Posted on 03/17/2011 2:03:34 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
His air force is already bombing the outskirts of the city, but not for much longer. The Security Council’s expected to vote at 6 p.m. ET and the French are telling people that airstrikes against Libyan air defenses — and maybe more — could begin immediately thereafter. At the same time, Qaddafi just delivered another insane stemwinder against the rebels on Libyan radio warning people in Benghazi that the army will be rolling into town tonight and that, if they don’t surrender, they’ll receive “no mercy.” Which means, unless someone blinks in the next few hours, that city will be a bona fide international war zone by the time America goes to bed tonight.
This is turning out to be some week.
Ibrahim Dabbashi, the deputy Libyan UN ambassador, warned that, “in the coming hours we will see a real genocide if the international community does not act quickly.”
Dabbashi, who defected early on from the Gaddafi regime, said “about five” Arab states were ready to help police the no-fly zone if it was adopted…
Al Jazeera’s Bays in Tobruk said that people in the city said they were confident of winning against Gaddafi, but still needed international help.
“I can tell you that when you speak to the people here, they say they’re winning, they say they’re beating back Gaddafi. Then you ask them the question should the international community do more, and they say ‘Yes, we’re all going to die if they don’t help’. So very contradictory answers to those questions,” Bays reported on Thursday.
The regime’s threatening to retaliate by attacking air and sea traffic in the Mediterranean, which is unlikely in the near term with NATO overhead but more likely if Qaddafi brokers a deal to stay in power and inevitably returns to his old terrorist-y ways. (He’s worried enough about imminent airstrikes to have opted for radio over video today.) Meanwhile, I’m intrigued by those five Arab states who are allegedly ready to help “police” the NFZ. What does that mean, exactly? McClatchy reported earlier that only two were on board so momentum is building across the region to help make this happen, but in practical terms it means — what? Certainly use of local air bases; possibly also … Arab air forces joining NATO patrols?
As for which five states are involved, Tunisia and Egypt are obvious candidates since they’re adjacent, have revolutionary fever themselves, and want to maintain good relations with the west in the near term to keep the foreign aid flowing while they reorganize. The obvious risk is that if Qaddafi somehow remains in charge, then they have to live with him and wonder if he’s plotting revenge. That’s not a big concern for Egypt, which could crush him if need be, but little Tunisia may think twice. Assuming they’re both in, though, then who are the other three states? Given the current circumstances in the region, would the Saudis dare lend logistical support to dislodging an Arab dictator — even one they despise? Stay tuned.
Exit question: How’d the NATO powers get China and Russia to go along with a no-fly zone on the Security Council? Exit answer: In a way, they didn’t.
Update: According to one report, four of the five Arab countries involved are the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, and … Saudi Arabia. No word on the fifth. I guess Tunisia and Egypt don’t want to make the mad dog mad.
i hope Qaddafi kills them all!
“Genocide does not matter to you?”
For radical mislims total genoside can’t happen quick enough!
The only good muslim is a dead one\1
According to this article:
"The draft resolution, backed by the western nations and the Arab League, calls for immediate action "to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding an occupation force".
The UN Security Council resolution calling for action just short of an invasion is being proposed by Britain, France and the United States, though the US was earlier hesitant in supporting the joint British-French proposal to enforce the no-fly-zone over Libya."
Sounds squishy to me.
Just what I was afraid of.
Do you have some other information that would suggest stronger action?
“SInce when do we allow packs of terrorists to determine our way of life?”
I agree with you and appreciate your honesty. Terrorists are SCUM and should be annihilated without mercy. The same goes for nations (like LIBYA, SYRIA, IRAN and NORTH KOREA) who harbor, train and equip these fools.
Quadaffy/Khadafy/Daffyduck should have been EXTERMINATED years ago. Yet, even after Lockerbie, the US seemed content to coexist with this piece of crap.
After years of bitching about how “mean” and what “bullies” the US were, the EuroSCUM want US to pony up the costs of “handling” that son of a drunken, goat chasing prostitute Quadafy, the costs being financial, material and MOST importantly, human...
To HELL with the Euros, AND the Libyans. IF we are not serious about exterminating Khadafi, his government, military and terrorist infrastructures, then we have NO BUSINESS in this affair. If we go to WAR, then treat it like a damn WAR.
(please note that I spelt Quadaffi’s name in almost every possible damned way to, hopefully, be accurate in at least one instance).
WHat is the definition of an “occupation force” that doesn’t preclude boots on the ground.
“Genocide does not matter to you?”
For heaven sake, it’s a civil war. Vaporizing about “genocide” doesn’t change that. If the freedom fighters (or whatever you call them) were winning and were about to slaughter a bunch of Ghadaffi’s people, would you be advocating US intervention on behalf of Ghadaffi because of the pending “genocide?” A bunch of people are going to lose their lives in Libya, one way or the other. All you want is for the US to choose which gang has more deaths.
Last time we got bogged down in a civil war, 50,000 Americans lost their lives and it tore America apart. You may think liberals will support this one. But they will start out supporting it and then turn on their own country and shred things again. That’s what they do.
