Portrait of Hillary Clinton
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Hillary Clinton on Libya

Advocate for 2011 intervention (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Hillary Clinton strongly advocated for the 2011 NATO-led military intervention that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, later accepting responsibility for the aftermath.

Key Points

  • She strongly advocated for the 2011 NATO-led military intervention to protect Libyan civilians from Gaddafi's forces, which tipped the balance for the administration's decision to act.

  • As Secretary of State, she urged delivering humanitarian assistance, pressuring the Gaddafi regime, and supporting Libyans’ efforts for political change following the initial military action in March 2011.

  • Hillary Clinton stated she bore responsibility for the tragedy in Benghazi but rejected blame for poor security precautions, stating she was not consulted on those specific requests.

Summary

As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was a key proponent within the administration for the 2011 military intervention in Libya, which involved enforcing a no-fly zone and bombing forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi to prevent a potential massacre of civilians. She leveraged international consensus, particularly from European and Arab partners, to convince the President to support the coalition action, which ultimately led to Gaddafi's overthrow. At the time, this was viewed by her allies as a successful application of 'smart power' that could result in a democratic transition.

However, the intervention led to a failed state, civil war, and an environment that allowed terrorist groups like ISIS to gain a foothold, as well as contributing to a migrant crisis. Following the 2012 Benghazi attack, she accepted responsibility for the security lapses at the diplomatic post while maintaining that the decision to intervene was about stopping a potential massacre. Her role in the policy has faced scrutiny regarding the chaotic aftermath and whether alternative diplomatic routes were fully considered.

Key Quotes

We have prevented a potential massacre, established a no-fly zone, stopped an advancing army, added more partners to this coalition and transferred command of the military effort to NATO,

Frequently Asked Questions

Hillary Clinton, serving as Secretary of State, was one of the most hawkish members of the administration advocating for military intervention in Libya in 2011. She helped persuade the President to join the international coalition to enforce a no-fly zone and stop potential massacres by Gaddafi's forces.

Yes, Hillary Clinton has stated that she takes responsibility for what happened in Benghazi, where four Americans were killed in 2012. However, she has also rejected Republican attempts to blame the attack on poor security precautions, maintaining she was not consulted on those specific operational decisions.

Her advocacy for intervention suggests a leaning toward regime change to stop civilian massacres, a position seemingly contrasted by a former political rival during a debate. While the initial justification was humanitarian protection, the outcome resulted in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.