The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington D.C., DC 20500-0004
Dear Mr. President:
We the undersigned scholars fully appreciate and applaud your concern about not repeating the rush to unilateralism, which has too frequently defined American foreign policy in the Middle East in recent years. We also remember the strong commitment you made in Cairo on June 4, 2009 to support efforts to promote democracy in your "New Beginnings" speech to the Arab and Muslim worlds. In that speech you stated:
"I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere."
These comments were widely hailed throughout the region and received as a strong signal that your administration would robustly support the rise of popular democracy wherever it occurred.
Over the past two months the Arab world has been shaken to its core by a profound and widespread popular call for democracy. This call has transcended all social classes, ethnic groups and religious confessions. The historic extent and nature of this appeal is of monumental historical significance. Oppressive and corrupt regimes in both Tunisia and Egypt have already been swept from power, and are actively challenged now also in Yemen and Libya.
Although non-violent popular moments were able to topple the regimes of Tunisia and Egypt, the case of Libya has been different. The protests, which began there on February 17th, started peacefully, as they did throughout the region. However, the regime of Colonel Gaddafi quickly responded by resorting to the use of military forces against unarmed civilians. The regime's orders to its armed forces to use planes, helicopter gunships, heavy caliber machine guns and similar weaponry against unarmed protestors quickly prompted mass defections from the Libyan armed forces to the side of the protestors. The regime's subsequent use of mercenary forces against the civilian population has only escalated the level of violence.
In response to calls for an American-led no-fly zone over northern Libya you have argued for the need for regional and international sanction for such a measure. We contend that with the recent unanimous vote of the League of Arab States, numerous calls for such action from states within the region, as well as wider calls from traditional American allies such as France and Britain for such action, legitimate sanction for the speedy imposition of a no-fly zone now exists and we call upon you now to assume a leading role in halting the horrific violence being perpetrated by Colonel Gaddafi's forces by swiftly taking the following concrete actions:
(1) Working closely with U.S. allies, NATO, and the United Nations to create a coalition that will impose as quickly as possible a no-fly zone for all Libyan military aircraft over the full extent of northern Libyan airspace, and implement such measures as may be required to render the Libyan air force inoperable throughout the country.
(2) Joining France in recognizing the provisional government of Libya based in Benghazi as the sole legitimate government of Libya.
(3) Entering into immediate dialogue with the provisional government to determine how the U.S. and the international community may provide this legitimate government with both humanitarian and military assistance.
(4) Assist in the jamming of military communications by the Gaddafi forces.
(5) Issue a clear warning to all military officers and mercenaries supporting the Gaddafi regime that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of international law if they participate in crimes against humanity; and offer protection to any senior officers now loyal to Colonel Gaddafi who choose to defect.
Mr. President, we now stand at a pivotal moment in the struggle for democracy in the Arab world. If the words you spoke in Cairo nearly two years ago are to have any meaning, you must now assume a leading role in supporting the massive popular uprising for democracy throughout the region. The Libyan case is for the moment the most pressing, but people throughout the Arab world will judge your words in Cairo by your actions now. The support you promised for democracy in Cairo must be substantive and swift. To extend such support is not only to stand on the right side of history, we believe that it is also critical to the long-term national interests of this country.
Sincerely,
Aly R. Abuzaakouk
Libya Forum for Human and Political Development
Radwan A. Masmoudi
Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy
Saad Eddin Ibrahim
Ibn Khaldoun Center for Human Rights Studies
Larry Diamond
Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
Stanford University
S. Abdallah Schleifer
The American University in Cairo
Christopher S. Taylor
Drew University Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict
Asma Afsaruddin
Indiana University
Tamara Sonn
College of William & Mary
Antony T. Sullivan
Near East Support Services
Emad Shahin
University of Notre Dame
Louay Safi
Georgetown University/CMCU
Najib Ghadbian
University of Arkansas
I. William Zartman
SAIS-Johns Hopkins University
Patrick M. Cronin
Center for a New American Security
Abbas Milani
Iranian Studies Program, Stanford University
Jean-Louis Juvet
Neuchâtel University (CH)
Catherine Balten
University of Notre Dame
Francis Fukuyama
Institute for International Studies
Stanford University
Michele Dunne
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Radwan Ziadeh
George Washington University
Maher Hathout
Muslim Public Affairs Council
Joseph Bock
University of Notre Dame
Fred Dallmayr
University of Notre Dame
Steven B. Bloomfield
Harvard University
Jose Casanova
Georgetown University
Robert Pastor
American University
Mohamed Nimer
American University
Ahmed E. Souaiaia
University of Iowa
Joseph V. Montville
George Mason/American Universities
(Affiliations are listed for informational purposes only).
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