Doctrine for Libya: Not Carved in Stone
Source: New York Times, 3/29/2011
ASP Chairman Sen. Gary Hart is quoted.
Gary Hart, the former Democratic senator from Colorado, described Libya as “the face of 21st century conflict,” and argued that the violence there proved it was time for Mr. Obama to enunciate a set of strategic principles.
“In the wake of Libya, now would be a very good time for President Obama to announce an ‘Obama doctrine,’ similar to the Truman Doctrine of 1947, that lays out the terms and conditions under which the U.S. will use its military power,” Mr. Hart said in an e-mail. “We cannot simply respond in ad hoc fashion to these local and regional crises. A set of principles for intervention would give the American people and our allies a sense of purpose and context for our actions.”
