Intervention

As D Day for Iran approaches, it is time to look back at the US attack on Libya in 2011. Three women, Hillary Clinton, Samantha Powers and Susan Rice convinced Obama to intervene in Libya based on their policy called, “Responsibility to Protect”. This doctrine holds that the global community must intervene when a state fails to protect its own citizens from mass atrocities. Powers, an expert on genocide, was the primary intellectual driver of this humanitarian approach. In the past few months, the Iranian government has killed anywhere from 3,000 to 30,000 of its own citizens. The numbers vary widely because the government has shut down communication to the outside world. The result of the US intervention was the end of Gaddafi followed by chaos. The 2011 US-led NATO intervention in Libya successfully overthrew Muammar Gaddafi but resulted in a power vacuum, transforming the nation into a failed state marked by15 years of civil war, terrorism, and severe humanitarian crises. The collapse of central authority led to prolonged factional fighting, economic disruption, and regional instability. The press and Congress heavily criticized President Obama for the 2011 Libya intervention, focusing on the lack of clear objectives, poor timing, and failure to seek Congressional authorization and you can expect more of the same regardless of the outcome.