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UK says to work with allies on Libya no-fly zone
[Al Arabiya] Prime Minister  David Cameron... British PM Cameron describes himself as a modern compassionate conservativeand has spoken of a need for a new style of politics that doesn't involve disagreeing with people. He has stated that he is certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite,which means he's probably not. He has also claimed to be a liberal Conservative, and a very tall short person. Since he is not deeply ideologicalhe lacks core principles and is easily led. He has urged politicians to concentrate on improving people's happiness and general well-being, instead of focusing solely on financial wealth, which is easy for a stockbroker's kid to say. Ask him to loan you ten quid and see how that works out. He has been described as certainly not a Pitt, Elder or Younger, but he does wear a nice suit so maybe he's Beau Brummel ... said on Monday that Britain would work with allies on plans to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya to protect its people from military attacks by Muammar Qadaffy's government. Speaking to parliament, Cameron urged Qadaffy to step down and said that all measures would be considered to increase pressure on him to go. "We do not in any way rule out the use of military assets," Cameron said. "We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people. In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defense and the Chief of the Defense Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone." Separately, the U.S. military is repositioning naval and air forces around Libya, a Pentagon official said on Monday. "We have planners working and various contingency plans and I think it's safe to say as part of that we're repositioning forces to be able to provide for that flexibility once decisions are made ... to be able to provide options and flexibility," said Colonel David Lapan, a Pentagon front man. United States and European officials had discussed plans to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent further killings of civilians by troops loyal Qadaffy, The New York Times reported on Monday. The newspaper cited an unnamed senior administration official as saying that no decision had been made. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Sunday that a key friendship treaty signed between Italy and Libya in 2008 was "de facto suspended." "When the head of a regime shoots his own people the international community has to react and it has reacted," he said after the approval of U.N. sanctions. Asked about the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone in Libya, Frattini said: "It's an option that would constitute a real escalation of a military-type intervention. We need time to reflect on it." Posted by: Fred 2011-03-01 |
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