John McCain's trip to Benghazi

Senator John McCain visited Benghazi this week. He toured Freedom Square with Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, deputy chairman of the opposition Transitional National Council.  

John McCain is the senior Republican on the US Senate Armed Services Committee and is recognized as one of America’s most influential Senators concerning military affairs.

That he was able to visit Benghazi without being in danger, that he could walk about freely with TNC senior officials beside him, that he could stop and talk to ordinary citizens about their dilemma - all this suggests that the TNC is not an extremist group, that Libyans in the Benghazi region are free to speak, that American and European elected officials could, and should, also visit Benghazi to give support to the Libya freedom fighters. He challenged critics of the NATO intervention to go to Benghazi and see a "powerful and hopeful example of what a free Libya can be."

McCain said that the fight for Libya is at a "significant degree of stalemate" and that the West must provide not only humanitarian aid but military assistance. For McCain, the drones jut sent by the US to Libya are not enough to overcome Qadhaffi’s superior military power.

The Senator is not in favor of putting western troops on the ground but he said, "We have prevented the worst outcome in Libya…now we need to increase our support so that the Libyan people can achieve the only satisfactory outcome to this mass protest for universal rights -- the end of Qadhaffi's rule and the beginning of a peaceful and inclusive transition to democracy that will benefit all Libyans."

Although McCain insisted that he would not have traveled to Benghazi without White House approval, there has been no presidential confirmation of this. But, it is clear that his trip will pressure President Obama to do more to help the Libyan freedom fighters. 

Senator McCain also said that the ouster of Qadhaffi, already the stated goal of the NATO action, should end in either his removal to Venezuela or to the International Criminal Court. He noted that Qadhaffi would massacre the rebels if he remains in power and is able to overcome them.