Top Senate Democrats Wednesday praised President Barack Obama's handling of the U.S. mission in Libya, comparing him favorably to President George H. W. Bush.
"I might say that I think this was a very wise course," said Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., of Obama's actions.
"It is reminiscent of George Herbert Walker (Bush)'s effort before our involvement in Kuwait where he lined up support across the board and through the United Nations before any military action was commenced," he said in a conference call with reporters.
Bush put together a coalition to fight Iraq, after it invaded Kuwait in 1990.
The leaders were uncertain whether Congress should give its formal consent to the operation; Bush eventually sought and got congressional approve for the Gulf War in 1991.
"None of us can say with any certainty what will happen when we return," said Durbin. Congress returns Monday from a 10-day spring recess.
He said "it is consistent with our constitutional responsibility to take up that question," but it's uncertain what the status of the conflict will be next week.
Here is a similar story
While many in the United States caricature the Shiites as Iranian puppets, they should be a natural ally to the United States. Ordinarily, Shiism promotes moderation. Shiite jurisprudence tends to embrace individual rights and the bedrocks of democracy more than does Sunnism. Alas, in February 1991, shortly after expelling Saddam’s troops from Kuwait, President George H.W. Bush called upon the people of Iraq to rise up and throw off the dictator Saddam Hussein. The Shiites (and the Kurds) listened. But even as the population in 14 of Iraq’s 18 provinces rose up to overthrow Saddam, the realists advising Bush recommended that he do nothing. Saddam regrouped, and while the United States extended protections to the Iraqi Kurds, Iraqi Shiites are still excavating the victims of the resulting massacres from mass graves. The ayatollahs and rank-and-file Shiites do have cause for their anger.
Posted by: Trademark Litigation | March 24, 2011 at 03:03 AM