The Libyan people thank you for your serious and unquestioning advocacy for the course of action we must take in bombing the **** out of them.
"Lead: That's what I intend to do when I am President." <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GaJFhB28St4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> or not.
The Arab League is calling for a no-fly zone. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42045460/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa Arab League asks UN to impose no-fly zone over Libya Moves gives important backing to request by rebels for protection from Gadhafi's air power CAIRO — The Arab League asked the U.N. Security Council Saturday to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from air attack by forces of Moammar Gadhafi's embattled government, giving crucial backing to a key demand of the rebel forces battling to oust the Libyan leader. Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab bloc, meeting in Cairo, also left the Libyan leader of more than 40 years increasingly isolated, declaring his government had "lost its sovereignty." They also appeared to confer legitimacy on the rebel's interim government, the National Libyan Council, saying they would establish contacts with the umbrella group and calling on nations to provide it with "urgent help." "The Arab League asks the United Nations to shoulder its responsibility ... to impose a no-fly zone over the movement of Libyan military planes and to create safe zones in the places vulnerable to airstrikes," said a league statement released after the emergency session. League Secretary-General Amr Moussa stressed in remarks afterward that a no-fly zone was intended as a humanitarian measure to protect Libyan civilians and foreigners in the country and not as a military intervention. That stance appeared meant to win over the deeply Arab nationalist government of Syria, which has smarted against foreign intervention into Arab affairs. The Arab League cannot impose a no-fly zone itself. But the approval of the key regional Arab body gives the U.S. and other Western powers crucial regional backing they say they need before doing so. Many were wary that Western powers would be seen as intervening in the affairs of an Arab country if they began a no-fly zone without Arab approval. Still, the Obama administration has said a no-fly zone may have limited impact, and the international community is divided over the issue. Backing the rebels' political leadership, the league statement said it had faced "grievous violations and serious crimes by the Libyan authorities, which have lost their sovereignty." The league's decision comes hours before the European Union's policy chief is set to arrive in Cairo to meet with the Arab bloc's leaders to discuss the situation in Libya. Story: Libya's rebels are inexperienced but zealous Catherine Ashton said she hoped to discuss a "collaborative approach" with Arab League chief Moussa on Libya and the rest of the region. Ashton said it was necessary to evaluate how effective economic sanctions imposed on Gadhafi's regime had been so far and that she was "keeping all options moving forward" regarding any additional measures. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomed the EU's "very cautious" stance on possible military intervention. "We do not want to be drawn into a war in north Africa — we should have learned from the events in and surrounding Iraq," Westerwelle said. "It is very important that the impression doesn't arise that this is a conflict of the West against the Arab world or a Christian crusade against people of Muslim faith." Al-Jazeera said Saturday that a cameraman for the pan-Arab satellite station had been killed near the eastern city of Benghazi. It was the first death of a journalist since the Libyan uprising began Jan. 15. The station identified the slain journalist as Ali Hassan al-Jaber but did not specify his nationality. It said he was killed in what it called an "armed ambush" on an Al-Jazeera crew in the Hawari area near Benghazi, which is the headquarters of the rebellion. The station said a correspondent was also wounded. It did not say who it thought was behind the attack. Gadhafi tightened his grip Saturday on the coastal road linking his territory to the rebel-controlled east, pushing forward the front line in Libya's grueling internal conflict and showing off control of devastated towns just seized from the opposition. The Libyan government took reporters by plane and bus to the town of Bin Jawwad, the scene of brutal battles six days ago between insurgents and Gadhafi loyalists using artillery, rockets and helicopter gunships. A police station was completely destroyed, its windows shattered, walls blackened and burned and broken furniture inside. A nearby school had gaping holes in the roof and a wall. Homes nearby were empty and cars were overturned or left as charred hulks in the road. Rubble filled the streets and a sulphurous smell hung in the air. The tour continued in Ras Lanouf, an oil port of boxy, sand-colored buildings with satellite dishes on top. The area was silent and devoid of any sign of life, with laundry still fluttering on lines strung across balconies. About 50 soldiers or militia members in 10 white Toyota pickups, holding up portraits of Gadhafi, smeared with mud as camouflage guarded it. A playground was strewn with bullet casings and medical supplies looted from a nearby pharmacy whose doors had been shot open. The defeat at Ras Lanouf, which had been captured by rebels a week ago and only fell after days of fierce fighting and shelling, was a major setback for opposition forces who just a week ago held the entire eastern half of the country and were charging toward the capital. A massive column of black smoke billowed from Ras Lanouf's blazing oil refinery. A Libyan colonel asserted the rebels had detonated it as they retreated. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Younis, the country's interior minister before defecting, told The Associated Press that Gadhafi's forces had driven deeper into rebel territory than at any time since the opposition seized control of the east. He said they were about 50 miles (77 kilometers) past Ras Lanouf and about 25 miles (40 kilometers) outside Brega, the site of a major oil terminal.
