stalwarts of the Gadhafi regime and headed the foreign intelligence service during a time when many Western officials believed Col. Gadhafi was funding and supporting international terrorist groups. In 1980, he was expelled from his diplomatic post in the U.K. after calling in a newspaper interview for the killing of Libyan dissidents in Great Britain. Libya later claimed he had been misquoted. By the early years of the George W. Bush administration, however, as seen in the 2004 memo, Mr. Kappes was writing to Mr. Koussa: "Libya's cooperation on WMD and other issues, as well as our nascent intelligence cooperation mean that now is the right moment to move ahead." The intelligence services had discussed the move for "quite some time" Mr. Kappes wrote.
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CIA was in bed with Khaddafi...
Tripoli Files Show CIA Working With Libya
SEPTEMBER 3, 2011 - The Central Intelligence Agency and Libyan intelligence services developed such a tight relationship during the George W. Bush administration that the U.S. shipped terror suspects to Libya for interrogation and suggested the questions they should be asked, according to documents found in Libya's External Security agency headquarters.
The relationship was close enough that the CIA moved to establish "a permanent presence" in Libya in 2004, according to a note from Stephen Kappes, at the time the No. 2 in the CIA's clandestine service, to Libya's then-intelligence chief, Moussa Koussa. The memo began "Dear Musa," and was signed by hand, "Steve." Mr. Kappes was a critical player in the secret negotiations that led to Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi's 2003 decision to give up his nuclear program. Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Kappes, who has retired from the agency, declined to comment. A U.S. official said Libya had showed progress at the time. "Let's keep in mind the context here: By 2004, the U.S. had successfully convinced the Libyan government to renounce its nuclear-weapons program and to help stop terrorists who were actively targeting Americans in the U.S. and abroad," the official said.
The files documenting the renewal of ties between the CIA and Libyan intelligence were reviewed and copied by researchers from Human Rights Watch during a tour of Libya's External Security agency headquarters in downtown Tripoli. Emergencies Director Peter Bouckaert said he was touring the building on Friday as part of the group's effort to help the Libyan transitional authority secure sensitive documents left by the Gadhafi regime, which collapsed in August after a five-month rebellion. Mr. Bouckaert said he discovered the files inside the complex in a room that guards described as the former office of Mr. Koussa, who became foreign minister in 2009. Mr. Bouckaert photographed the documents, leaving the originals in their place, and gave copies to The Wall Street Journal. Human Rights Watch has been critical of the U.S. policy of sending terror suspects to third countries for interrogation, a practice known as rendition. The practice dates at least to 1995, when Egypt began aiding the U.S. with rendition.
U.S. officials say they obtained assurances from the recipient countries that the rendered detainees would be treated humanely. "There are lots of countries willing to take terrorists off the street who want to kill Americans," the U.S. official said. "That doesn't mean U.S. concerns about human rights are ignored in the process." In an April 15, 2004 letter to Libyan intelligence, the CIA proposed the rendition of another man, saying, "We respectfully request an expression of interest from your service regarding taking custody." Citing "recently developed agreements," the CIA asked the Libyans to "agree to take our requirements for debriefings of [the suspect], as well as a guarantee that [his] human rights will be protected." The files also show the close relationship that some British intelligence officials had with Mr. Koussa.
Mr. Koussa, who defected from Col. Gadhafi's government in March, was credited with helping negotiate Libya's rapprochement with the international community and bartering an end to sanctions in return for Libya renouncing its weapons-of-mass-destruction program. Yet he was also one of the stalwarts of the Gadhafi regime and headed the foreign intelligence service during a time when many Western officials believed Col. Gadhafi was funding and supporting international terrorist groups. In 1980, he was expelled from his diplomatic post in the U.K. after calling in a newspaper interview for the killing of Libyan dissidents in Great Britain. Libya later claimed he had been misquoted. By the early years of the George W. Bush administration, however, as seen in the 2004 memo, Mr. Kappes was writing to Mr. Koussa: "Libya's cooperation on WMD and other issues, as well as our nascent intelligence cooperation mean that now is the right moment to move ahead." The intelligence services had discussed the move for "quite some time" Mr. Kappes wrote.
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The liberals destroyed the place, to them thats success.
A producer for Al Jazeera found documents at the sacked Libyan intelligence headquarters in Tripoli that say former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch met with emissaries of Muammar Qaddafi in early August and advised the regime on the best route for its own survival. Al Jazeera also found a summary of a conversation between an emissary of Mr. Qaddafi and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) of Ohio. The summary says Mr. Kucinich wanted evidence of Al Qaeda ties or evidence of atrocities carried out by the rebels to use in support of Qaddafi's son Saif al-Islam at the International Criminal Court and in filing a lawsuit against NATO.
Kucinich told the Atlantic Wire that all the document mentioning him proves is that "that the Libyans were reading the Washington Post, and read there about my efforts to stop the war." But the Wire notes that the Post article cited in the Libyan summary "doesn't summarize Kucinich's more detailed questions about the intervention" that the summary references. Regardless, Kucinich's opposition to the NATO air campaign against Qaddafi is already in the public record. But Mr. Welch, who in 2008 helped broker the deal in which Libya promised $1.5 billion in reparations to families of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing in exchange for full normalization of ties, has been largely silent in public on Libya.
His principal partner in the Lockerbie negotiations was Saif al-Islam. He also met directly with Qaddafi prior to the deal's signing in August 2008. When the deal was signed, Welch said payment of compensation to the Lockerbie victims "will mark the completion of a process that began in 2001, that has already seen Libya take steps forward as a model among nations to renounce terror and weapons of mass destruction." Welch is now the senior official in North Africa and the Middle East for the Bechtel Corporation, a job he took almost immediately after retiring from the State Department in December 2008. He's spent much of the past three years seeking to expand the construction company's extensive business interests in Libya. Such "revolving door" jobs, in which US government officials get private sector jobs that benefit from the contacts and relationships they developed while in service of the state, are common in Washington.
Before war broke out, Bechtel was building a 1,400 megawatt power plant for the government near Qaddafi's hometown of Sirte. In 2009, it opened its first representative office in Tripoli since the 1960s. Bechtel's press release on the new office referred to a Libyan "construction frenzy" and said that "business was booming" in Libya since international sanctions were lifted in 2003.
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Mr Welch, now a senior executive at Bechtel, an American firm with construction contracts in Libya, reportedly advised them on "confidence building measures" to improve the regime's public standing.
He is also reported to have advised the officials on how to undermine the National Transitional Council and supporters fighting to overthrow the Gaddafi regime, potentially by linking them to Islamic extremism.
