Coons Wants U.S. To Continue Aiding Post-Gaddafi Libya

By Adrianna McGinley

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told reporters Thursday that it would be a good idea for the United States to continue assisting Libyan rebels as they look forward to a world without Moammar Gaddafi.

Numerous outlets are reporting today that Gaddafi was captured and killed in a remote area near his hometown of Sirte this morning. U.S. officials have yet to confirm anything, but Libyan National Transitional Council officials are saying that Gaddafi was killed after NATO warplanes reigned fire on his convoy, which then reportedly enabled rebel forces to attack him on the ground.

Coons shared his assessment of what America’s policy should look like regarding Libya during a press conference in the Capitol on Thursday.

“Our engagement in Libya, which takes a different turn today, can and should remain one that is scaled appropriate to the needs of the Libyan people to now quickly transition to a stable democracy,” Coons said.

“How things move forward in Libya will send critical signals to the rest of the region and to the world, so I do think the United States has a real and strong interest in continuing to be engaged.”

Coons spoke following a closed-door meeting held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which focused on President Obama’s decision last week to order American forces to Central Africa to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army.

Coons said he backs administrative action to deploy roughly 100 troops there with the purpose of providing training to African forces battling the LRA, a reigning terrorist militant group led by Joseph Kony.

“I support and think this modest, reasonable action was an important next step in what has been a multiyear effort,” Coons stated.

Obama campaign responds to McCain’s attacks on his stance on labeling terrorist organizations

The Obama campaign held a conference call with Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Senior Foreign Policy Adviser Denis McDonough to respond to John McCain’s address to The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPCA). McDonough said McCain asserted that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) does not support labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp as a terrorist organization. McDonough said Obama had co-sponsored the Senate Iran Counter-Proliferation Act to “make that point clear” that the group is a terrorist organization, which he still supports today.

McDonough said McCain is trying to run on the Democratic tradition of a strong foreign policy and strong support for Israel, but that his series of policy choices will have the opposite impact. He said there is very little difference in what McCain outlined at the conference and what President Bush undertook the last eight years.

McDonough also said that Obama opposed keeping troops in Iraq and adding a mission countering the Iranian influence inside Iraq. He said Obama is concerned about threats posed to troops in Iraq as a result of support provided by Iranian entities.

Schiff said Obama gave a “stirring speech” to the AIPAC in the past, and will use his chance to address the committee this week to amplify his policy, objectives, and steadfast commitment to Israel. He said Obama will set out his own vision without distortion from the McCain campaign.