By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The dramatic advance of Libyan rebels over the forces of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi offers vindication, at least for now, for President Barack Obama’s decision to refrain from using U.S. troops on Libyan soil and to let NATO take the lead. But the chaotic scene on the streets of Tripoli on Tuesday illustrated the uncertain path to stability and the hazards that still face the White House.
How Libya moves away from the current turmoil will present the next challenge for Obama and could determine how the public views not only his foreign policy, but in some measure the U.S. economy as well.
Underscoring the volatility, Gadhafi’s whereabouts remained a mystery, fighting between rebels and Gadhafi loyalists continued, and oil prices remained in flux.
Still, the news for Obama could not have been much better. The Libyan street was euphoric, rebels overran Gadhafi’s main military compound and hope grew that over time the price of oil – a contributor to dangerous economic lethargy – would dip.