Obama – speech to the nation on Monday
USA Today, yesterday
OBAMA TO DELIVER PRIME TIME ADDRESS ON LIBYA MONDAY
By David Jackson
President Obama will deliver an address on the Libyan military operation Monday night, the White House announced tonight.
The president will speak at 7:30 p.m. at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
The speech is designed to “update the American people on the situation in Libya,” said the White House announcement, “including the actions we’ve taken with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people from the brutality of Moammar Gadhafi, the transition to NATO command and control, and our policy going forward.”
We suspect most if not all the television networks will carry the address.
Members of Congress, including House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, have criticized Obama for not consulting them more before the Libya operation began Saturday. Boehner has also questioned Obama about the potential length of the engagement and what the administration plans to do to dislodge Gadhafi from power.
White House aides said Obama conducted a conference call with members of Congress. Throughout the day, aides also said that Obama would speaking with the public in the near future about the reasons behind the Libyan operation.
“He believes it’s vitally important, it’s part of his role as President and Commander-in-Chief, to speak to the American people about an operation like this,” said spokesman Jay Carney.
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We are going into a new phase of the War on Gaddafi. After Odyssey Dawn, we now move on to Odyssey Yawn.
Could be ‘Odessey Gone’, if he doesn’t get this one right. His people are pissed off. He’s way behind the timeline. Same as Gonzi, however he’s not worried–it’s Saturday night and Paceville is full of pissed people.
Oh come, both of you. The war only started last Saturday. I know today’s kids have a five-minute attention span, but jeez….
There is so much to enjoy in this war. For one thing, there have been as yet zero civilian casualties caused by Coalition raids. And quite possibly zero casualties of all sorts. Gaddafi’s people have yet to produce a single corpse to back up their “dozens of dead” claims.
Precision weaponry has come a long way since 1999 or 2003. There were some photographs of a mobile radar installation doing the rounds of the papers a few days ago. Anyone noticed the trees overhanging the burnt-out skeleton of the radar? Their leaves weren’t even singed.
All those millions spent on various reconnaissance systems, smart bombs and data uplinks are paying off.
Now we enter phase two. (Not my words, but those of the Mahmoud Jibril, leader of the Libyan National Council in a letter to Sarkozy). That’s when the rebels consolidate their positions and advance on Tripoli. They asked for anti-armour weapons.
We should oblige. And throw a bone to the Russians, who’ve been feeling left out of the whole thing. I don’t blame them. They signed a $ 5-billion defence contract with Gaddafi just weeks before the war. Who’ll be paying up now?
So buy some of those fabulous Russian anti-tank systems, which proved their worth against Tsahal in Lebanon (ah, the RPG-29…), buy a shedload of AK-47s, and covertly arm the rebels. Ensure air cover and they’ll be hanging Gaddafi by the balls before you can say “arcidemokratiku”.
Baxxter, you are assuming I am one of today’s kids.
I agree with you that there have been zero casualties, but we haven’t seen the most important casualty either: Gaddafi.
Rather than giving two day’s notice of an important broadcast to the world (which he was not good at anyway), the predecessor of the man crossing his arms above would by now have sponsored a “Gaddafi – Wanted: Dead or Alive – Reward: $10 billion” campaign “out there in the West” (of Libya).
Bear in mind that the UN SC resolution stops far short of ordering Gaddafi’s indictment or capture, let alone his death. So the best that anyone can do is to kill him covertly, or assist the rebels in killing him. Reward posters are just not on.
Besides, we all know what happened the last time any president tried the ‘died or alive’ speech. “We’re smokin’ ’em out, gettin’ ’em runnin’.” Yeah.
There are still so many ways in which you can kill Gaddafi. Here’s one, off the top of my head.
The Maltese government ostensibly offers to mediate. They send me (and I’m qualified) to visit Gaddafi, with explosives strapped around my body. I hug him, and blow myself up, taking him with me. That’s the high-risk, quick-return option.
Can I do the strapping? Pulleezz?
Baxxter, you are not that qualified in the sense that you are such a harmless chap. KMB is much more qualified than you are – I mean he is an expert in mediation, that’s for sure. And besides, the loss for the coalition will still be ZERO.
But I’m unknown so I could be presented as just another Foreign Ministry functionary.
Seriously, if anyone from the CIA is reading this (Kev says we’re being watched): I’d really do it, and I’m not even asking for money.
Stupid and insipid remark
I do not think do – it’s not a yawn at all – Obama, whether we like it or not is the leading figure that could oust Gaddafi; and we know it. He is restraining, to enable the situation to present itself in a clearer picture. We should all be grateful to the US for its stand on Libya- I think they have been patient enough.
Red nose, it is still Saturday. And the White House is announcing a speech by the President for Monday night.
I prefer those times during the Golden Years when, without any prior notice, Xandir Malta would announce a “Xandira lin-Nazzjon” by the Prime Minister Dom Mintoff. It was a clear indication that we had some sort of real crisis.
The only problem was that, unfortunately, such broadcasts used to take place far too often.
The more I see pictures of Obama and his beaming smile the more I compare him to Joseph Muscat and his beaming smile. And you know what; with just beaming smiles one cannot truly govern a country – that is why they are, in my opinion, both so irrelevant to governing and leadership.
There is an expression which explains their type of leadership.
It’s called: Leading from behind.
We are an ungrateful lot. With all its defects, America is still being called upon to share in the “world” problems. We should be thankful – Obama, please ignore such far-away critics.