Hillary Clinton’s clarity on threats in North Africa (refutes Obama inaugural, endorses preemption)

Washington Post ^ | January 24, 2013 | WaPo Editorial Board

[Seizethecarp]

“LET ME underscore the importance of the United States continuing to lead in the Middle East, North Africa and around the world,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday in testimony to Congress. “When America is absent, especially from unstable environments, there are consequences. Extremism takes root, our interests suffer and our security at home is threatened.”

The outgoing secretary’s statements were particularly striking when compared with President Obama’s inaugural address Monday, which promised to end “a decade of war” in favor of nation-building at home, and with the White House’s current approach to Mali.

...White House policymakers argue that the group doesn’t pose a direct threat to the United States.

Ms. Clinton evidently doesn’t agree. “People say to me all the time, well, AQIM hasn’t attacked the United States,” she said. “Well, before 9/11, 2001, we hadn’t been attacked on our homeland since, I guess, the War of 1812 and Pearl Harbor. So you can’t say, well, because they haven’t done something they are not going to do it.”

Ms. Clinton offered Somalia as an example of an effective U.S. response to such a threat. Over a period of several years, U.S. military forces carried out drone strikes and raids against al-Qaeda leaders and trained local forces, while diplomats patiently worked to foster a new and more representative Somali government.

[Seizethecarp]

Attempting to inoculate herself for 2016, Hillary says don't blame her if things fall apart ("there are consequences") due the current "lead from behind" and "don't preempt except for imminent attack" strategies of the Obama administration.

[Iron Munro]

Does the Hildebeast advocate pre-emptive strikes like she did on Bill’s Bimbo Eruptions?

Or maybe she just wants to “Vince Foster” the oppostition.

[BitWielder1]

Pfft! What's at stake here for Ms Clinton is neither America, Africa or the world, but her own behind.
This could be the opening shot in her 4-year 2016 presidential campaign.
She has to demonstrate she has the WORDS of leadership and hope people will forget how dismally she did when she actually had a chance to lead something.

[Seizethecarp]

I find it very interesting that the WaPo Ed Board has gone out of its way to highlight and in effect endorse HRC’s warning to Barry.

[loveliberty2]

"She has to demonstrate she has the WORDS of leadership and hope people will forget how dismally she did when she actually had a chance to lead something."

Well, then, the 2012 election results are the proof of such a proposition: that citizens can, indeed, be misled and fooled by "the WORDS of leadership," followed by a "dismal" failure of leadership on behalf of liberty and individual freedom.

[what's up]

Likely Obama is resentful that Clinton/Rice/Powers got him into the N. Africa quagmire in the first place.

Gates and Jones were telling him not to go into Libya & Egypt. He did it cause the wimmen told him to.