In a 10-0 vote (with five members abstaining), the United Nations Security Council Thursday approved an attack on Libya, urging nations the world over to use “all necessary measures” to move against the Gadhafi regime.
The resolution, UNSC Resolution 1973, mandates a no-fly zone and authorizes strikes against Libyan territory, but explicitly excludes, in Paragraph 4, the possibility of a “foreign occupation force of any form.” It is unclear if this rules out a ground invasion, or only requires them to be “temporary” deployments.
The five abstaining UNSC member nations were Russia, China, India, Brazil and Germany. Russia and China could have vetoed the measure, but declined to do so. Germany has explicitly ruled out participating in the forthcoming attacks.
Other nations, however, appear quite eager to start attacking, with France in particular saying it was prepared to start launching air strikes “immediately” following the vote. Britain likewise was said to be likely to launch attacks in short order.
This has led to speculation over when such strikes will start, but it is believed that there will be bombs falling on Libyan territory as soon as Friday morning. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also expected to join in the attack.
Where fools rush in…
I wish the rebels and their people all the best, I really do.
But this is not our war.
If bombing does go ahead, I hope its not the US taking the lead.
Looks like the UN will start its war in Libya, just as soon as Gadhafi stops the war the rebels made. How pathetic. I wonder if the UN would be invading if the rebels were winning.
There is speculation that Qatar's government wants to remove a regional competitor of gas exports and has been using its Al Jazeera channel as a weapon to achieve this goal.
France and the UK may have been promised control of various oil or gas reserves in Libya to agree to this resolution and overall are loyal "allies" of the US.
Either way this is another example of the UN acting as a tool of the Western Powers(like many times before).
One never ceases to be surprised at the attitudes of some posters.
Whilst I have strongly denounced the illegal attacks onYugoslavia and Iraq and the continuing mass murder of our attempted occupation of Afghanistan, I really believe that this action in Libya is something quite different and something that has to be supported on very real humanitarian grounds.
How can anyone support an unelected genocidal tyrant of some 40 years with a son who seems verging on madness as is his father?
A threat of going house to house and immediate execution of those holding arms?.
A brute held in power by Israeli shekels and their paid mercenaries?
Some above posters apparently do.
For the first time in many many years I am actually proud of my country.
Cameron has risen in my estimation – admittedly from a very low point.
I think he is supported overwhelmingly by the people of England.
Libyans have an absolute right to democracy.
America and NATO usually bomb nations into 'democracy' but only on their terms!
What a pleasant change for the planet to see some of us, note not Germany and a rather unwilling USA, actually threatening to bomb to support genuine cries for liberty, although it has been a close run thing and all praise to France and Lebanon as well as Britain.
Killing people in order to save them. Is that your logic?
It's a civil war in Libya. Tell me the ratio of democracy "producing" civil wars vs "dictatorship" producing civil wars. Better, cite me one single instance when a civil war ended with a democracy.
At best, Libya will end up split in two with its South being the prize for whoever wins.
Really? so where are your croccodile tears for lets say Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan where those governments have slaughtered more people than Gadhafi has. Heck just yesterday, Obama's drone killed over 50 innocent people in Pakistan so does that mean Obama is an illegitimate leader now? Look, no one supports a tryant and a dictator but you know what that isn't my problem nor is it this country's problem. What is happening in Libya is classic civil war just like in Sudan, Chad, Somalia, etc. The only difference hear is OIL and the European connection. Thats it. If the UN applied the same standards to Clintons friends in Pakistan, Yemen, etc., then we would be bombing them to.
I'll admit this Libya situation is tough for me as a pacifist/anti-war supporter. I hope Gadhafi is defeated/stopped somehow. I hope the protesters win out in the end…but I wonder where the diplomatic team is from outside to broker a peace deal between the two sides (why can't they be satisfied with an East Libya and a West Libya…for the time being at least in order to avoid bloodshed?)
Maybe that has been tried already and Gadhafi is someone who refuses to negotiate – certainly appears so at the moment.
