The White House on Friday defended a passing comment President Obama made about British Prime Minister David Cameron during an interview with The Atlantic that has earned Obama criticism in the British press.
Obama told The Atlantic that after the U.S.-led intervention of Libya that precipitated the downfall of dictator Muammar Qaddafi, Cameron became “distracted by a range of other things.” That quip sent the British press into a frenzy.
The Times newspaper called Obama’s remark “extraordinary” and said Obama was passing the buck for blame over the “Libya mess.” Libya descended into chaos after Western powers limited their engagement in the war-torn country to a short bombing campaign.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that Obama finds Cameron a “particularly effective interlocutor” and a “partner and ally when it comes to confronting core national security priorities for both our countries,” according to a pool report.
“President Obama values deeply the special relationship between the United States and our allies in the U.K.,” Earnest added. The two leaders “established a particularly effective working relationship that has allowed the United States to work closely with our British allies on a whole range of significant challenges.”
Obama first raised the idea that the West has failed Libya during a September address the United Nations. Obama cited the lack of “follow-through” by the both the U.S. and its allies, Earnest reminded critics.
“The United States cannot and should not put ourselves in a position to be the world’s policeman; we need to be able to count on partners and allies around the world to help us confront significant challenges,” Earnest summarized.
However, Western powers are trying to help right Libya, whose political vacuum the self-proclaimed Islamic State is trying to exploit.
“We’ve made a lot of important progress in Libya over the last two or three years,” he said.
