U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) today released the following statement regarding U.S. policy on Libya:
“President Obama last week stated unequivocally that Colonel Qaddafi must go. He reiterated that position again today. We agree. Yesterday, however, the Director of National Intelligence testified that Colonel Qaddafi is likely to prevail over the opposition and remain in power, in the absence of support for the opposition from the outside world.
“We appreciate General Clapper’s candid assessment, and we believe he is correct. Events in Libya have taken a turn for the worse in recent days. The momentum is shifting away from the opposition and in favor of Qaddafi. We agree with President Bill Clinton that the Libyan people are being ‘killed by mercenaries’ – that, in his words, ‘it is not a fair fight.’ And we appreciate President Clinton’s call for a no-fly zone against Qaddafi’s air assets in Libya.
“More than ever, the situation in Libya demands leadership by the United States, along with our Arab, African, and European friends and partners, to provide the tangible assistance to the Libyan people that they are calling for, so that they are not defeated in their uprising against a brutal dictatorship. Qaddafi must go, and that requires the United States not just to develop and review possible options, but to take meaningful actions that urgently answer the growing calls of the Libyan people for help before it is too late. This includes the imposition of a no fly zone, recognition of the Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya, and providing assistance to them that will help them prevail in their fight against Qaddafi.”
