NEW WESTERN EFFORTS IN LIBYA – AT 11:06 A.M. ET:  A stalemate is developing in Libya, but some Western allies are taking action, absent the leadership of the United States.  From WaPo:

The United States and its allies have entered a new stage of involvement in Libya, sending assistance and advisers directly to opposition military forces, which have been unable to break Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi’s stranglehold over much of the country despite help from NATO airstrikes.

France and Italy said Wednesday that they would join Britain in dispatching military advisers to assist the inexperienced and disorganized rebel army, primarily in tactics and logistics. President Obama authorized sending $25 million worth of nonlethal equipment, including body armor, tents, uniforms and vehicles.

And...

A senior European official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing the Americans, said that Obama’s eagerness to turn over command of the Libyan air operation to NATO late last month, and the withdrawal of U.S. fighter planes from ground-strike missions, had undermined the strength of their united front against Gaddafi.

Yeah, we noticed.  Remember how the Europeans greeted Obama's election?  A new god had become president.  You don't hear much of that any longer.  In fact most reports say that the Europeans are appalled by Obama's conduct of foreign policy.   And he was conspicuously absent from the invitation list for next week's Royal wedding in London.  Now, maybe they just weren't inviting American presidents, but maybe a hint was being sent. 

If Obama is reelected, he could argue that he now had the experience to be president.  I'm not sure.

April 21, 2011