Gates, Clinton: Libya Not a 'Vital Interest,' But US Could Be There For Months

[tekisui]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

On the eve of President Obama’s major speech on the rationale for going to war in Libya, senior officials say the joint military effort there is going well.

But they add that additional US weaponry might be needed to attack Muammar Qaddafi’s forces on the ground, and they hold out the possibility that it might be months before the military mission is over.

Speaking on several Sunday television news shows, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton increased the rhetorical pressure on Qaddafi – and on his closest aides, who might be persuaded to abandon him.

The administration is "sending a message to the people around him," Sec. Clinton said on NBC's Meet The Press. "Do you want to be a pariah? Do you really want to end up in the international criminal court? Now is your time to get out of this and to help change the direction."

more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2011/0327/Gates-Clinton-Libya-not-a-vital-interest-but-US-could-be-there-for-months

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Months? Anyone wanna bet against it being years?

I'll take that bet.

[tekisui]

2. But, but, but we were told it would be days, then just weeks.

But not months!

Years would not be a surprise.

[razorman]

3. Thank goodness it is not a war.

[dennis4868]

8. yeah....

it was days....did you not see today that NATO has agreed to take over everything in Libya? So yes, it was days...ANOTHER PROMISE KEPT BY OBAMA!

[MannyGoldstein]

9. So we're not involved anymore?

No bombs, planes, or special forces?

That's fantastic. I hadn't heard that.

[dennis4868]

10. Obama NEVER said....

we would be completely out of it....we are still in it to some degree as will be explained tomorrow night by the COMMANDER IN CHIEF....for example, we will still be assisting in some military actions and for sure in intelligence as Obama has said last week....but NATO is now running the military campaign and the expense and resources it not from the USA but from NATO....YESSSSSSSSSS!

[tekisui]

11. lol.

[Rage for Order]

12. Bless your heart...

:rofl:

[dennis4868]

13. Not sure what you mean....

Obama promised that in days NATO would take over military operations and that is what's happening....not sure what's so funny....I know it's hard for some of you here to have to see Obama meet another one of his promises but it is a fact....

http://obamaachievements.org/

[Rage for Order]

14. Will US jets still be flying sorties?

Will US missiles still be fired? Will we still incur costs of tens (hundreds?) of millions of dollars per day? Will US service members lives' still be at risk? Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe in WW2. Did that mean that the British were no longer involved? After all, a US general had taken over military operations.

[dennis4868]

15. Stay tuned tomorrow night...

at 7:30pm EST when our COMMANDER IN CHIEF addresses the nation! :-)

But now that NATO is involved, we will be doing alot less and spening alot less in resources/money....Thank you president Obama! :-)

[Rage for Order]

17. Less than zero? Cool. n/t

[ixion]

4. Yeah, our 'casual' interest is a few billion for the MIC.

They're always quick with the checkbook when it comes to the MIC.

[Rage for Order]

5. Barack Obama, March 18, 2011: Libyan action will last "days, not weeks"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiq4TDHWfTM

Technically if you add up enough days it turns into months.

:eyes:

[MadHound]

6. More billions for the war machine profit line,

More pain for the rest of us.

[dennis4868]

7. of course they leave out....

the part that Gates and Clinton said we do in fact have an important interest in libya to protect the innocents there.....

[OhioChick]

16. No surprise here....

The war machine marches on....

[theoldman]

18. Any country with oil is of vital interest.

Just ask China what they think about all that oil in Libya.

[Initech]

19. Translation: We're not leaving until we get some of that sweet, sweet crude.