NATO announced on Friday that they had intercepted a number of boats belonging to the Gadhafi regime attempting to lay anti-ship mines outside of the Misrata harbor. The move is the latest in an escalating battle for the key western city.
NATO condemned the move, saying it violated an international law which requires governments to alert shipping companies about the “general locations” of mines to avoid accidents. NATO is removing the mines.
But the port is still being contested, and not just on the ground. The Gadhafi forces have also announced a blockade of Misrata by sea, saying that they were concerned that the boats entering the rebel-held city were carrying wepaons.
The move, oddly, comes just one week after the Gadhafi government agreed to allow a UN humanitarian mission into the city. Ships have been used to transport humanitarian goods into the city, mostly food and medical supplies.
For some revealing historical context on the shenanigans surrounding FedGov naval mining operations against North Vietnam, see "The Law: Legality Undermined?" in the May 22, 1972, issue of Time <a href="http://(http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879097,00.html)” target=”_blank”>(http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879097,00.html). The eye-rolling highlight has to be the submission of the mining notification by the US ambassador to the UN, George H. W. Bush, to the UN Security Council President, who just happened to be the US ambassador, George H. W. Bush. "Bush ceremonially addressed his letter and then delivered it to himself, informing himself that the U.S. had a legal right to take action under the U.N. Charter's doctrine of 'collective self-defense.'"
"NATO condemned the move, saying it violated an international law which requires governments to alert shipping companies about the “general locations” of mines to avoid accidents. NATO is removing the mines." How come didn't NATO condemned the laying of mines in Corinto, Nicaragua by the terrorist state of the USG under the rule of then Ronald Reagan warlord.