News

President Obama is an AWOL Commander-in-Chief on Libya

March 25, 2011

(Washington, DC)  – Log Cabin Republicans call into question the mission and purpose of a United States role in coalition operations to secure the United Nations mandated No-fly Zone over Libya. There remains no clear objective to Operation Odyssey Dawn, Congress was consulted late in the process and now President Obama has relinquished command and control.

"It is not clear if the United States mission is to liberate the Libyan people from the shackles of the deranged dictator, Moammar Gaddafi. What is clear to foreign governments President Obama often lies prostrate before is that military actions are secondary to diplomatic perceptions. Noting such dithering and weakness, Americans should not be surprised to learn Brazil concurred with China to call for a cease fire instead of supporting the United Nations Security Council resolution for a No-fly Zone. This occurred within hours of Obama's ballyhooed state visit to Brazil. Further, Russian officials are calling the cobbled together operation 'a medieval crusade.' Without a clear mission and objective, Libya will likely devolve into another Somalia where United Nations presence remains to this day. The Commander-in-Chief owes an explanation to the American people, especially our service members, of what our role is in Libya," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director.

Cooper is a combat veteran, current Army Reserve officer and a former United States Alternative Representative to the United Nations Security Council.