REVERSAL IN LIBYA, AND OUR DISGRACE – AT 8:27 P.M. ET:  The president held a White House conference today on bullying in school.  I don't in any way mean to minimize the importance of the subject, but I'm not sure, at a time of domestic and international crisis, that this is a White House function.  The president informed us that he was bullied in school.  I'm impressed.

Meanwhile, in the real world, the Libyan revolution seems to be failing, as the United States openly is refusing to lead.

RAS LANUF, Libya —Forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi retook this strategic refinery town after an assault by land, air and sea Thursday, opposition leaders and fighters said, an onslaught that sent scores of rebels fleeing along a coastal road and underlined a decisive shift in momentum in an uprising that has shaken the Libyan leader’s four decades of rule.

In testimony before a Senate committee today, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper suggested that Qaddafi would win.  The White House reprimanded Clapper, but he was speaking the truth.  Unless there is outside intervention, Qaddafi's forces will probably prevail.

The fighting was a stark illustration of the asymmetry of the conflict, pitting protesters-turned-rebels against a military with far superior arms and organization and a willingness to prosecute a vicious counterattack against its own people.

As we reported earlier, the rebels did gain some ground diplomatically today when France extended recognition to a fledgling rebel government.  But that is paper recognition.  It won't change the military situation.

We thought, in this crisis, that Hillary Clinton might push for a firmer American response, and would seek an American leadership role.  On the contrary, she has acted the good soldier, making it plain that America wanted others to lead in a a reaction to the Libyan uprising.  How sad.  The world used to look to us for leadership.  And the world, or much of it, applauded the election of Barack Obama.  But "leadership" and "Obama" don't fit well together.

Fouad Ajami of Johns Hopkins, one of the wisest observers of the Mideast, said a few days ago that the United States would pay a bitter price for its inaction during the Libyan crisis.  We seem willing to let NATO squabble over what to do, when every hour is precious.  I fear Ajami will be right.

March 10, 2011