UN Libyan Resolution

[Slug]

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, who supported the UN resolution, on Sunday criticised the severity of the bombardment. Amr Moussa reiterated concerns about the safety of civilians and dismissed suggestions of disunity

"What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians," he said.

But on Monday, in a joint news conference with visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Cairo, Mr Moussa played down any differences within the coalition. "We are all united on the issue of protecting civilians," he said. Both he and Mr Ban stressed that Arab League support was a key factor in securing Security Council backing for the UN resolution.

Source: BBC News

 

[cipher6]

Source: BBC News

Yeah, saw that, Moussa is running for President in Egypt, and his critical comments were in Arabic to Arabic news...

 

[byteware]

Personally, I'm of a different opinion. Once again, we have decided who should be the rightful ruler of another country, and are taking military action to ensure that happens.

Libya is a civil war. We should not be protecting the rebels.

 

[ElasticNinja]

I presume those in the US are much less informed of the situation
Libya is not really a civil war; what you have is a small pro Gaddafi grouping, backed up by mercanaries
they have the money
they have the weapons
they had air supremacy

the vast majority don't want him

and as I said, if this was not done today we would likely be seeing an awful massacre in Bengazi

 

[Crude]

I do not like the fact that we are again lobbing money at another countries problem. Even more disturbing then that is the fact that our current president campaigned on bringing troops home from Iraq and now we are in Afghanistan and Libya too. I really hate that we are called to fight then hated for going so, a service I think we should be paid for not footing the bill and then paying for reparations.

We are the only country in the world that could be self sustainable...why are we interested in the middle east at all while our borders, our biggest threat, are void of any real effort to be protected.

 

[adi19956]

by no-combat zone I meant that the coalition isn't letting Gaddafi use his troops.
The UK prime minister's official spokesman has said UK military targets will be chosen to achieve the two objectives stated in the UN resolution, ie the setting up of a no-fly zone and the protection of civilians.

BBC News - Live: Libya crisis

This is why it's good

 

[adi19956]

Personally, I'm of a different opinion. Once again, we have decided who should be the rightful ruler of another country, and are taking military action to ensure that happens.

Libya is a civil war. We should not be protecting the rebels.

We haven't decided who, they have. All they want is freedom, democracy and a little more money and Gaddafi was slaughtering them for that. We don't know what it's like, we're allowed to do any peaceful protest. There, they get shot or tortured if they're important.
We're fighting for their lives and freedom, we aren't (not now anyway) targeting Gaddafi

 

[ElasticNinja]

yeah.. this isn't the US supporting a corrupt rightvwing dictator over a democratic alternative
Its the opposite


As Cameron said "we got there just in the nick of time"

 

[adi19956]

yeah he did say that, kinda breaks the custom of speaking poshly, but oh well

 

[ElasticNinja]

yeah he did say that, kinda breaks the custom of speaking poshly, but oh well

I know, I feel for ye, entire political system privately educated

 

[adi19956]

well I'm privately educated not Eton though... anyway, Tories run the country best

 

[cipher6]

The international coalition’s air campaign is about 48 hours old and in strictly military terms the results thus far are probably exceeding expectations. Western aircraft are flying over Libya and Libyan aircraft are not. Quick air supremacy was widely expected. More notable are the dozens of pro-Qaddafi armored vehicles now burning along the road between Ajdabiya and Benghazi, destroyed by coalition attack aircraft. The successful attack on Qaddafi’s armored column on the road to Benghazi has provided the relief Western policymakers were scrambling for last week.

But this very likely ends the conventional military phase of the campaign. Qaddafi will now attempt to deprive Western airpower of any additional targets by shifting to irregular warfare tactics. He will also attempt to implement a political and media strategy with a goal of cracking support for the intervention. The coalition must reckon with the possibility that its leverage may soon peak. If it does not achieve a quick knock-out of Qaddafi, it will need to fashion a sustainable political and military strategy for a long campaign.

After the destruction of the armored column south of Benghazi, Qaddafi will now attempt to negate the utility of Western airpower by using civilians to cover the movement and employment of his military units. According to the BBC, Qaddafi achieved a success in this regard today, when a British air force strike package had to abort its mission due to the presence of civilians around the intended target.

Qaddafi commanders will attempt to resume the battle for Benghazi by using civilians and their vehicles (upon which cities depend for commerce) to cover the movement of irregular fighters and weapons into the city. Qaddafi would welcome a Western air attack on civilian vehicle traffic, as such an attack would create an opportunity for a spectacular propaganda success.

Qaddafi?s next moves (SWJ Blog)

 

[byteware]

I presume those in the US are much less informed of the situation
Libya is not really a civil war; what you have is a small pro Gaddafi grouping, backed up by mercanaries
they have the money
they have the weapons
they had air supremacy

the vast majority don't want him

and as I said, if this was not done today we would likely be seeing an awful massacre in Bengazi

Actually, it IS a Civil War. Ghaddafi has a number of supporters. In fact, this is more of an East Libya, West Libya conflict than it is a popular uprising.

