Rule Britannia!

Americans looking for strong, assertive leadership have had to look abroad for an adequate response to Muammar Qaddafi’s brutal crackdown in Libya. That’s because the Obama administration’s response to the conflict has been weak and confused.

Today, for instance, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking about Libya in Geneva, said that “nothing is off the table.” But back in Washington, briefing reporters after President Obama met with U.N. secretary general Ban Ki-moon, U.N. ambassador Susan Rice said that “It’s quite premature,” when asked about the prospect of a no-fly zone or other military action.