Obama abdicates commander-in-chief authority, Germans pull forces out of NATO Med operations
A very alert Tatler reader tipped us to this statement by President Obama. It’s from an interview he did in El Salvador during his swing through Central and South America. Take a look at how he characterizes how the United States has ended up putting troops in harm’s way in Libya.
And we will continue to support the efforts to protect the Libyan people, but we will not be in the lead. That’s what the transition that I discussed has always been designed to do. We have unique capabilities. We came in, up front, fairly readily, fairly substantially, and at considerable risk to our military personnel. And when this transition takes place, it is not going to be our planes that are maintaining the no-fly zone. It is not going to be our ships that are necessarily involved in enforcing the arms embargo. That’s precisely what the other coalition partners are going to do.
And that’s why building this international coalition has been so important because it means that the United States is not bearing all the cost. It means that we have confidence that we are not going in alone, and it is our military that is being volunteered by others to carry out missions that are important not only to us, but are important internationally. And we will accomplish that in a relatively short period of time. (emphasis added)
There are problems with all of that, especially in the military capabilities and will to act that this president seems to think our allies possess. There would have been no no-fly zone without the US, and there will be no no-fly zone if we’re not playing a major role in enforcing it. That’s just reality.
But moving past that, the bolded sentence in the second paragraph beggars belief. As president, Obama is the commander-in-chief of the US military. It should not be “volunteered by others” for anything. Obama is, to borrow the word of a previous president, the decider when it comes to deploying the military. But here is more evidence that not only is Obama uncomfortable with command, he is also very leery of American leadership in the world. See Tony Katz’s article at PJM for a deeper look into that.
Lest anyone think I’m making a bit too much of all of this, take a look at how Obama slipped up in the very next part of the interview.
Now, with respect to our national interests, the American people and the United States have an interest, first of all, in making sure that where a brutal dictator is threatening his people and saying he will show no mercy and go door-to-door hunting people down, and we have the capacity under international sanction to do something about that, I think it’s in America’s international — in America’s national interest to do something about it. (emphasis added)
He almost said the Libya action is being taken because it’s in America’s international interests.
But as if to underscore the above, on the allies’ willingness to enforce the Libya action, Germany has pulled its forces out of NATO operations in the Med.
But Germany and European allies remain unwilling to have NATO take on a military operation that theoretically has nothing to do with the defence of Europe.
Today the German defence ministry announced Berlin had pulled out of any military operations in the Mediterranean.
A ministry spokesman said two frigates and two other ships with a crew of 550 would be reverted to German command.
Some 60 to 70 German troops participating in NATO-operated AWACS surveillance operations in the Mediterranean would also be withdrawn, according to the ministry.
This is a coalition and a war in total disarray, because the American president is abdicating his responsibility at every turn.
I hate to quibble, since I agree with the rest of the article, but Germany hasn’t pulled its forces out of NATO, like DeGaulle did in the 60′s, just out of the Med operations. There are still German NATO forces at, eg, SHAPE.
German forces are redeployed in Afghanistan instead of !
“German forces are redeployed in Afghanistan instead of !”
Where they never leave their air-conditioned barracks at Bagram, being under explicit orders never, ever to go anywhere there might be any actual, you know, fighting, or Taliban.
Nobody claims Germany withdrew from NATO. It was clearly stated NATO operations in Libya, and frankly I don’t blame Germany.
Fair enough. The linked article says both — that Germany pulled forces “out of NATO” and just out of NATO Med operations. So I’ve changed our headline.
Much comparison to Kosovo this week, but if the Marines go in it will be like us in Lebanon or Somalia.
This seems to support my belief that Obama had no interest in getting involved in Libya in the first place, and only did so because our European allies realized that they lacked the ability to enforce a wet paper bag without American assistance.
This will continue to play out in full if Obama keeps getting heat at home. In the end he will out and out say “this isn’t something I wanted, but our allies begged me to participate…what could I do?” It will also be interesting to see if the US is actually able to truly step aside and let someone else lead this coalition. I seriously doubt that will happen.
This whole Libya affair is a mess on so many levels. On the one hand I agree with the role America can play as a bastion of liberty and democracy, but I see no more reason we need to be involved in Libya than somewhere like Syria where the stakes actually matter. What makes the people of Libya anymore deserving of our nation’s blood than the people of Syria? I wish someone in the press would ask him that directly.
Finally, I’m betting that Obama has personally requested we take out Qaddafy quickly so that we can at least back out with a “Mission Accomplished” banner and let someone else pick up the pieces. Even then, expect calls from the Arab League that we owe it to the people of Libya to help them rebuild…
The Rebs in Libya are islamic jihadists, as in Saudi, Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, etc. Does any sane person suppose that all these concurrent rebellions are coincidental?
