Niger's crisis began in Libya

As Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces battled anti-government rebels, politicians, the press and anti-Gaddafi Libyans There was little dissent at the time. “I love the military ... but they always seem to find reasons why you can’t do something rather than why you can,” complained McCain. You did it!”), but even from then-Bloomberg View Executive Editor James Rubin (“your efforts ... will be long remembered”). Pro-war voices like Pletka and Iraq War architect Paul Wolfowitz immediately began moving the goalposts by discussing Gaddafi’s ouster, suggesting escalation to prevent a U.S. “defeat,” and criticizing those saying Libya wasn’t a vital U.S. interest. Gaddafi’s toppling not only led hundreds of Tuareg mercenaries under his employ to It soon became clear why.