Abstract: Russia is pursuing a Middle Eastern policy that is designed to reduce U.S. and Western influence in the Middle East, even at the risk of Islamist terrorism, which is a growing problem in Russia. It views the recent upheavals in the Middle East…
Although Libya has rid itself of the Moammar Gadhafi regime, it faces an uncertain future endangered by radical Islamist factions, warring militia commanders, tribal rivalries, a lack of democratic traditions, and a civil society ravaged by decades of authoritarian rule. Last week, two militias clashed violently in a turf war…
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jets to Paris this week for a meeting of the Contact Group on Libya (e.g., France, Britain), no doubt there’ll be plenty of self-congratulations over the end of Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year dictatorship. Despite the distraction of Hurricane Irene from…
Is it just me, or does President Obama seem too disconnected these days? The biggest earthquake on the East Coast in the last 100 years rocked Washington, D.C., last week. The shaking was felt as far north as Martha’s Vineyard, where the President was in the midst of a…
In this week's Heritage in Focus podcast, James Carafano discusses the latest events in Libya. David Weinberger hosts. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes. To listen to more Heritage in Focus podcasts, return to…
Nile Gardiner discusses the latest in Libya. …
From The Heritage Foundation, I'm Ernest Istook. There's plenty of celebrating over the…
James Carafano comments on American involvement in Libya. …
It’s tempting to immediately cut off funds for President Obama’s ill-conceived Libya offensive. But it’s not the right course. For the sake of our allies, Congress needs to be patient in using the power of the purse to correct Obama’s misadventure. The policy is indeed a mess.…
"It's an uncomfortable fact that sending a message of solidarity with our NATO allies is more important than sending a message to President Obama." It's tempting to cut off funds immediately for President Obama's ill-conceived Libya offensive.…
On March 28, President Obama delivered a speech for the purpose of explaining his decision to use military force in Libya.[1] Although the President gave multiple justifications for the U.S. intervention, it appears more and more that his philosophical basis for ordering the use of force by the…
Abstract It may take years before the results of NATO’s military operations against Colonel Muammar Qadhafi’s Libyan regime can finally be judged, but the issues raised by the crisis are of immediate importance. …
(Archived document, may contain errors) J 362 June 26 1984 LIBYAN CONNECTION INTRODUCTION Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, obsessed by his personal quest for Arab leadership, has transformed Libya into the mos t militantly anti-American state in the Arab world. In pursuit of his vision of forging a unified Arab empire, he has entered into…
Washington was wrong to focus myopically on the decision to intervene in Libya and establish a “no-fly” zone. Long before operations began, it was abundantly clear that these operations would not be militarily decisive. The current situation on the ground now bears out that fact. A more comprehensive strategy is…
Turmoil is spreading across the Middle East, and the consequences of these dramatic changes will be far-reaching. The United States has considerable interests in the region, but the U.S. government needs to both exercise leadership now and develop a long-term plan for protecting the nation’s interests and supporting the cause…
The “Arab Spring” has targeted several regimes in the Middle East: Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak has stepped down, leaving the future of the country uncertain; Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh cling to power; Libya’s Muammar Qadhafi has vowed to fight to the death despite the United States and…
The killings and other atrocities committed in Libya, if confirmed, likely rise to the level of crimes against humanity, which are under International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction in the Rome Statute. But the ICC is supposed to be a court of last resort, becoming involved only if national authorities prove…
I've been reading blogs that try to list all the ways President Obama’s intervention in Libya is not like former President George W. Bush’s Iraq operation in 2003. There are differences, of course, but most of the explanations presented are transparent attempts to demonstrate that Mr. Obama’s intervention is legitimate…
“There is only one justification for military intervention [in Libya]: protecting people being murdered by Gadhafi.” So says Gareth Evans, father of the “responsibility to protect” doctrine that some say is behind President Obama’s decision to intervene in Libya. This idea turns U.S. national security policy on…
The Obama Administration, which launched the war in Libya with no clear military plan or exit strategy, now must fashion a suitable and acceptable way forward. The Administration’s short-sighted effort to score a quick and easy military victory over Colonel Muammar Qadhafi’s regime failed to end the threat to civilians…
Despite NATO intervention and advances by opposition forces, the Libyan conflict appears far from resolution. The White House support for rushing referral of Muammar Qadhafi to the International Criminal Court (ICC) has significantly complicated efforts to get Qadhafi to leave the country. The lesson of the…
Congress has every right to be angry with the President regarding the situation in Libya. Regardless of any views on the merits of the Libyan intervention, there is no question that from the start President Obama failed to consult Congress in an appropriately deliberate manner. The President has ill-served Congress,…
Libya’s opposition movement is a work in progress. Because it was forged in an ad hoc manner under the pressure of fast-moving events, it lacks sufficient organization, technical expertise, military capabilities, and funding to pose an immediate threat to Muammar Qadhafi’s control of western Libya. While…
Britain’s Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR), released in October 2010, has already led to significant cuts in the size and capabilities of Britain’s armed forces, with more reductions in the years to come. These reductions came on top of those made by the previous Labour government and failed to…
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib yesterday and expressed optimism...…
Three years ago, President Barack Obama set forth to recast American foreign policy in an image of his own design. It...…
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Although Libya has rid itself of the Muammar Qadhafi regime, it faces an uncertain future endangered by radical Islamist...…
Libya’s interim government gradually is taking shape. On Monday the Transitional National Council (TNC) announced that...…
In this week’s Heritage in Focus, foreign policy expert James Carafano fills us in on the latest news throughout the...…
That indigenous forces backed by Western military power could overthrow an odious unpopular regime backed by a...…
Former Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi is dead from wounds he suffered during his capture near his hometown of Sirte,...…
While the Libyan rebels continue their search for deposed dictator Muammar Qadhafi, rumors abound as to where the former...…
When in November 1942 the British Army broke and routed Rommel, and sent him fleeing through Libya, Winston Churchill...…
Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs