1536: The Arab League's secretary general, Amr Moussa, has announced an emergency meeting of the grouping, saying that the current situation isn't what Arabs had envisaged. "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. Arab backing for a no-fly zone provided crucial underpinning for the passage of the U.N. Security Council resolution last week that paved the way for the Western intervention, the biggest against an Arab country since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Withdrawal of that support would make it much harder to pursue what some defence analysts say could in any case be a difficult, open-ended campaign with an uncertain outcome. The U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said the no-fly zone was effectively in place. But he told CBS the endgame of military action was "very uncertain" and acknowledged it could end in a stalemate with Gaddafi.
What part of 'taking out air defenses' do these people not understand? Do they want NATO pilots to just risk their lives in Libya without destroying air defenses? Don't they read any words other than their own about how this has to be accomplished? Didn't they want this done to prevent a genocide? Maybe they should have just done it themselves if they don't like how it is being carried out. They have their own airplanes. Arabs are irrational.
I too oppose the bombing for I know NATO's intention behind it, but the hypocrisy of the Arab league has no match. On one hand, some of the Arab league members who backed the no fly zone and who knew well enough that a "No Fly Zone" will involve strategic bombing are the same ones who, after two days of Gates's visit to Bahrain, sent their special forces to that country to crush the people's uprising. On one hand, these dictators supported NATO getting rid of one dictator who had strife with them and on the other hand, they did the opposite to Bahrain. These dictators know will that theirs is a dead regime walking and it is only a matter of time before they are held accountable.
While certainly partisan, the gang below dispels the whole notion we're being told/sold that Kadhafi has no friends. Good old Hugo is on his side as well. We'll lose this propaganda war where it counts, and that's with Radial Islam. They're the ones that will use this to stir emotions amongst their ranks. African Union demands 'immediate' halt to Libya attacks ââ¬â Sat Mar 19, 9:55 pm ET NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) ââ¬â The African Union's panel on Libya Sunday called for an "immediate stop" to all attacks after the United States, France and Britain launched military action against Moamer Kadhafi's forces. After a more than four-hour meeting in the Mauritanian capital, the body also asked Libyan authorities to ensure "humanitarian aid to those in need," as well as the "protection of foreigners, including African expatriates living in Libya." It underscored the need for "necessary political reforms to eliminate the causes of the present crisis" but at the same time called for "restraint" from the international community to avoid "serious humanitarian consequences." The panel also announced a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on March 25, along with representatives from the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the European Union and the United Nations to "put in place a mechanism for consultation and concerted action" to resolve the Libyan crisis. The AU committee on Libya is composed of five African heads of state. But the Nouakchott meeting was only attended by the presidents of Mauritania, Mali and Congo. South Africa and Uganda were represented by ministers.
US policy being run by stooges and clowns. Would not be surprised in the least if this turns into a shit-storm.
Tareq, in Tripoli, Libya, writes: "This is another oil war. I'm no Gaddafi loyalist but we are not stupid. Morad, in Tobruk, Libya, writes: "These attacks taking place have stolen the legitimate role of the uprising and even if gaddafi goes it shows it has not been done by the will of the Libyan people." Amr Moussa's comments continue to prompt reactions from US officials. A senior official travelling with President Obama in Brazil, tells Reuters: "The resolution endorsed by Arabs and the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) included 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians, which we made very clear includes, but goes beyond, a no-fly zone." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418 ohhhhh snaaaaaaaaaap
A hard-core group of liberal House Democrats is questioning the constitutionality of U.S. missile strikes against Libya, with one lawmaker raising the prospect of impeachment during a Democratic Caucus conference call on Saturday. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Donna Edwards (Md.), Mike Capuano (Mass.), Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), Maxine Waters (Calif.), Rob Andrews (N.J.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.) âall strongly raised objections to the constitutionality of the presidentâs actionsâ during that call, said two Democratic lawmakers who took part Kucinich, who wanted to bring impeachment articles against both former President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney over Iraq â only to be blocked by his own leadership â asked why the U.S. missile strikes arenât impeachable offenses. Kucinich also questioned why Democratic leaders didnât object when President Barack Obama told them of his plan for American participation in enforcing the Libyan no-fly zone during a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday, sources told POLITICO. And liberals fumed that Congress hadnât been formally consulted before the attack and expressed concern that it would lead to a third U.S. war in the Muslim world. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51595.html#