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Written by Marco Rubio
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Thursday, 31 March 2011 |
Fellow Americans,
I have sent this letter,
in my capacity as Unites States Senator from Florida,
to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell. You are welcome to call my Washington
office at 202-224-3041 to let me know what you think.
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Dear Senators Reid and McConnell:
I
am writing to seek your support for bringing a bi-partisan resolution to the
Senate floor authorizing the President's decision to participate in allied
military action in Libya.
Furthermore,
this resolution should also state that removing Muammar Qaddafi from power is
in our national interest and therefore should authorize the President to
accomplish this goal. To that end, the resolution should urge the President to
immediately recognize the Interim Transitional National Council as the
legitimate government in Libya.
For
more than four decades, Qaddafi has terrorized the Libyan people, sowed
instability among its neighbors, plotted assassination attempts against heads
of state and supported terrorist enterprises such as the bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland,
which killed 270 innocent people - including 189 Americans.
Inspired
by events in Tunisia
and Egypt,
Libyans have rebelled against Qaddafi's brutal regime, demanding democratic
reforms, transparent governance, and respect for basic human and civil rights.
In response to these legitimate demands for a better future, Qaddafi has
unleashed foreign mercenaries and used weapons of war against unarmed
civilians.
As long as Qaddafi remains in power, he will be in a
position to terrorize his own people and potentially the rest of the world. In
fact he has vowed to turn rebel strongholds into "rivers of blood."
If he succeeds, it will provide a blueprint to repressive regimes across the Middle
East in the use of force against unarmed civilians. And unlike the
conflicts in other nations in the region, the rebels in Libya
have requested and welcome our support.
At
the end of the day, the fact remains that our nation is not like other
countries. The United States
is an exceptional country with exceptional powers. But that power comes with unique
moral obligations and responsibilities.
The
world is a better place when America
is willing to lead. And American leadership is required now more than ever.
It
is my hope that you will lead the Senate to take actions along these lines as
soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Marco
Rubio
United States Senator
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