US should not hesitate to arm Libyan rebels: Bill Clinton
April 5th, 2011 - 1:35 pm ICT by ANINew York, Apr. 5 (ANI): Former US president Bill Clinton has said the Obama administration should seriously consider arming the rebels who were fighting against Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi.In an interview given to ABC News, Clinton said: “I think that for the United States to be on the side of this freedom movement without implying that we have either interest or the capacity to send armed forces on the ground and to do everything is a good thing.”
Clinton said that he took “a broader view” of America’s national interests.”I think we’re trying to build a world in which people resolve their differences in non-violent ways,” he said.
“And, we’re trying to build a world where no ruler can cavalierly kill its unarmed civilians,” he added.Last month the United Nations authorized no-fly zone over Libya to prevent further attacks on civilians from Gaddafi’s troops in the air.
The U.S. backed the no-fly zone and also offered the rebels support, but key U.S. lawmakers and top officials in the Obama government are not comfortable with arming the rebels apparently because not enough is known about them.
Clinton, whose wife, Hillary, the U.S. Secretary of State, stressed the he was speaking without “any official sanction” whatsoever. (ANI)
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