Divided opinion over no-fly zone in Libya

Reader letters about U.S. involvement in Libya | Submit your letter

I am a lifelong liberal Democrat, a strong supporter of President Barack Obama, but I believe he has violated his oath of office and should be subjected to impeachment for authorizing the attack on Libya ["Airstrikes force Gadhafi retreat from key city," News, March 23]. Since the end of World War II, Congress has ceded more and more of its constitutional responsibility to the president, and the result has been one war after another, without the clear congressional authorization that is required by our Constitution.

President Lyndon Johnson lied to the American public over Vietnam, but had the decency not to run again. Richard Nixon lied about Vietnam and more, but resigned before he was impeached. George W. Bush lied about the 2003 war in Iraq and should have been impeached. Now President Obama has committed an act of war against another country in violation of our laws.

Our political system is breaking down, our representatives in Congress lack the courage to challenge the president, and our citizenry is preoccupied with the likes of Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan and other dysfunctional types. What kind of a country are we leaving to our children and grandchildren?

James J. McDonald

Deer Park
 

President Barack Obama was correct in pursuing the United States' role in Libya. Attacking by sea and air with no ground forces, and acting together with our allies, is certainly the right procedure.

I will not listen to the extreme right who will discredit any move by our president to use minimal but effective force. So Rush Limbaugh and Fox News staff, back off and back up our president's strategy.

After all, we're in this mess, to include the rest of the Middle East, thanks to the disastrous "our way or no way" foreign policy decisions by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney that cost thousands of lives.

Where are our Arab allies who approved the Libyan attack but have yet to join the United States, Britain and France in removing the madman Moammar Gadhafi while protecting Libyan citizens?

Herb Stark

Massapequa
 

Who are these rebels we are supporting in Libya? Do we know who their leaders are? Where are they getting their war materials, tanks and airplanes from, Iran? Syria?

Why are we using our missiles, airplanes and, soon, troops, and spending millions of dollars that we could be using at home for education, health care, etc.?

When this is over, they will still hate us and will say this is all because of their oil.

Daniel Breier

Oceanside
 

I am confused. The Western world is now deciding to protect the civilians in Libya. Where were these nations when the United States invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq that was not a threat to us and was bombing Baghdad, Fallujah and Mosul? It seems we condemn some dictators at the same time we support others.

In 1953, we were instrumental in getting rid of an elected leader, Mohammed Mossadegh, in Iran and installing the shah. We supported this oppressive dictator for many years until a fundamentalist regime took over. Our troubles today with Iran stem from that policy.

We want to get rid of Gadhafi at the same time we support equally powerful and oppressive dictatorships in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Bahrain. We will never exist peacefully with the Muslim world when we are so selective about who we condemn. The only nations that should be involved in the support for the rebels in Libya are the nations of the Arab world.

Kenyon Silvey

Valley Stream