Newt Gingrich advocated enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya a few weeks ago, but opposed it as soon as Obama did what Gingrich had said he should do

**Jenna** · 03-23-11, 05:24 PM

Earlier this month, former Speaker of the House and current presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich was hammering President Obama for not intervening in Libya. Asked, “what would you do about Libya?” Gingrich responded:

Exercise a no-fly zone this evening. … We don’t need to have the United Nations. All we have to say is that we think that slaughtering your own citizens is unacceptable and that we’re intervening.

During appearances that same day, Gingrich also saidthat he would provide help to the Libyan rebels on top of the no-fly zone: “This is a moment to get rid of him. Do it. Get it over with.” He later mocked Obama for filling out an NCAA bracket while France took the lead on intervention.
Now that Obama has initiated a no-fly zone over Libya, Gingrich has completely reversed his position with no apparent explanation. He told Politico over the weekend — less than 24 hours after Obama took action — that “it is impossible to make sense of the standard for intervention in Libya except opportunism and news media publicity.” This morning on the Today Show, he said plainly, “I would not have intervened”:

More here: ThinkProgress » Gingrich Criticized Obama For Not Intervening In Libya, But Now Criticizes Him For Intervening In Libya

**Xiphos** · 03-23-11, 05:42 PM

I can't stand hypocrisy.

**Five-0** · 03-23-11, 05:45 PM

Xi beat me to it.

**Xiphos** · 03-23-11, 05:46 PM

Or this:

Obama's Q&A with the Boston Globe:

The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.

Boston.com - Special reports - News

**McCrackhd** · 03-27-11, 04:13 AM

Actually, France intervenes in more civil wars than we do. Granted, they usually send the Foriegn Legion, so most people never hear of it. The French Foreign Legion has been active in Africa and Asia for decades.

**countybear** · 03-27-11, 07:35 PM

I can't stand anyone playing politics with American lives.

When we had proof of terrorist activity against U.S. interests, supported and backed by Gaddafi, we had reason to take him out then. We didn't do it.

Now we are doing nothing more than supporting other radical Islamic factions to suppress and depose him. Why is it that (once again), the people of the United States are happily decieved into believing that because the president is doing it, and the media is supporting it, that it is automatically the right thing to do?

What is "humanitarian" about military action? Call it what it is... the UN has taken sides, and we have been chosen to enforce its will.

**Napalm** · 04-03-11, 12:17 PM

Was Gingrich waffeling? Or was he opposed to the fact that Obama took so long to make a "big boy" decision?
I'm not a huge fan of Newt, but I dislike Obama with all of my being. For the most part, every decision the POTUS makes has me wondering what the agenda behind the decision is.

**Five-0** · 04-03-11, 02:04 PM

If Obama shifted and pulled everything we have out of Libya right now I wouldn't give him any static for it. He wanted to look like he knew what he was doing for the sake of "making a decision". I think that he is finding out the rebels are no better than the dictator. By the way, you do know the rebels are committing war crimes now right?

LIBYA: Rebels execute black immigrants while forces kidnap others | SomalilandPress.com

Some places are so screwed up that there are no good guys, only victims.