F the Arab league. This is a group that has recognised the legitimacy of saddam, gaddafi, mubarak, Abdullah saleh, and includes at last two leaders who are murdering their own people as we speak. It is illogical, irrational, and utterly insane to recognise their opinion on this. Destroy gaddafi military facilities and f off. Just weaken him and the people will take care of the rest.
Has there been any official statement/request/demand from the government of Dubai and the UAE regarding the situation in Libya?
Mathloom, I understand that you have ardent disagreements with Around the World (a moniker I will never get used to!), but you are being disingenuous here, in my opinion. The entire post amounts to calling AtW a "Nazi," for all practical purposes, which only damages the basis for your argument with him regarding his feelings towards aspects of the Muslim religion and certain practitioners of it, who are certainly a minority amongst the hundreds of million worldwide who believe in the religion. It is a very loaded word to direct towards a modern German, as loaded as any term he may have used in discussions about Islam, to the best of my recollection.
I was under the impression that we were not going to engage in nationbuilding or getting involved militarily in the affairs of another nation. If we get directly involved, we will have truly not changed our military policies since Vietnam.
This is big. I have my doubts about whether a no fly zone will be effective but this changes the politics of it entirely, and by doing that it could well establish a unified front, and the ability to switch to a plan B as a unified front. With the Arab league taking a stand they’re now in this as much as everyone else will be.
It's an extreme term, but in ATW's case I think it's entirely justified. I've never seen anything like what's been going on with ATW here.
In all your hate-filled rants, you have been unable to justify your grave insults. Your hate-mongering is full of anger and pent-up frustration, yet you are unable to actually provide any facts or any concrete "evidence" that would even remotely justify the insults you are throwing at me. You seem to be projecting your real-life frustrations on me. You should probably deal with the issues that led to you being such a hateful person.
There are tons of people who think like him, so I don't see why you are surprised towards his attitude on Islam. He;s just more vocal about it than some others. Calling him a Nazi is uncalled for, you are only stooping to his level. I know he calls people "Islamists" on here as a reference to terrorists, but its obvious bait.
through the Arab league, yes. Someone posted it on this page. Other than that they are providing tons of aid through the eastern border.
This is why international backing is key. If action against Gadaffi's regime takes place it will be vital this not be seen as a US or primarily US operation. It will have to be clear that most of the world supports it. The Arab League backing such action against one of its own members is a very strong statement in that direction.
The question of whether or not to provide military aid to the freedom fighters in Arab nations is endlessly fascinating and a brothel full of strange bedfellows. I would greatly appreciate the insights of all interested parties here but wish you could limit yourselves to presenting the facts and opinions leaving out the personal attacks. (Save all those for Basso and Big Tex). At this point I have no convictions either way and would like to be convinced. I'm thinking they should be helped but it should be some other force besides the United States ... I just don't know who that would be.
Because in many of these situations perception is important. A NATO led action isn't solely a US action but will be seen to be and any action against Gadaffi needs to be seen as something other than the US verus Libya. That is why I would prefer a UNSC resolution that spreads out the backing as much as possible. Ideally I wouldn't mind seeing France or the EU take the lead in any action. If this isn't done through NATO then another country will be able to take the lead.
France? Send in the Foreign Legion! (That's the same France that has already fought against indigenous movements on the African Continent) Not really the image you want. Maybe if they promise to repair the Sphinx. Maybe the NATO contingent can be lead by the Germans and General Rommel IV. If there are Italians we just need to head them off before Ethiopia. That's why I don't see any empowered party to jump into this. Who could do it? Al Queada? Qaddafi bombed a Western airliner. He's one of them. China is probably playing both sides. I like the thought of an Egyptian People's Army , but it's not bloody likely. WHO?
