The Obama Internationale

Don't know how I missed this. While in El Salvador earlier this month, President Obama was asked by reporters about the American-led campaign in Libya. During one response he said,

And that's why building this international coalition has been so important because it means that the United States is not bearing all the cost. It means that we have confidence that we are not going in alone, and it is our military that is being volunteered by others to carry out missions that are important not only to us, but are important internationally. And we will accomplish that in a relatively short period of time [my italics, HT: RedState].

These being the words from the president's own mouth, someone please explain just how I was wrong when I wrote on March 22 (coincidentally, the same day as the presser in El Sal):

This administration, including Ms. Clinton, has placed American military employment subservient to the United Nations and, most particularly, the Gulf States. ...

Community organizer that he is at heart, this president believes that only the "international community" (of which there is no such thing, but let that pass) can authenticate or authorize military actions by the United States. Since in this case the target is an Arab country, the endorsement of the Persian Gulf states was required. Since the Congress represents neither the "international community" nor the Arab states, then not only is Congress's authorization not needed, it would actually be counter-productive by maintaining the unjust position that America's national self-interest is predominant. This compulsion to subordinate US military operations to the "international community" also explains why the president has vowed to hand operational control of American forces over to a European authority.

By at least conceptually placing America's interests and the use of its military second or third to the "international community's," Secretary Clinton and President Obama likely believe that their main purpose in this intervention has already been accomplished, no matter the outcome on the ground in Libya.

Never let a Libya crisis go to waste if it gives you the chance to subordinate US interests to the "international community's." And since this objective has already been accomplished, it does not matter that he has no plan for Libya henceforth.