Obama vows a lesser US role in Libya, but new plan yet to be sealed
| Washington
Determined to see Arab and Muslim countries involved in the oversight of continuing international military operations in Libya, the Obama administration has hammered out a plan with partners that puts NATO in the driver鈥檚 seat while enlarging the decisionmaking tent to include non-alliance countries.
But countries both in and out of NATO that are participating in the Libya operations have yet to sign off on the new command-and-control plan. That could mean that 鈥� despite President Obama鈥檚 insistence the United States will step down from its lead role 鈥渢his week鈥� 鈥� any final approval could stretch into next week, when the British government will host a summit of interested countries.
The hybrid arrangement calls for NATO to take control of military operations for the five-day-old effort in Libya. At the same time, however, the foreign ministers of a broader range of countries participating in the operation, including some Arab states, would assume 鈥減olitical leadership鈥� of the mission.
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Britain says it is inviting both the Arab League and the African Union to its summit Tuesday.
The plan that Mr. Obama lobbied for was not yet signed and sealed on Wednesday, but already critics were lambasting it as 鈥渨ar by international committee鈥� that was likely to result in Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi clinging to power.
Moreover, the plan will give the operation only the patina of Arab and Muslim involvement, critics say, since so far only Qatar has jumped at taking part among Arab states.
Even some foreign-policy experts who agree with Obama鈥檚 insistence on broadening the operation鈥檚 oversight 鈥� and on withdrawing the US from the lead role 鈥� say that working out the hybrid coalition鈥檚 nuts and bolts has diminished the mission鈥檚 effectiveness against Mr. Qaddafi鈥檚 offensives in the meantime.
鈥淚t is an absolute must for the US to back off into more of a supporting role and at the same time to make sure the command structure has a broad and particularly Arab dimension,鈥� says Wayne White, a former State Department and US intelligence official who is now a scholar with the Middle East Institute in Washington.
At the same time, he adds, 鈥淚t is quite conceivable that as the US steps back, the ability to fulfill the terms of Resolution 1973 [the United Nations Security Council resolution passed last week authorizing steps to protect Libyan civilians], not to mention Obama鈥檚 own 鈥榥onnegotiable鈥� demands of Qaddafi, will diminish.鈥�
The US should be using the intelligence it is receiving from satellites and other sources to 鈥減ummel鈥� forces loyal to Qaddafi, who continue to attack civilian populations in a number of cities, Mr. White says.
Instead, a 鈥渇ocus on passing the baton as fast as possible鈥� is leading to a limited response to Qaddafi鈥檚 provocations, which he says 鈥渕ay actually have surprised Qaddafi by its weakness and prompted him to believe he could get away with much more.鈥�
The administration鈥檚 official view is quite different. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said in recent interviews that the initial days of international military operations have laid the groundwork for implementing a no-fly zone, as authorized by the UN Security Council, and have helped 鈥渓evel the playing field鈥� as airstrikes have targeted assets beyond Qaddafi鈥檚 air defenses, such as tanks.
On the other hand, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, already responsible for managing two wars and reluctant to see the US launch into a third, is seen as favoring as quick a transition as possible in terms of the US role. His has also been a voice against a liberal interpretation of Resolution 1973鈥檚 provisions that would mean more overt military activity on behalf of Libya鈥檚 rebels, some administration observers say.
In remarks Wednesday, Obama said the US will continue in the operation 鈥渋n a support role,鈥� contributing intelligence and jamming capabilities 鈥渁nd other assets that are unique to us.鈥�
But failure by the international community to act decisively in Libya now, White says, could mean a stalemate and a long-term nightmare for Libya鈥檚 civilian population. Although he assumes the US will indeed pass on intelligence it is collecting on Qaddafi鈥檚 advances to the international coalition, he says the 鈥済olden opportunity鈥� the US has to act on its own intelligence is about to close.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing more effective than US intelligence going directly to US combat forces [in this case fighter aircraft] and turning it into kinetic capability,鈥� White says.