The Raghead Crazies will keep on killing until there is no one left to kill. The only solution is to kill them. All of them. Dead Crazies kill no one.
‘Kill them all’ doesn’t make for a good policy, but it does make you the crazy.
Also, we don’t really know who the rebels are at this point. There may be different groups of rebels, some who are radical islamists, some who want liberal democracy, some who are just in it for the kicks, etc.
I read an LA Times article from their reporter with the ‘rebels’ and it appears these ‘rebels’, allies of the great Western forces are attempting to murder every black african they can by the deduction that the blacks are hired QDaffy mercenaries when it appears a large number are imported labor. This fracas is going to be the end of some major politicos…BHO, Camoron and Sarkooozie are in deep shitte!
Germany withdrawing from the Libyan theater? Darn!
I was looking forward to seeing a revival of the Afrika Korps ( an Iron Cross under the palm tree this time, of course). It’s really too bad, that would have been the one and only coherent result yielded by this entire brain-damaged farce.
Of course, the Germans may be pulling out because they remember the last time they were in Libya.
“Obama abdicates…”
There’s something about those two words together that makes me feel really good.
Theres a call on line #4 for Obumma from the muslim Brotherhood in
Syria, they seek his further assistance.
“… and we have the capacity under international sanction to do something about that, I think it’s in America’s international — in America’s national interest…”
Bryan: The “capacity” phrase deserves emphasis as well.
Isn’t he basically saying he thinks (?!) it’s ok to act when it’s in America’s international (oops!), national interest, but only when we also have international approval take such action?
He’s also admitting what everybody in the military already knows: without the US C3 and logistical backbone, the Euros couldn’t do it.
President Obama supports American military forces being volunteered by others for missions of importance, if it doesn’t cost too much. By putting a NATO hat on an Italian general, all those AWACS, F-15s and 16s (and warships) will magically transform into NATO military forces. Unfortunately for this “plan” (if it can be called such), Obama has no knowledge or experience of how utterly feckless European leaders are, with the exception of our only real ally across the pond, Great Britain.
By sheer naive and boneheaded luck, President Obama’s muddleheaded acquiescence to Hillary’s fears of genocide, may provide the world with a moment of unusual clarity regarding the absence of American leadership. This has the potential of developing into a monumental train wreck. Or worse.
At first I thought there might have been a translation problem from a Spanish-language interview, which would explain the bizarre statements. But, nope: the original source for the OfA post quoted above is the White House’s own web site: http://is.gd/LBbweK
Just unbelievable. I almost think Biden would be better.
“I almost think Biden would be better”.
OH! You win the thread!
At least Biden’s an American.
The United States Constitution, and our Forefathers, never envisioned the citizens of the United States placing such a buttwipe in the highest office in our country.
Even as accomplished a buttwipe as he is, he cannot clean up this mess.
The Forefathers had a good sense for the intelligence and character of the people of the United States at the time, but, they never could foresee the deterioration of America in the fashion it has been proceeding.
It doesn’t look there are enough GOOD PEOPLE left that can change this direction.
This will result in a “New World Order”, alright. But, the average person will be enslaved again, by their oppressive government.
Could the United States Government evolve into the most oppressive government in history?
I think they have a running start.
Has anyone asked Obama if this is “within his pay grade”?
American International, in Elsalvador, maybe Obama thought he was at the UN, and the left says Sara Palin is dumb. Maybe Obama needs to take speech lessons from Joe Biden.
The international interests of which he (mis)speaks are that of the UN and the league of arab states. He did not so much as consult congress before going to war. He doesn’t care about tne U.S. He’s a dictator.
“and it is our military that is being volunteered by others to carry out missions that are important not only to us, but are important internationally”.
Words fail me.
USN 1980-2003
That’s probably how he had the two mistakes.
Sort of got something going off to the side and then had others finish up.
I guess that gets Obama off the hook for not consulting with Congress and getting Congressional approval before going to war. “Our military is being volunteered by others!” Thanks Barry for clarifying, the Repubs have been putting that decision on the “Commander in Chief.”
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported today–not clear from what sources–that Obama had a conference call from Air Force One at some point with Sarkozy, Cameron, and Erdogan and they agreed 1)that the Libya effort will be managed politically by a committee of the 12 nations in the coalition 2) that NATO will be in charge of the military effort. Maybe it would be this committee of 12 that would be volunteering US forces? Or NATO? Hope to see some clarity about all of this in the next few days.
He is a certifiable lunatic. Shoot him up with some haldol and put the straightjacket on and send him to a rubber room for his next vacation.
