Obama: Slaughter by Gaddafi Prevented, Libya Will Be No Iraq

US President Barack Obama updates the American people on the situation in Libya as he speaks at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, USA, on 28 March 2011. EPA/BGNES

US President Barack Obama has defended in a televised speech his administration's participation in the international military operation against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Obama rejected criticism of his decision to commit US forces to the UN-authorized military mission in Libya on both strategic and moral reasons, in a speech that he delivered at the National Defense University late Monday night local time.

He stressed that his administration kept its pledge that the mission would be limited in size and scope, announcing that the NATO alliance would assume full command of the international operation enforcing a no-fly zone in Libya on Wednesday.

"We will play a supporting role -- including intelligence, logistical support, search-and-rescue assistance, and capabilities to jam regime communications," Obama said, noting that both the risk and cost of the operation to America "will be reduced significantly", as cited by CNN.

The purpose, cost, and consequences of the international mission in Libya, which started on March 19 as Operation Odyssey Dawn, have all been used by Obama's critics.

Obama outlined several reasons for joining allies in acting on the UN Security Council resolution that called for no-fly zone and arms embargo in Libya and protecting civilians as necessary.

Failure to do so would have allowed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to unleash his military on his own people and signaled the world that such violence would go unchallenged, Obama said.

In addition, the violence from an expected attack by Gadhafi's forces on Benghazi, the rebel stronghold of 700,000 people, would have sent thousands of refugees into neighboring Tunisia and Egypt as they deal with emerging democratic movements, the US President argued.

"To brush aside America's responsibility as a leader and - more profoundly -- our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action," Obama declared.

"If we tried to overthrow Gadhafi by force, our coalition would splinter. We would likely have to put US troops on the ground to accomplish that mission, or risk killing many civilians from the air. The dangers faced by our men and women in uniform would be far greater. So would the costs, and our share of the responsibility for what comes next," the US President said rejecting criticism from the right that the Libya operation is not going far enough.  

"It should be clear to those around Gadhafi, and to every Libyan, that history is not on Gadhafi's side. With the time and space that we have provided for the Libyan people, they will be able to determine their own destiny, and that is how it should be," he stated.

Obama defended the use force by the United States in cases when US interests and values, though not US safety, are directly threatened, arguing that in such cases the US will be acting as part of international coalitions with broad support.

Answering conservative critics who called his response in Libya too timid and beholding to the United Nations, Obama recalled the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein but brought on a war now winding down more than eight years later.

"Contrary to the claims of some, American leadership is not simply a matter of going it alone and bearing all of the burden ourselves. Real leadership creates the conditions and coalitions for others to step up as well; to work with allies and partners so that they bear their share of the burden and pay their share of the costs; and to see that the principles of justice and human dignity are upheld by all,"

Obama's speech on Libya drew additional criticism from both the Republicans and some Democrats as failing to define the "success" that the US and international forces are seeking to achieve against the Gaddafi dictatorship.

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