New York Times: Between February And October 2011, “The United States…Contributed $135 Million In Assistance To Libya’s New Leader…Including Humanitarian Aid And Military Equipment — Though Not Weapons, Which France, Qatar And Other Nations Have Supplied.” “The United States has contributed $135 million in assistance to Libya’s new leaders since February, including humanitarian aid and military equipment — though not weapons, which France, Qatar and other nations have supplied.” [New York Times, 10/18/11] • New York Times: In Late 2011 Secretary Clinton Promised Libya “Medical Equipment And Treatment In The United States For Some Of The Most Gravely Wounded Fighters, Educational And Cultural Exchanges And A Project…To Help Preserve Ancient Ruins.” “Mrs. Clinton promised more help on Tuesday, including medical equipment and treatment in the United States for some of the most gravely wounded fighters, educational and cultural exchanges and a project with Oberlin College in Ohio to help preserve ancient ruins at Cyrene.” [New York Times, 10/18/11] New York Times: Secretary Clinton “Said The Relatively Meager Amount Of New Assistance [To Libya] Reflected Not Only Fiscal Austerity At Home…But Also The Fact That Oil-Rich Libya Needed Expertise More Than Cash To Rebuild Its Society And Economy.” “Mrs. Clinton said the relatively meager amount of new assistance reflected not only fiscal austerity at home — she told Mr. Jibril that such aid faced deep opposition in Congress — but also the fact that oil-rich Libya needed expertise more than cash to rebuild its society and economy after four decades under Colonel Qaddafi.” [New York Times, 10/18/11] FACT CHECKERS HAVE DEBUNKED CLAIMS THAT THE U.S. ALLOWED REBELS TO ACQUIRE THOUSANDS OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES AFTER GADHAFI’S FALL Politifact: Of An Estimated 20,000 Surface-To-Air Missiles That Gadhafi Amassed Over 40 Years, “The United States Recovered 5,000, NATO Destroyed Thousands, The U.S.-Backed Transitional Government Acquired Many, And Many Are Inoperable.” “The 2011 U.S.-backed Libyan uprising -- part of the Arab Spring -- toppled the decades-long dictator Col. Muammar Gaddafi. At the time, the State Department estimated that Gaddafi had amassed about 20,000 MANPADS over 40 years…Of those 20,000 MANPADS -- the United States recovered 5,000, NATO destroyed thousands, the U.S.-backed transitional government acquired many, and many are inoperable. While we know terrorists got their hands on a few, it’s highly unlikely that they have ‘thousands.’” [Politifact, 3/9/15] 2016ER VULNERABILITIES Christie Said President Obama Had Taken The Leadership Role In Libyan Conflict—“He's Calling The Shots, And We All Know That.” MORGAN: “Would you like to see a spreading of that load going forward, where America's not the go-to country -- for military support, for helping out with despotic regimes and so on?” CHRISTIE: “Well, America's always got to be the leader in that regard.” MORGAN: “Does it have to be?” CHRISTIE: “I think it does –” MORGAN: “I mean, look at Libya and the way President Obama dealt with that. You know, he quite deliberately decided America wasn't going to be the leader.” CHRISTIE: “Yes. But we really are. I mean, come on, let's face it, we are. He's calling the shots, and we all know that. And so, let's not be kidding because they call it something different. America's taken the responsibility.” [Piers Morgan Tonight, CNN, 6/14/11] The Senate Voted 90-10 To Shelve Rand Paul’s Resolution Saying The President Could Not Act Unilaterally In Libya, Which He Forced To The Floor By Threatening To Hold Up Senate Action Until It Was Voted On. “On a 90-to-10 vote, the Senate on Tuesday voted to shelve a resolution proposed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on the U.S. involvement in Libya, four days after Paul and a fellow freshman, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), threatened to hold up Senate action until Paul’s measure was brought to the floor…The Paul resolution is comprised of one sentence: a statement made by then-Sen. Barack Obama in 2007 that the president cannot unilaterally act on matters of war.” [Washington Post, 4/5/11]