Then we must put the U.S. Congress in charge. They can lay out an open-ended, continuing-resolution strategy to resolve the crisis.
Or we could just ICBM the dump and throw a party.
What the heck, over? Volunteered by whom?
What’s next-will he demand our troops to wear ‘blue helmets’ to be dispatched by the UN to gight their battles?Has he turned over our sovereighnty to the UN?
Dude, relax, a lot of jobs in America are being outsourced offshore. Why not foreign policy and command of US forces?
And all this presidentin’ is hard and now you want him to be commander in chiefin’ as well? That’s a lot for a community organizer.
or for a doofus.
hello. there are many positive things occurring here for the United States, but at a cost of human life we no longer need to pay. backing into globalism apologetically with the full force of the United States military, may begin healing open wounds with European brethren; but the whole premise of our great nation is ‘no better than any other’, is now compromised. our lieyering leader will not honestly openly proclaim we ARE the new world order. the distinction between all people are equal- and some nations are greater than others at allowing that to occur: is the big lie, (that our nation is no better than any other), so countries please forgive us when we impose world domination over you. and how about a bailout. we can not afford to pay for it all on our own (hic hic). we know we are the greatest, we rule the world, everyone does look to us; but do not spread your violence in our country, because we are not to blame for who we are. that’s his message. he has always been a coward. we are supposed to interpret his legalese doublespeak straight out of some big brother handbook, because he is too cowardly to speak with an honest voice. i hope all the dead people whose votes he bought are changing position in their graves for the next election. he was a tremendous mistake in national politics. he should give back the peace prize. and Hillary having her period over this is a symptom of women in politics. she had a big hand in this one. it takes a very particular woman to be good at the top. my thought is one whom gets along well with her husband.
This nation cannot survive two more years of this ruthless, marxist/Islamist foe in the White House. Not only as President has he betrayed his country, broken his oath of office, but he has now proven himself to be unfit to be commander-in-chief.
America needs a miracle.
Just like when we were kids. “Let’s you and him fight!”
THE COMING US GROUND WAR IN LIBYA
Obama assured both the Congress and the American people this week that Operation Odyssey Dawn will not become a full scale ground war involving US troops. Fine. Unless Kaddafy launches a successful terrorist attack against us as he did with Pan Am 103 the war weary American people would be opposed to such a war; American soldiers fighting and dying in Afghanistan and Iraq are enough for them. But when we follow Obama’s logic as to why we’re at war with Kaddafy the conclusion is inescapable that we’re headed toward a full scale ground war……
Click my name to continue reading this piece and my widely linked article Maummar Kaddafy: Terrorist Reborn.
When will America awaken to the fact Obama is lost. He parades around and knows nothing and sells us out to every country on the face of the earth and the MSM just basks in his glory!
Get this impostor out of office now. Send his ass to jail where it belongs and get his groupies in jail as well. The Repubs are lacking a leader and we can hardly wait to get rid of them in 2012 even if it means a third party
Just Obama’s way of voting ‘present’.
It seems to me that Obama is doing the correct thing but in a such a clumsy way as to alienate everybody: those who believe America should be removing Gaddafi and those who don’t; America’s shrinking supply of allies and her growing supply of hostiles; Congress; those who believe America should project power and isolationists and above all the Muslims who now give credit to France rather than America.
The President’s responsibility is to commit troops if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. Otherwise it is Congress who authorises troops and will have to authorise if they stay more than 60 days (War Powers Resolution of 1973). Can anyone seriously claim Libya was a current or imminent threat? Can anyone even define what America is doing there?
Ø was had. While he and Europe follow the ideological tapes in their heads, other world leaders understand that international politics requires Machiavellian awareness. They are playing 3-dimensional chess while Ø parties.
So who do you suppose is laughing now? Khamenei, Dinner Jacket, the Russians, all the Arab League folks?
The US looks like an ignorant child whose lunch money was just stolen.
President Obama thinks that by not being the major player in this action, the Islamic world will like us. Never going to happen.
The sovereignty of the United States is not the president’s to give away. This piece of $*** should be impeached
Yo, Barry, we’ll get you when you make another mistake, well, maybe the one after that, maybe.
This is simply the Obama Doctrine.
Whenever given the opportunity, Obama outsources responsibility and leadership. Obamacare, the deficit, and NASA are all examples where Obama has abdicated responsibility. I am sure there are many more examples.
is it legal to cede control of our military like that?
where this is not a NATO event I thought there may be issues with that.
It amazes me that there have not been lots of generals and admirals retiring in protest.
Hot Air: Obamateurism of the Day
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/29/obamateurism-of-the-day-480/