Libya Campaign Should Serve As Model For Other Conflicts, Says Levin

By Mike Hothi

Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) today argued that the U.S.’s approach to helping bring down former Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi should be used as a “template” for how to handle future international conflicts.

Noting that the seven-month-long campaign against Gaddafi had international support and was not led by U.S., Levin said the strategy should be copied elsewhere. However, he argued that this template does not apply to Syria.

“It doesn’t easily fit Syria. I wish it did because Syria has a dictator as Libya did,” Levin said during a discussion held at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

“In Syria you do not have international support for action and you certainly don’t have support in the Arab world for action,” he added.

The remarks by Levin, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, came less than a day after Gadhafi was killed while fleeing NATO and rebel forces near Sirte. Earlier this year, Gaddafi decided to use military force to quell a popular revolt against him, actions that outraged the international community.

For months it has been argued that Syrian President Bashir Assad has similarly used violence against protestors who have taken to the streets. The United Nations believes over 3,000 people have died in Syria since March.

Levin also addressed Pakistan, warning the Islamic nation to deal with the Haqqani terror network or else risk losing its relationship with the U.S.