Switching gears, Tierney welcomes news of Gadhafi’s demise

SWAMPSCOTT – U.S. Rep. John Tierney, D-Salem, said he still believed President Obama should have sought congressional approval before bombing Libya, but he welcomed news of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s death Thursday, saying that it brought a chance of stability to the northern African country and its people.”That’s the past,” Tierney, who visited Swampscott Thursday, said in reference to his earlier statements. “Now the point is to ensure the country is on the path to stability.”Gadhafi, 69, is the first leader to be killed in the so-called Arab Spring, a wave of popular uprisings across the Middle East that demanded the end of autocratic rulers and increased democracy.Gadhafi held a dictatorial reign over Libya for 42 years until he was ousted by revolutionary fighters backed by NATO bombs. The United States briefly led that bombing campaign when it began in March, but since relinquished that role to Britain and France.Tierney said that this addressed one of his earlier reservations about the bombing campaign.”I thought it should have been more international than it was,” he said, acknowledging that his concerns had diminished as international support for the bombings grew.But he said that his larger concern was that the President did not seek Congressional approval for the bombings, noting Thursday that the Constitution provides a clear process for authorizing military action.In terms of whether Congress would authorize the President’s latest initiative – the Jobs Bill – Tierney acknowledged that Obama faces a tough road.”I haven’t seen a lot of inclination to compromise on the Republican side,” Tierney said. But he said he was hopeful, as House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, had indicated that infrastructure projects may be an area of compromise.”I think we have to be bolder and do significant investment in improved infrastructure,” Tierney said. “There are reasons to do (these projects) now,” he said, citing vast numbers of unemployed construction workers ready for a job and low interest rates to keep project costs low. But most importantly, he cited an estimated $2.2 trillion-worth of projects that are needed to improve water resources, roads, aviation and the electrical grid, among other infrastructure.”That’s a compelling reason to get the infrastructure projects passed,” he said.Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].