UN OKs Libya airstrikes, no-fly zone

MSNBC.com ^ | 03/17/11

[MissesBush]

UN OKs Libya airstrikes, no-fly zone Military action could follow within hours; Gadhafi tells The U.N. Security Council authorized a no-fly zone over Libya and called for Arab states and others to use "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from attacks by Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

The resolution passed 10-0 with five abstentions.

The resolution establishes “a ban on all flights in the airspace of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" while excluding an occupation force. It also calls for freezing the assets of the Libyan National Oil Corp. and the central bank because of links to Gadhafi.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe flew to New York Thursday to press the case for speedy Security Council approval.

The world is "living one of its great revolutions that changes the course of history," Juppe told the Security Council just before the vote.

The United States, France and Britain pushed for speedy approval because Gadhafi's forces are advancing toward opposition-held Benghazi. The Libyan leader vowed Thursday night to oust the rebels from their eastern stronghold.

Thousands of anti-Gadhafi protesters cheered and let off fireworks on Friday to celebrate the vote. Al Jazeera television showed the crowd firing guns in the air, setting off fireworks and waving flags from the monarchy era in celebration.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

This is an opportunity for the EU to step up, not the US.

[SE Mom]

Ping!

Who thought we’d live long enough to see the UN waging war?

[Eurotwit]

Thanks.

It will be interesting to see how this play out. I assume the French and the Brits will play a rather large role, but it’s hard to conceive the United States staying out.

Personally I think we might have been better off staying out of it. The arab league supports a no fly zone, and surely have the collective resources to fix their own mess.

Anyhow, it will be interesting to see the Typhoons in action...

[DTA]

>>>>We might as well take out regime targets and encircle Tripoli with Marines (and take the oilfields under Quadaffi control).<<<<<

Tripoli is the city of 2M, the majority of fighting age. If you calculate 3:1 ratio for the expeditionary forces, how many Marines do you need?

Instead of "to the shores of Tripoli" it could turn into the streets of Mogadishu.

There was a wrong intel from the get go. Read In Charge of the Light Brigade and reflect.

[darkside321]

This is an opportunity for the EU to step up, not the US.

---

Hell no. leave the EU out of this.
What has the EU to do if the french want to bomb libya?
I guess the same could be said for the US.
Now that france is “allowed” from the UN let them fight if they want. The brits can join too if they want (btw. I highly doubt that the british public does want this).
But for the rest sorry but not our war!

[Pan_Yan]

The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none; or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.

Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. If we remain one people under an efficient government. the period is not far off when we may defy material injury from external annoyance; when we may take such an attitude as will cause the neutrality we may at any time resolve upon to be scrupulously respected; when belligerent nations, under the impossibility of making acquisitions upon us, will not lightly hazard the giving us provocation; when we may choose peace or war, as our interest, guided by justice, shall counsel.

-George Wahington

[Blood of Tyrants]

So, just WHO is supposed to enforce and pay for this no fly zone?

[SIRTRIS]

This is what the world looks like with no USA leadership!!

[MissesBush]

Be fair. The people cheering the Pan Am bomber are not likely the people fighting Gadaffi’s regime now—they’re probably the ones fighting the rebels—nor do I recall seeing any celebrations of 9-11 in Tripoli. In Gaza and the West Bank and in Baghdad under Saddam’s command yes, but not in Libya.

[Carry_Okie]

So the UN decides to spend American money only after it will do no good and be a total waste. Will they blame us if Qadaffi kills his hostages too?

Bet on it.

[americanophile]

So Obama, the anti-war, Nobel Peace Price winning, Bush-hating president is about to launch an undeclared war on a nation that has not attacked the United States. Is that right?

[JoeProBono]

[Thunder90]

This means a likely ground invasion of Tripoli. It also allows the US capture Quadaffi. Maby he will get a free trip to Gitmo.

[coaltrain]

Will the Cheese Eatin’ Surrender Monkeys allow US fighters to fly over their airspace? If I recall correctly, the frenchies had a problem with it about 35 years ago when Reagan tried to take out Gaddafi.

F the French!

[Thunder90]

We need just enough Marines and soldiers (and NATO troops) to deny Libyan army transit in and out of Tripoli (and to capture any oilfields under his control).

[TigersEye]

I hope that’s right. The French and Brits pushed for this resolution let them put up the blood and treasure.

[Redcloak]

By air strikes, do they mean that other Arab tyrants will start bombing Benghazi now?

[mewykwistmas]

“he could well be doomed though chances are airstrikes will only be used on air defense positions.”

A couple of ‘errant’ 2000lbs bombs make his troops think twice about fighting for Ghadaffi

[TigersEye]

Oh, but of course! Any glimmer of hope that the U.S. could keep its forces out of this were sure to be short lived.

[Drill Thrawl]

Hold you calls we have a winner. Give this man a cigar!