We haven't decided who, they have. All they want is freedom, democracy and a little more money and Gaddafi was slaughtering them for that. We don't know what it's like, we're allowed to do any peaceful protest. There, they get shot or tortured if they're important.
We're fighting for their lives and freedom, we aren't (not now anyway) targeting Gaddafi

About half of the country is pro Ghaddafi and half is anti-Ghaddafi. We have decided that Ghaddafi must go. We are disabling one sides military strength, and allowing the other side to advance militarily.

We've decided who should be the leader of Libya.

 

[cipher6]

Actually, it IS a Civil War. Ghaddafi has a number of supporters. In fact, this is more of an East Libya, West Libya conflict than it is a popular uprising.





About half of the country is pro Ghaddafi and half is anti-Ghaddafi. We have decided that Ghaddafi must go. We are disabling one sides military strength, and allowing the other side to advance militarily.

We've decided who should be the leader of Libya.

I think this is a big unanswered question. I've heard reports a majority support the rebels, and Libyan forces are stocked with paid mercenaries... But I've read the same about the rebels.

Many of the rebels are defected military...

You have any good sources detailing who is who?

 

[ElasticNinja]

Misrata (spelling crap) is in the west Byteware

(I do realise there was likely little US media coverage of this)

 

[ElasticNinja]

But I've read the same about the rebels.

lol, what are they paying these Sahelian mercenaries with?
Air?

 

[byteware]

I think this is a big unanswered question. I've heard reports a majority support the rebels, and Libyan forces are stocked with paid mercenaries... But I've read the same about the rebels.

Many of the rebels are defected military...

You have any good sources detailing who is who?

I've only skimmed this, but it seems a good listing...

Lateline - 21/03/2011: Miles: Libya very complicated, very opaque

Misrata (spelling crap) is in the west Byteware

Yes, and as I understand it's the only major city they control in West Libya.

(I do realise there was likely little US media coverage of this)

You've mentioned this a couple of times, but it seems to be your way of dismissing opinions different from yours. Libya and Japan coverage have been nearly non-stop on this side of the pond.

 

[adi19956]

try this France24 - Libya: Who are the rebels? France 24 is pretty reputable, they have their own TV channel, they must be good right?
France recognises the rebels officially. Benghazi and the opposition are led by the former justice minister and under him are judges, lawyers and other respectable citizens

 

[cipher6]

lol, what are they paying these Sahelian mercenaries with?
Air?

I didn't say I believed, just what I've read. Qaddafi has said lots of crazy things over the last few weeks.

 

[Dark Jedi]

I presume those in the US are much less informed of the situation
Libya is not really a civil war; what you have is a small pro Gaddafi grouping, backed up by mercanaries
they have the money
they have the weapons
they had air supremacy

the vast majority don't want him

and as I said, if this was not done today we would likely be seeing an awful massacre in Bengazi

Lets see the American civil war.

THe north had the money

the north had the weapons.

the north had the Sea supremacy.

not much difference there. The south wanted to succeed from the north and Lincoln. Lincoln wasn't having it. So he sent his military to squash the south. The south military was mostly civilians.

SO not much difference between the two.

 

[ElasticNinja]

bit OT, but Abe respected human rights, the south much less so

 

[Dark Jedi]

bit OT, but Abe respected human rights, the south much less so

Yeah and thats why abe had slaves in the white house during the war. How well did he respect the human rights of his black slaves?

 

[cipher6]

Yeah and thats why abe had slaves in the white house during the war. How well did he respect the human rights of his black slaves?

This is off topic, but its the second time I've heard that claim, and its flat out wrong. Can you point to one shred of evidence to support the claim?

 

[byteware]

bit OT, but Abe respected human rights, the south much less so

lol.... you haven't studied the US Civil War much have you...

You may look at the Vicksburg blockade where the Northern Army starved Civilians.

You may also look at the Sherman scorched Earth tactics.

The North respected human rights no more than the South did.

Yes, the South had slaves.

Yes, the North had slaves (yes I know that not all of the North had slaves).

 

[ElasticNinja]

I've only skimmed this, but it seems a good listing...

Lateline - 21/03/2011: Miles: Libya very complicated, very opaque



Yes, and as I understand it's the only major city they control in West Libya.

they were advancing on Tripoli with crap equipment till Gaddafi brought out the big guns.. wonder why (civilian support of the rebels)

You've mentioned this a couple of times, but it seems to be your way of dismissing opinions different from yours. Libya and Japan coverage have been nearly non-stop on this side of the pond.

fair enough