Changes

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi of the U.S. organized Libyan Fighting Group said [[jihad]]ists who killed American troops in [[Iraq]] were now serving on the front lines in Libya. <ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links.] </ref> <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/guantanamo-files-libyan-detainee-now-us-ally-of-sorts.html Libyan, Once a Detainee, Is Now a U.S. Ally of Sorts.]</ref> NATO's Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee days before President Obama publicly admitted he ordered intervention that U.S. intelligence knew [[al Qaeda]] and [[Hezbollah]] elements were among the Libyan insurgents.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8414583/Libya-al-Qaeda-among-Libya-rebels-Nato-chief-fears.html</ref>  

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi of the U.S. organized Libyan Fighting Group said [[jihad]]ists who killed American troops in [[Iraq]] were now serving on the front lines in Libya. <ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links.] </ref> <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/guantanamo-files-libyan-detainee-now-us-ally-of-sorts.html Libyan, Once a Detainee, Is Now a U.S. Ally of Sorts.]</ref> NATO's Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee days before President Obama publicly admitted he ordered intervention that U.S. intelligence knew [[al Qaeda]] and [[Hezbollah]] elements were among the Libyan insurgents.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8414583/Libya-al-Qaeda-among-Libya-rebels-Nato-chief-fears.html</ref>  

On March 21, 2011, President Obama disclosed he had ordered U.S. military force operations in Libya two days earlier, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe" in his words, over the objections of his most knowledgeable experts and confidants. Secretary of Defence [[Robert Gates]] opposed the action and warned it meant attacking the legitimate government of Libya.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, and [[White House]] counterterrorism chief [[John O. Brennan]], urged caution. Libya was not vital to American national security interests and the rebels had ties to Al Qaeda.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=2&hp]</ref> But [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] "won the bureaucratic battle to use [Department of Defence] resources to achieve what's essentially the State Department's objective... and Obama let it happen". <ref>[http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/18/how_obama_turned_on_a_dime_toward_war How Obama turned on a dime toward war.] </ref>  Secretary Clinton stated:

On March 21, 2011, President Obama disclosed he had ordered U.S. military force operations in Libya two days earlier, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe" in his words, over the objections of his most knowledgeable experts and confidants. Secretary of Defence [[Robert Gates]] opposed the action and warned it meant attacking the legitimate government of Libya.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, and [[White House]] counterterrorism chief [[John O. Brennan]], urged caution. Libya was not vital to American national security interests and the rebels had ties to Al Qaeda.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=2&hp]</ref> But [[Secretary of State Hillary Clinton]] "won the bureaucratic battle to use [Department of Defence] resources to achieve what's essentially the State Department's objective... and Obama let it happen". <ref>[http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/18/how_obama_turned_on_a_dime_toward_war How Obama turned on a dime toward war.] </ref>  Secretary Clinton stated:

{{cquote|We are currently doing everything we can to bomb, strafe and use missiles to carry the rebels into power in Libya. We want them to win. We just don’t know who they are.” <ref>http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/06/23/hillary-clinton-to-libya-skeptics-whose-side-are-you-on/ </ref>}}

{{cquote|We are currently doing everything we can to bomb, strafe and use missiles to carry the rebels into power in Libya. We want them to win. We just don’t know who they are.” <ref>http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/06/23/hillary-clinton-to-libya-skeptics-whose-side-are-you-on/ </ref>}}