And in our previous civil war adventure, the outcome actually made a difference to Americans. This one makes a difference to Europeans. Not to us. The best result is that one xenophobic, anti-american bunch of 7th century barbarians will replace an indistinguishably nasty bunch. The rebels would likely not provide as much comic relief as Ghadaffi and his babe bodyguards. But enhancing the seriousness of North Africa is not reason enough to jump in.
Let the Europeans handle it if they feel strongly enough about protecting their oil contracts in Libya. Without us spending money and putting our soldiers bodies on the line, I don’t think they will do much of anything.
They just voted FOR the no fly zone. So does that mean it starts immediately? Were planes standing by? Hmmm.
NO BLOOD FOR ISLAM!
It sounds to me like they are excluding ground forces. Maybe they are authorizing air and naval actions, including bombardment and blockade, and maybe special forces and covert actions. Training and arming the rebels as well.
But that would exclude taking and holding ground. In my opinion, they are leaving that up to the rebels, who are being routed at the present time.
I'm not liking this.
Sounds like a recipe for a stalemate, at best.
A Dutch guy on Twitter who monitors Aviation radio traffic was tweeting about an aircraft from the 318th Special Ops Command flying near Malta. That’s Cannon AFB and they have the AC-130 gunship, which would be useful in attacking assets near Benghazi, after that radar sites are taken out. (Everytime I see Blackhawk Down, I wish Clinton’s SecDef hadn’t turned down the requests for the Spectres and imagine one circling overhead, turning thousands of “skinnies” into liquefied mush.)
I agree with some of the previous posters that Ghaddafi needs payback for Pan Am 103. Nothing would be done if it weren’t for Cameron of the UK or Sarkozy of France.
BTW Xinhua is reporting we killed 80 people (including many civilians) by a drone attack in Pakistan that has angered many Pakistanis. I don’t know about 80, but the BBC has reported at least 40 dead. The American media is ignoring this story to protect Obama. If it was GWB, we’d be hearing about it non-stop. I don’t have a problem with drone attacks but the double-standard is bothersome. Obama just acts as if we’re not still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistani tribal areas.
Fox now reporting that air strikes are occurring on the outskirts of Benghazi, as well as what was described as artillery attacks. It is assumed that these reports are of Lybian loyalest forces moving on Benghazi
Obama! Whats’ your exit strategy?
LOL!-How well I relate to this comment.
Wonder if the team representing our country at the table at the UN were tough enough to assert our support but to demand the costs be equally divided. And like others here, I, too, would like to avoid troops on the ground unless and until who would take the major reigns of government there were clear. I don't believe for ONE SECOND AQ is there mastering this revolt but certainly believe Omar the tent man has put this forward to discourage any outside help for the revolutionaries there. For sure. And one smart move.
At any rate-thanks for the laugh and at least you did not use the words 'tent man' as an excuse.
LOL!-How well I relate to this comment.
Wonder if the team representing our country at the table at the UN were tough enough to assert our support but to demand the costs be equally divided. And like others here, I, too, would like to avoid troops on the ground unless and until who would take the major reigns of government there were clear. I don't believe for ONE SECOND AQ is there mastering this revolt but certainly believe Omar the tent man has put this forward to discourage any outside help for the revolutionaries there. For sure. And one smart move.
At any rate-thanks for the laugh and at least you did not use the words 'tent man' as an excuse.
Hi Republic,
You typed:
“Wonder if the team representing our country at the table at the UN were tough enough to assert our support but to demand the costs be equally divided.”
Our gov’t under The Osama is so corrupt, I doubt it. We probably promised to pay even more. All the better to ruin our economy. Osama/oblama is a muslim after all.
Oblama said he would stand with the muslims if the wind blew in an ugly direction. His scumbag homeboys. Hitler stated his intentions in “Mein Kampf” and no one either read it, or believed it.
“I don’t believe for ONE SECOND AQ is there mastering this revolt but certainly believe Omar the tent man has put this forward to discourage any outside help for the revolutionaries there. For sure. And one smart move.”
Neither do I. This tent dude. Very smart. It plays upon the small mentalities of the PC Sort (Oblama and the scum that elected him.)
“And coming up the rear is Obama’s golf cart.
But is it equipped with a teleprompter powerful enough to deal with this crisis?”
Excellent photoshop opportunity here folks. Wish I had the skills...have at it!
“Let the Europeans handle it if they feel strongly enough about protecting their oil contracts in Libya.”
AMEN! IF the Euros feel so strongly about it, let them handle it.
Maybe the UK can send one of their carriers, to the rage of their muslim population. The French can send their busted Charles de Gaulle carrier (the one with armored bridge windows so thick you can’t see thru them.)
Italy can send their cute little sea control ship (too small to be called a carrier) the Guiseppe Garibaldi. And land based assets in Sicily.
Screw this. We need to stay out. Without US forces, money, and lives, the Euros won’t do SHIT.
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