And the world wonders: Where is Obama on Libya?

Can we please dispense of this notion that American interference in Arab affairs is ipso facto unwarranted? Or any American interference in foreign affairs? Those who argue that the Arab world doesn’t want the West to help the Libyan rebels have a much tougher argument to make now that both the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League support a no-fly zone over Libya. Indeed, Lebanon of all countries is drafting a resolution to get UNSC authorization for such a move.

Obama’s time to lead is now. No — it was a week ago. His hands-off approach worked in Egypt and Tunisia, but he faces a different beast in Qaddafi. The desire for international consensus is understandable, but does Obama have no role himself in forming that consensus? Obama understands that American influence is limited to the margins of any particular event or process, but he is in danger of abdicating even that influence. Rather than appearing to meddle in Arab affairs, the worry now is that the U.S. will appear uninterested in the welfare of Arabs.