Neocon Pundit Bill Kristol has Marco Rubio's Back on Libya

Neoconservative pundit and editor William Kristol cheered the news that Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was calling for the removal of the Gadhafi government in Libya. Over at his blog at the Weekly Standard, Kristol sang Rubios praises.

This is by far the boldest move Rubio has made -- its perhaps the boldest move any freshman senator has made -- in the three months since the beginning of the 112th Congress, wrote Kristol. Rubio is taking on those in his own party who wish to distance themselves from what they consider Obamas war in Libya. He is answering critics of the war who have tried to cast a vague sense of illegitimacy over the action because Congress hasnt explicitly authorized it. And Rubio is trying to push the administration into fully embracing regime change as an explicit goal, thus providing a compelling clarity for American military action -- a clarity that he thinks will increase support for the effort at home and the chances of success on the ground.

This is a striking bid by a freshman senator to exercise foreign-policy leadership, in the face of opposition from some in his own party and reluctance by the Obama administration, added Kristol. If he succeeds in galvanizing Republican support for the war and influencing the administrations conduct of it, it will be a remarkable achievement.