Yesterday John Hinderaker at Power Line posted an article about the American response to what is happening in Libya. Mr. Hinderaker cites a Peter Wehner article at Commentary Magazine in which Mr. Wehner makes the case that the cautious response to the situtation in Libya by the Obama Administration may have dangerous consequences.
The Washington Post ran a story Sunday that stated that diplomats in Tripoli had informed the Obama Administration to be careful in their reaction to the Libyan situation in order not to endanger the lives of Americans in Libya.
Mr. Wehner pointed out in his article:
""Overruling that kind of advice would be a very difficult and dangerous thing to do," said Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser for strategic communications. "That was the debate, and frankly we erred on the side of caution, for certain, and at the cost of some criticism," he continued. "But when you're sitting in government and you're told that ignoring that advice could endanger American citizens, that's a line you don't feel very comfortable crossing."
"The Obama administration's position assumes that Muammar Qaddafi needs a pretext to kill Americans. He actually doesn't. He has done so in the past, and he could just as easily do so now, regardless of what kind of "messaging" emerges from our government."
The danger here is setting the precedent that America will not act if American citizens might be in danger or that there are no consequences for killing or mistreating American citizens. We have already set this precedent by refusing to do anything about the two American hikers held by Iran since July 31, 2009. Shane Bauer, 27, his girlfriend, Sarah Shourd, 31, and their friend Joshua Fattal, 27 were detained and put in jail for allegedly crossing an unmarked border. Since then, the three have been accused of spying and placed in Tehran's Evin Prison. Sarah Shourd was freed on September 14, 2010. There is a debate as to whether or not a ransom was paid or who paid it. We may have to wait for a new President in order to see these hostages freed.
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