httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVW6jBbD5Q8
I nattens 27 minutter lange tale snakket President Obama om Libya og veien framover (talen leser du her). Det kommer mer om talen senere i dag, inkludert reaksjoner både fra høyre og venstre, men til morgenkaffen kan du ta med deg følgende sitater:
«To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and -– more profoundly -– our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.»
«I am convinced that a failure to act in Libya would have carried a far greater price for America. … We have intervened to stop a massacre, and we will work with our allies and partners to maintain the safety of civilians.»
«As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe. … There will be times, though, when our safety is not directly threatened, but our interests and our values are. Sometimes, the course of history poses challenges that threaten our common humanity and our common security -– responding to natural disasters, for example; or preventing genocide and keeping the peace; ensuring regional security, and maintaining the flow of commerce. These may not be America’s problems alone, but they are important to us. They’re problems worth solving. And in these circumstances, we know that the United States, as the world’s most powerful nation, will often be called upon to help. In such cases, we should not be afraid to act -– but the burden of action should not be America’s alone.»
