Americas

Preserving the Coalition

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times:  The United States, its allies and Libyan rebels all want to see Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi out of power and support United Nations-mandated military action to keep him from slaughtering innocent civilians.

NATO Secretary General and U.S. Ambassador split on arming Libyan opposition

By Spencer Ackerman, the Danger Room

Germany’s unhappy abstention from leadership

By Constanze Stelzenmüller, the Financial TImes

Pentagon puts Libya operation’s price tag at about $550 million

By Walter Pincus, the Washington Post

From Walter Pincus, the Washington Post:  The military intervention in Libya has cost the United States “about $550 million” in extra spending so far, a Defense Department spokeswoman said Tuesday

Obama: “Our most effective alliance, NATO, has taken command”

By Barack Obama, the White House

From Barack Obama, the White House:  In this effort, the United States has not acted alone. Instead, we have been joined by a strong and growing coalition.

Did Obama threaten to withdraw from coalition?

By Anne Applebaum, the Washington Post

From Anne Applebaum, the Washington Post:  The French Socialist Party triumphed in local elections last weekend. The Libyan rebels triumphed in Brega and Ras Lanouf.

US increases air assets and ground attacks in Libya operation

By Eric Schmitt, the New York Times

From Eric Schmitt, the New York Times:  In his speech on Monday night, Mr. Obama, as he has in the past, portrayed the mission as a limited one, and described the United States’ role as “supporting.” But interviews in recent days offer a fuller picture of American involvement, and show that it is far deeper […]

North Africa is Europe’s problem – not Obama’s

By the Editors of the Observer

From the Editors of the Observer:  Committees are sometimes the fairest way to decide policy; rarely, if ever, are they the most efficient. As a system for conducting wars, their shortcomings are obvious.

Is Libya the right war? Does the US have the right coalition to win it?

By Ross Douthat, the New York Times

From Ross Douthat, the New York Times:  Can we really hand off this mission? Officially, this is a far more multilateral venture than was, say, the invasion of Iraq.

Turkey not game to back NATO

By Abby Phillip, POLITICO

From Abby Phillip, POLITICO:  Since taking office in 2009, President Barack Obama has made it a priority to cultivate a stronger American alliance with Turkey