Khaddafy Going Down - Obama Refused Recognition

Khaddafy Going Down - President Obama Refused GOP Recognition

Despite his tactics to aid Libyan rebels in removing Moammar Khaddafy from a ruthless dictatorial rule that included abuse of his own people, Republican critics claimed the dictator could have been removed sooner had the United States acted sooner and more forcefully. Following Khaddafy's threat to massacre his own people, President Obama chose to aid in ousting the dictator from leadership in a manner that did not involve American troops losing their lives. On August 22, 2011, after it became clear that victory stood at rebel footsteps, Republican critics such as Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham, instead of supporting President Obama's leadership skills, spoke out against him in a manner that gave credit to other countries for supporting Libyan rebels but diminished support from the United States.

Moammar Khaddafy went into hiding after the Libyan rebels took control of that nation's capital. Later in the evening, NATO warplanes bombed as many as 40 targets scattered about Tripoli, the capital of Libya. By that time 90% of Tripoli had been overcome by rebels determined to oust Khaddafy- who terrorized his people throughout his 42 years of command.

President Obama, speaking from Martha's Vineyard during a working vacation, said "The Khaddafy regime is coming to an end."

Members of the Republican Party initially criticized President Obama from the onset, for example, in May Senator Graham claimed that the President's strategies were confusing to the American people and would lead to a Libyan stalemate.

Contrary to Graham's prediction, however, by Tuesday, Libyan rebels had not only taken control of most of Tripoli, but they also made their way into Khaddafy's compound and took charge of that as well. According to an MSNBC report with Alfred, the rebels had raised a new Libyan flag inside the dictator's compound.

Although Khaddafy's whereabouts continued to allude the press, he released a radio address later in the evening stating that he had left his compound for none other than tactical reasons due to the NATO strikes. During the address, the dictator vowed death or victory against NATO for attacking his compound. A spokesperson vowed revenge to Libyan rebels via volcanoes, fire, and lava.