Aside from my wavering and uncertainty in my feelings about Libya, I can't help but notice the West's rush to "help" in Libya BUT at the same time completely ignoring the plight of protesters in Yemen and Bahrain. Western world powers may think that most aren't noticing but I am….and the apparent double standard is glaring… If the West persists in this – aiding one but not the other (in essence aiding the Yemeni/Bahrain regimes) then it can expect some blow-back…. If I were in Yemen or Bahrain watching this….I would be seriously ticked…
For the Arabs ever to authorize western intervention is the height of insanity.
W0W, I was going to say now we see the naked hand of empire and exploitation…. but Emilyrose makes me think it's wrong, Any disguise, apparently…no matter how holloween seems to pass muster.
OOO how wonderful to see those enlightened Europeans and America killing those Africans for freedom and errrr… their oil, gas….. and ?? their ability to tweak the nose of the empire…….. but what about the freedom flotilla, gaza…. the forged and lied into WAR on Arab…Muslim…Christians in Iraq?? What about a no fly zone there..?? Yes Daddy, I see……God loves US…..not them……!!
"Whilst I have strongly denounced the illegal attacks on Yugoslavia and Iraq and the continuing mass murder of our attempted occupation of Afghanistan, I really believe that this action in Libya is something quite different and something that has to be supported on very real humanitarian grounds. "
It was hardly that challenging to come up with "humanitarian grounds" for ousting Saddam Hussein or, say, attacking Serbia. In the case of Kosovo, there was even a charming ragtag insurgency on the ground, much as in this case. Afghanistan is probably on balance a humanitarian mission, at least in the short term (I.e. the odds of long-term success are slim).
Indeed – humanitarian arguments were bandied about quite a bit by war proponents in those cases. You make it easy for yourself if you imagine that war proponents for the wars that you dislike are driven by dark motives, while war proponents that are aligned with your war preferences are the bees knees. My personal view is that stated motives can usually be taken at face value, I.e. Kosovo was attacked because Clinton wanted to appear tough and humanitarian, and because the Europeans had had it with the Serbs, etc.
To make it simple: If we set the standard that wars on dictators who oppress their people are legitimate by default in case of a rising or rebellion, you are going to have a lot of wars on your hands (well, the hands of the US, but you get the gist of my argument). That´s why I think that the US should abstain as a matter of principle from these kinds of adventures. A good first step towards fewer "instawars" (surprise – it´s wartime!) would be rescinding the War Powers Act.
You should take a closer look at the Yugoslavian question before talking about a 'humanitarian need'.
If ever there was a NATO propaganda campaign that was it.
Yes I did and still do object to using NATO as air support for the KLA.
The KLA is an islamic terrorist organization created by a collaboration of the CIA/CIA operative Osama Bin Laden – reliably seen at the time and British and German intelligence.
Kosovo is and was all about CIA drug trafficking and oil pipelines.
There was nothing humanitarian about it.
The brutal organ harvesting has now been exposed. Just the other day some KLA operatives were finally arrested for war crimes.
The greatest war criminal was American friend and ally Thaci, finally being exposed for the evil crim he still is.
The attack on Serbia was illegal under every criteria. Never Oked by the UN or for that matter the US Congress.
As much as I appreciate your opposition to the NATO war against Yugoslavia, I have to disagree with you on the matter of Libya.
Please, throw a glance at my comments on Justin Raimondo's column of today. Maybe they can instil a little doubt in your certitude that intervening is the right thing to do.
The war party, both left and right, and on both sides of the atlantic, are starting to play the genocide card to justify a mass bombardment of Libya.
anyone who still thinks, after 1 million dead in Iraq and god now how many in Afghanistan, that we're acting out of good will needs to think again, this has NOTHING to do with democracy and NOTHING to do with stopping genocide, France and the UK have extensive business ties in Libya , that is why they're both at the forefront of calls to drop bombs.
JOKE!!! And now Gadhafi decides to put on the brakes right before the bombs start falling? JOKE!!! It looks exacty like what it is: the schoolyard bully has been called out by someone's big brother.
The sad part is, the West will swallow it and stand down. Stand by, because when the heat is off, the massacres of those involved in the revolution will begin.
