UN votes to stop Gaddafi

Calliope · 18 March 2011

This should buck the spirits of the freedom fighters.

The UN Security Council has unanimously passed a vote calling for "all necessary measures" against forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The vote - 10-0, with five abstentions from Russia, China, Brazil, Germany and India - will allow foreign enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya and ground Colonel Gaddafi's air force, reportedly as early as today.

Jubilant insurgents at the rebel stronghold of Benghazi greeted the news with cheers, singing and gunfire.

The BBC reported that attacks on forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi by the British and French air forces could begin within hours of the UN passing resolution 1973/2011, with anti-aircraft defences the likely first targets.

While the US was not expected to be involved in first attacks, the BBC said: "British and French are likely to get logistical backup from Arab allies."

http://www.smh.com.au/world/un-votes-for-action-to-stop-gaddafi-20110318-1bzii.html

Ferret · 18 March 2011

Great, this drags on as a civil war and many more innocent people die.

I'm no fan of Gaddafi, but the uprising is doomed to fail this time around and the sooner it is over the better for the Libyan people.

Gringotts Bank · 18 March 2011

I agree, it will be about as successful as the Iraq war.

What's needed is a decent leader amongst the freedom fighters. Someone who can change opinion on a mass scale.

Whiskers · 18 March 2011

Good to see!

If the UN did not act on this, especially after the Arab League condemned Gadaffi's brutality against his own people, then the UN was doomed to be a token, weak ineffective world 'Court'... and dictators would be free to reign terror... and individual nations would be forced to act, probably promoting wider conflict.

Logique · 18 March 2011

Condemnation on the floor of the UN is fine,
but I have enormous reservations about whether the west, and especially the US should become involved in an air (or any other kind) of war over Libya.

So far as I know this aligns with the thinking of President Obama, unless the UN decision has changed that.

How about this, what about letting the Arab world deal with it's own, for once. Or otherwise what about Europe taking the lead, for once.

Whiskers · 18 March 2011

Logique said:
How about this, what about letting the Arab world deal with it's own, for once. Or otherwise what about Europe taking the lead, for once.

Yes, that's a good point.

The problem I see with direct military intervention by the Arab world is that it could escalate to a wider Arab civil war between Shiite, Sunni etc.

I think they have played their hand right voting amongst the Arab League to condem the atrocities and hand intervention over to the UN.

I agree that the best result would be for France to start it off. I think they are keen too.

Julia · 18 March 2011

Logique said:
Condemnation on the floor of the UN is fine,
but I have enormous reservations about whether the west, and especially the US should become involved in an air (or any other kind) of war over Libya.

So far as I know this aligns with the thinking of President Obama, unless the UN decision has changed that.

How about this, what about letting the Arab world deal with it's own, for once. Or otherwise what about Europe taking the lead, for once.

I agree. I very much hope America will not be taking any sort of lead here.

At present this UN resolution is just about Libya. Then there's possibly worse happening in Bahrain. Is the West going to 'fix' that too?

namrog · 18 March 2011

Julia said:
I agree. I very much hope America will not be taking any sort of lead here.

At present this UN resolution is just about Libya. Then there's possibly worse happening in Bahrain. Is the West going to 'fix' that too?

The west are unlikely to fix that, especially as their dictators are US allies..

It'll be interesting to see what happens though....

McCoy Pauley · 18 March 2011

Logique said:
Condemnation on the floor of the UN is fine,
but I have enormous reservations about whether the west, and especially the US should become involved in an air (or any other kind) of war over Libya.

So far as I know this aligns with the thinking of President Obama, unless the UN decision has changed that.

How about this, what about letting the Arab world deal with it's own, for once. Or otherwise what about Europe taking the lead, for once.

It's being reported that the French and British will be leading the imposition of the no-fly zone with their planes, as the USAF is not in a position to provide the planes at this stage.

Calliope · 18 March 2011

Too little too late. Even without using his planes Gaddafi will win. He effectively controls the country now and the opposition is merely a rabble army. I think that people who continually fire their guns in the air instead of at the enemy are easy-beats.

Gaddafi will declare a ceasefire, with his troops camped outside Benghazi and starve them out.

Garpal Gumnut · 18 March 2011

It would be nice to see the Qadaffi's swing, from a well hung rope.

gg

namrog · 18 March 2011

Is this, "enforcementc of a no fly zone" an unofficial declaration of war, something we never seem to hear anymore , even though wars start all the time...

What does it really mean ?, because I'v been reading that the un / west / us / allies, will probably target Libyas air defenses and infrastructure first.

Does this mean they have been given the green light to start bombing...?

Calliope · 18 March 2011

Garpal Gumnut said:
It would be nice to see the Qadaffi's swing, from a well hung rope.

gg

But GG, surely he is entitled to the respect due to his high office.

tothemax6 · 18 March 2011

Sweet, looking forward to seeing the wastage on the news, especially if they use the A10 Warthog.

Come on guys, when a national leader decides to bomb his citizens, its time to bomb him. His citizens don't have the bombs or the planes to do it, so others must. Seriously, he sends in the air-force to bomb his own civilians. The guy is a lunatic, he is in power, he has the resources to continue to exert his lunacy upon his subjects, and in the words of Cleric Qawadawi "Whoever in the Libyan army is able to shoot a bullet at Mr Gaddafi should do so".

tothemax6 · 18 March 2011

Calliope said:
But GG, surely he is entitled to the respect due to his high office.

LOL! Nice shot

Calliope · 18 March 2011

It's all a matter of who will go first. I think Gaddafi will call a truce in order to circumvent this. He will retain the upper hand.

Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that British fighter jets are being deployed immediately to enforce a United Nations no-fly zone in Libya.
"At Cabinet this morning, we agreed the UK will play its part," Mr Cameron told the House of Commons.
"Britain will deploy Tornados and Typhoons as well as air-to-air refuelling and surveillance aircraft."
Mr Cameron added: "Our forces will join an international operation to enforce the resolution if Gaddafi fails to comply with its demand that he ends attacks on civilians.
"Preparations to deploy these aircraft have already started and in the coming hours they will move to bases from where they can start to take the necessary action."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wo..._Send_Tornado_Aircraft_To_Enforce_No-Fly_Zone

Whiskers · 19 March 2011

Interesting report. Can't wait to see confirmation and follow up.

Fighter jet shot down in Libyan rebel stronghold of Benghazi

By the CNN Wire Staff
March 19, 2011 -- Updated 0906 GMT (1706 HKT)

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The civil war in Libya took a significant turn Saturday when a fighter jet fell from the sky and burst into flames as explosions rang out in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

A day earlier, the government said it was abiding by a cease-fire and no-fly zone, but witnesses have said violence from forces loyal to ruler Moammar Gadhafi has continued.

It was not immediately clear whom the jet belonged to, but the development indicates pro-Gadhafi forces may have moved in on the city considered an opposition stronghold.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/19/libya.civil.war/

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