Continuing in his George W. Bush “Foreign leaders must do X” mode, Obama says Kaddafi “must” leave Libya

Last night the Mail reported:

‘Gaddafi MUST leave the country now’: Obama calls on Libyan leader to step down for the first time since violence broke out

President Obama has called for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down for the first time since violence broke out.

In a private telephone conversation with Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel today he said Colonel Gaddafi must leave the country now.

The White House says President Obama told Merkel that when a leader’s only means of holding power is to use violence against his people, then he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what’s right for his country by ‘leaving now.’

L-dotters reply:

Reply 4 - Posted by: pickle1, 2/26/2011 5:47:50 PM
Obama, you step down first.

Reply 13 - Posted by: udanja99, 2/26/2011 6:27:47 PM
Now that Zippy has given the order, I’m sure that Gaddafi will jump right up and obey.

- end of initial entry -

February 28

M. Jose writes:

The attitude you discuss here could be called “The Portia Fallacy,” after these lines from The Merchant of Venice:

Portia: Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;
Yet in such rule that the Venetian law
cannot impugn you as you do proceed.
[To ANTONIO.] You stand within his danger, do you not?

Antonio: Ay, so he says.

Portia: Do you confess the bond?

Antonio: I do.

Portia: Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shylock: On what compulsion must I? tell me that.

(Act IV. Scene 1, lines 171-179.)

To which Portia replies with her speech on the quality of mercy. Although Portia eventually resorts to threats to force Shylock to be merciful, for this short piece of time Portia’s attitude is much like Obama’s.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 27, 2011 07:16 AM | Send