Rebel fighters and civilians flee from Ajdabiyah, on the road to Benghazi, March 15, 2011. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
Posted on 03/16/2011 3:45:46 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TOBRUK, Libya (Reuters) – Libya's army pounded an opposition-held city in the country's west and battled fighters trying to block its advance on a rebel bastion in the east on Wednesday amid flagging diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States hoped for a U.N. Security Council vote aimed at ending Libya's conflict "no later than Thursday.
Saying Muammar Gaddafi seemed determined to kill as many as Libyans as possible in his violent effort to quell a month-long uprising, she said "many different actions" were being considered not just a no-fly zone.
The United States, Russia, China, Germany, India and other council members are either undecided or voiced doubts about the proposal for a no-fly zone being proposed by Britain and France.
In Geneva, former French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner lambasted the international community for its delay in imposing a no-fly zone, saying it was too late to save lives.
"A no-fly zone is a minimum. It's certainly already too late," Kouchner said of the crackdown on an increasingly vulnerable-looking uprising inspired by pro-democracy revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.
"We've known since three weeks that the poor civil society, the poor people, are dying. And we are doing nothing," he told World Radio Switzerland.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Enjoy your trip to South&Latin America, Obammy.
Libya will be a done deal before ya know it.. or you get back.. whichever comes first.
God, could the Hildebeast be any more banal and useless and stupid and blah...?
Rebel fighters and civilians flee from Ajdabiyah, on the road to Benghazi, March 15, 2011. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi appears in a live broadcast on state television in Tripoli in this still image taken from video March 15, 2011. REUTERS/LIBYIAN TV via Reuters TV
Why would you want Obama involved in any of this?
Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi said on Tuesday he was determined to crush the month-old rebellion against him as his army said that it would soon move against the rebel bastion of Benghazi. (AFP/Graphic)
Did the french forget that Libya is just across the Med?
One quick night raid and they could destroy most of Gaddafi’s air force.
The Black Aces would if asked, and from the other side of the earth.
Excellent question.
--
Uncle Joe is busy elsewhere. ;-)
Consider the consequences if Gaddafi had to step down because of the actions of a man whom he supported, requested support from his fellow Muslims, Africans and even Arabs.
Obama probably figures a captured Gadaffi would start singing about all the financial support that was given to his campaign thanks to Gadaffi's help.
The last thing Obama wants is to wake up and look out the window of the White House only to see the US military tanks pointing their guns at him and demanding that he step outside now and face the charges.
A man from a tribe in southern Libya is seen in central Tripoli March 15, 2011. Heavy bombardment by Muammar Gaddafi's warplanes and artillery forced Libyan rebels to abandon a strategic town on Tuesday, and world powers failed to agree to push for a no-fly zone. REUTERS/Chris Helgren
Now I know Libya “officially” renounced and gave up its WMD program, but I would assume they still have some chemical weapons lying around. I could see Qhadafi destroying Tripoli if he saw the end was near.
Ronald Reagan would not have allowed this to happen.
Sickening.
Why isn’t the west doing anything? Because Ghaddafi is the enemy they know and over 40 years have benefitted from numerous business interests and kick backs.
Ghaddafi is one of the UN’s cash cows. Just like Saddam was until Bush finished him off.
Excellent question."
It's quite unclear that whatever would naturally replace Q'Daffy would be better for the interests of the US.
Hey, what's the line on the Duke game?
Hmm... I wonder how N Korea may be interpreting all of this "carry a BIG stick... but follow up with nothing" policy?
It's sad the left doesn't understand that a perception of weakness leads to aggression.
This will get people killed unnecessarily.
I am not saying someone should go in, but it shows why EU will NEVER, EVER be a world power. To do do anything they have to convince 27 states, from powerhouses like Germany to ‘countries’ like Cyprus.
No one in their right mind wants Obama involved in this but Obama committed himself to it and then threw the action into the hands of Sarkozy, Cameron and the U.N. which are bickering and undecided on what to do while Mummar is strengthen his positions - meanwhile Europe is looking back at Obama to do something and he doesn’t want to do anything either ——he is emboldening our enemies because they now know that Obama is nothing but words and a empty suit, he is too chicken to do something especially after saying that Gaddafi must leave and he was considering options!
In the first place, the majority of Americans don't trust the rebels (why exchange a headache for an upset stomach?)....and most folks feel the best chance for a continued flow of oil to our country is with ole Gaddafi rather than with the rag tag, erratic rebels.
Obama will come out of this looking like a genius.
Leni
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