The Hill News

Coalition jets continue to fly, and anti-aircraft fire still lights up the sky over Libya. But if the international action succeeds in driving Muammar Qaddafi from power, what comes next? 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has an opportunity to gain greater insight on the road ahead for genuine reform in North Africa and the Middle East. She meets Wednesday with Taieb Fassi Fihri, Foreign Minister of Morocco, a country that has been on the reformist path for more than a decade. Morocco is also one of five Arab nations to join the 22-nation coalition supporting international action to protect civilians in Libya. 

Mr. Fassi Fihri arrives in Washington as the West and Arab League have finally answered the call against Gaddafi’s recent murderous binge. At the same time, the crescendo of regional turmoil has, as the Moroccan Foreign Minister said this week,  put an end to the erroneous idea that there is, or ever was, an ‘Arab exception’ to peopleâ! €™s desire to live free from fear of government oppression and ideological tyranny. So, what will he be saying to Secretary Clinton and other US officials about the rapidly unfolding events in the region? 

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