What revolution.. Hillary Clinton, Sarkozi and English been promising the Libyan oil to Islamic Brotherhood which is a link to Islamic brotherhood of Egypt.., they in return have to share this wealth with EU so that EU could get out of some its energy crises with Russia, Iran and Kuwait resolved, . By that and for your brothers is to leave Israel alone.., You and your brothers are been used and abused and you don’t even feel it.
Ms. Clinton you do understand that we know that you have began to share the world Oil producing countries among what is called “world power” and using religious as your primary tool to obtain the economic and manpower needed for future wars. You use the word “World Power” which is laughable because 8 countries can not be the world power.., unless all other countries are occupied by the militarism power and you using the fraise to scare people which we call it the social psychological warfare.., off course US and EU with help from China need to call themselves that because you don’t have any other matching for your military power, which I think is the idea behind using religion to accomplish the imperialism goal, in another word you will travel far and do whatever necessary to do more harm then good by promising Egypt Islamic brotherhood that Libya and its oils resources belongs to you if you leave Israel alone. French, Germany, England off course.., are the masters of Europe and they are short of energy so they will keep on playing with Russia and the Iranian.., you Miss Clinton in the other hand and to please your friends in EU hade to travel all the way to Paris and have a meeting with the Libyan “next” Islamic republic giving them your word that French and English or even Swedish would start attacking Libya while US militarism regime – as you put it: “NO FLY ZONE REQUARES BOMBING LIBYA” start bombing that country from Saudi territories or Italy.., please do.., use peoples money to start another war.., we the people are eager to see some firework like in Iraq.., which then we would have a real war at the European door steps where we can see the flames having fun watching it.
I am sure that senator Kerry or Mr. Persidante Sarkozi would be thankful for your effort saving his shares in whatever the oil company they might be doing business with, in the other hand, I have only one question to ask you and rest of your colleagues: till when the US and EU militarism regimes are going to be involved creating wars after another, it seams to me that for last 60 years US been involved in many wars.., lately from Balkan Wars which was a creation by your husband.., by the way good job dividing people in terms of nationality and religious.., the EU been engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq and they are patiently waiting to get involved in another war.
Here and in political terms you and your colleagues doing everything possible to keep US militarism regime busy forgetting about people in US-EU and elsewhere.., those who the system been bombing and those who killed already like all Iraqi babies and million more killed or displaced.., a country which its infrastructures been destroyed by your mighty army.., meanwhile at home people that are hungry, hard to find jobs, they are poorer then ever before with no healthcare and they are just about losing their SSI. Unless you.., like your predecessor Ms. Madeline Albright.., don’t care about millions of people being and getting killed.., vanished and thrown in Jail which in terms of social class war is understandable, yet I wonder why would you and your colleague, like senator Kerry, Rockefeller and others alike call yourself.., even bother.., calling yourself democrats.., here I would like to understand the democracy and therefore asking you and your.., whoever.., please define democracy for people like me and for me to understand the double language and double moral of that word so we all can have a party just about a “falsified” democracy.., no I don’t mind.., we can even invite the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia and queen of England and Netanyahu making sure that he dance with Tony Blair.., yes even the federal reserve chairman.. how about that.
This man needs to be dealt with. While I am anti war of any kind, but letting a mad man who is so obsessed in killing his opponents in order to rule and transfer power to his son is something I oppose and for that reason I accept the need to intervene and save the homegrown democratic movement. Because if we let him crush this movement there will be no appetite for the future generation to rise against the Gadafi dynasty. This is the moment for all peace and democracy loving people throughout the world need to support. This is an initiative organized by common people from the street and now the Arab League is in full support of, and who are we to tell the Arab world youth to stop having the aspirations from enjoying the same living standards we enjoy? Times are changing and we should stand up with the people rather than with a family looking to plant a dynasty.
I look at it this way why dosent the Arab world protect their muslim brother's I tell you why cause when push comes to shove they shit themselves and leave it to the west to sort their problems but then again I believe we should help the young of the world to make it a better place for them no matter what religion.
T2aus Melbourne