Posted on 03/28/2011 4:28:54 AM PDT by tobyhill
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Libya's civil conflict wasn't a vital national interest of the United States, even as he and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought to defend U.S. military action there.
"I don't think it's a vital interest of the United States, but we clearly have an interest there," Mr. Gates said in an appearance on the NBC News program, "Meet the Press" as part of a round of appearances on Sunday morning talk shows.
He made a similar comment on ABC's "This Week," noting that Libya's turmoil could further destabilize its neighbors Egypt and Tunisia, one of several factors that he said justified U.S. action even though Libya itself wasn't a vital national interest.
President Barack Obama will address the public Monday night to discuss the U.S. role in Libya, amid questions from many in Congress about U.S. objectives, control of the mission and the future of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.
Mr. Gates' comments on Sunday could provoke more questioning from Capitol Hill.
"I was startled to hear Secretary Gates say that Libya was not in our vital interest," said Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "I personally don't think we should be engaged in a Libyan civil war."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The US should have stayed out of it, however, Zeewoe is bowing to the NWO (Soros) to allow NATO/UN to command US troops against the security of Israel by supporting the efforts of AQ, Hamas, and the MB in Libya.
We have no interest there...vital or otherwise.
Wag the Dog, Baby!
Obama figures it worked for Clinton.
Gates has been an idiot for this lameass idiot-ridden administration, but he is right on this. =.=
In fairness to Gates, who IMO is a good man, he has been as independent as he can be in such an incompetent and leftist administration. Is he subordinate to Hillary? Why he accepted the post is a mystery to me.
Deconstructing Ostrunze PING!
With all due respect I disagree.
Gates wasn’t picked to continue with Obama for nothing.
Gates is nothing, but a sycophant who goes along to get along.
He claims the US has no vital interest in Libya, I agree with that, but then he excuses the Bama man by saying it’s ok to get involved because we do have an interest.
You can’t have it both ways.
He claims the US has no vital interest in Libya, I agree with that, but then he excuses the Bama man by saying it’s ok to get involved because we do have an interest.
He obviously is agonizing because he sees the folly (and at times blurts out his contrary opinion)but feels compelled to defend it, however lamely and inconsistently. It's no secret he wants out so it's not easy for him to go along just to get along.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.