McCain, Lieberman: U.S. should arm Libyan rebels

Two senators said today the Obama administration should recognize a provisional government that seems to be taking shape in Libya's eastern half, and offer military aid to rebels seeking to overthrow Muammar Qaddafi.

Also today, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the U.S. is "reaching out" to Libyans trying to organize a post-Qaddafi government and is "ready and prepared to offer any type of assistance."

Clinton told reporters traveling with her to Geneva for a U.N. meeting Monday on Libya that "we are just at the beginning of what will follow Qaddafi."

She didn't say whether the U.S. might provide military aid.

She also didn't mention the provisional government, but just referred to "many different Libyans who are attempting to organize in the East."

Complete coverage: Anger in the Arab world

Speaking in Cairo today, Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., and Senator Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said that the U.S. should do more to help Libyans fighting to overthrow Qaddafi.

In an interview Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Lieberman pushed for more forceful action, including imposing a no-fly zone and arming Libyan rebels.

"The world has to do more," he said.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," McCain said that a no-fly zone should have been imposed in Libya, which he said would have stopped Libyan forces from attacking their own people.

"They're using air power and helicopters to continue these massacres," he said. "We've got to get tough."

While McCain said the U.S. should recognize a provisional government and offer assistance, he also said he was "not ready" to introduce U.S. ground forces.

"Look, Qaddafi's days are numbered. The question is how many, and how many [people] are going to be massacred before he leaves, one way or another?" he said.

McCain also suggested that anyone fighting for the Qaddafi regime should know they run the risk of finding themselves "on trial at a war-crimes tribunal."

The two lawmakers spoke Sunday from Cairo, where insurgents toppled the government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier this month.

[RCL915]

Both LIeberman and McCain are a huge part of all the problems in our USA. They have been in so long, sucking on the gov,t teat. It is long past both of them to have retired. Who listens to these two loosers anyway?

[Progress4U]

Yes, let's just jump right in and give them $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and spent 10+ years having great fun employing 20,000 GD contractors to run around their country acting like a buch of goons with guns. Its worked SOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo well for us!

[dudedudley]

Yes arm the Libyan people and drop a 2000 pound bomb on Qaddafi's palace.

[pasha128]

Once again those that fail to learn from history like Lieberman and McCain urge repeating the mistakes of the past -- see the history of Iran starting with the Shah of Iran as just a single example.

[tsigili]

No.....the US should have nothing to do, with arming Libyan opposition. The people of Libya, have to be self-determinant, and the US has to stay out of the fray, completely.

[eddee4911]

These two are idiots. They never learn from the past. What happened to the rebels that we armed in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.. Those arms became weapons against the US.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8601-250_162-20036923-3.html?assetTypeId=30&blogId=&tag=contentBody;commentWrapper#ixzz1FEyEdsdf

[okimac2005]

I think its time for McCain and Libby to chillax...arming rebels to fight a civil war is crazy. Once this unorganized government comes into power and is against US policy, then we end up having to send OUR troops in to get killed with our own weapons. Stay out of it militarily...let the Libian people handle their internal problems. They have let Gadhafi stay in power for many years...they need to get him out of power...then we can go in and assist the new government if needed.

[euge005]

This pair need to quitely retire. They have said too much for too long and gotten too much wrong.

[TOM2CNET]

30. At 3:49pm on 25 Feb 2011, THOMASWADAMS wrote:
Of course I support the aspirations of the Libyan People,BUT, A BIG NOTE OF CAUTION NEEDS TO BE SOUNDED!! Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, happens on the International stage unless it has the imprimatur of the United States to sanction and back it. The U.S.A. in concert with the I.M.F. the World Bank, N.A.T.O. and the United Nations, have been building and setting the stage for this, over several years. The most deserving Peoples on Earth, the Palestinians have been kept in bondage and horrendous circumstances, for one reason only,the U.S. does not want the creation of a Sovereign Palestinian State. Look at the record of the last sixty years? How can the World even through the United Nations justify this crime against humanity? Look at the record of U.S. history, it has never stood up for Democratic Peoples. Not even in the U.S.A. itself. Prove me wrong!! Regards, Thomas.

[Sandgroper31]

Couldn't agree more

[TOM2CNET]

30. At 3:49pm on 25 Feb 2011, THOMASWADAMS wrote:
Of course I support the aspirations of the Libyan People,BUT, A BIG NOTE OF CAUTION NEEDS TO BE SOUNDED!! Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, happens on the International stage unless it has the imprimatur of the United States to sanction and back it. The U.S.A. in concert with the I.M.F. the World Bank, N.A.T.O. and the United Nations, have been building and setting the stage for this, over several years. The most deserving Peoples on Earth, the Palestinians have been kept in bondage and horrendous circumstances, for one reason only,the U.S. does not want the creation of a Sovereign Palestinian State. Look at the record of the last sixty years? How can the World even through the United Nations justify this crime against humanity? Look at the record of U.S. history, it has never stood up for Democratic Peoples. Not even in the U.S.A. itself. Prove me wrong!! Regards, Thomas.