United States and Canada

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

Behind NATO’s agreement on Libya, friction remains

By Ian Traynor and Julian Borger, the Guardian

Why is Obama’s Libya war coalition the smallest in decades?

By Josh Rogin, the Cable

From Josh Rogin, the Cable:  President Barack Obama has touted his emphasis on multilateralism in the U.S. military intervention in Libya, but, for political, operational, and legal reasons, Obama’s "coalition of the willing" is smaller than any major multilateral operation since the end of the Cold War.

US considers more firepower to hit Gadhafi forces

By Richard Lardner, the AP

From Richard Lardner, the AP:  Even after a week of U.S.-led air strikes, forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi are a potent threat to civilians, say Pentagon officials who are considering expanding the firepower and airborne surveillance systems in the military campaign.

Libya Soundbites: Head of the French military, Adm. Gortney, former SACEUR, etc.

By Reuters

From Reuters:  France said the war could drag on for weeks. "I doubt that it will be days," Admiral Edouard Guillaud, the head of French armed forces, told France Info radio. "I think it will be weeks. I hope it will not take months."

Sarkozy reignites row over NATO military role in Libya

By Ian Traynor, the Guardian

From Ian Traynor, the Guardian:  Nicolas Sarkozy has belittled Nato’s role in the military operations against Muammar Gaddafi, re-igniting the row over who replaces the Americans in charge of the campaign in Libya. … The Nato decision is expected by Monday, before foreign ministers meet in London on Tuesday to discuss Libya. Senior officials were […]

The Wrong German Foreign Policy

By Joschka Fischer, Social Europe

From Joschka Fischer, Social Europe: [N]ever has Germany been more isolated.

Canadian General in command of the “yet to be fully defined NATO operations” over Libya

By the AP

From the AP:  A Canadian general will take over command of the NATO mission in Libya.