The Obama administration’s lead-from-behind strategy doesn’t work. Even if you think there’s some validity to the strategy, you’d have to acknowledge that it could only work if while hiding in the rear Obama was at least providing some form of support to those who are leading the way.
After the mess the Obama administration made of Libya, and with all the focus on what’s going on in Iraq and Syria, the forces loyal to the internationally-recognized government of Libya are simply running out of bullets. Facing down the jihadists in Benghazi with sticks and stones might seem like a valid strategy to Mr. Obama, but it’s surely a recipe for another Syrian nightmare.
Libyan Army Commander Khalifa Haftar told Reuters, “We are facing ammunition shortages in all parts of Benghazi.”
“We are fighting terrorism on behalf of the world,” he added, reportedly appealing for help from the international community.
Yet here we sit with a few hundred drones, planes that search the ground in Iraq for ISIS targets but often return fully loaded because of Obama’s losing rules of engagement, and those who are face-to-face with the terrorists can’t even count on us for bullets.
The Libyan government has been fighting extremist Muslim groups in Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city, ever since the overthrow of Gaddafi nearly four years ago.
Reuters reported that the Libyan government troops have regained some territory lost last year, but progress has stalled as fighters of the Islamist Majlis al-Shura group are still holed out in several districts and the port area despite claims by army commander Khalifa Haftar that his forces control almost the entire city.”
While we sit back and do nothing, Libyan Premier Abdullah al-Thinni is begging the United Nations to allow his troops to purchase weapons because of the long-standing embargo against the Gaddafi government that was never lifted after his overthrow.
“If we cannot get weapons the legitimate way, we will form an alliance even with the devil to obtain weapons to defend our people,” said Thinni while visiting Moscow in April, The Christian Science Monitor reports.
Could it be that it’s not our involvement in the “wars” Mr. Obama has ended that has created more jihadists but rather our failure to support those that fight in our place?
As we ignore the plight of Libyans and participate in the misguided embargo, the terrorists our free to purchase whatever they need. The Majlis al-Shura group posted pictures on social media showing heavy arms they had been able to obtain locally.
Reuters reports that in May alone, 57 soldiers were killed and 170 wounded in Benghazi where fighting has been intense.
There’s always time for another round of golf, but dealing with the collapse of the Middle East is just too much for Mr. Obama. How sad that he can’t even lead from behind. Guess it’s time for him to head to another fund-raiser.