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| International-UN-NGOs |
| UN approves no-fly zone |
| 2011-03-17 |
| The U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved a no-fly zone over Libya and authorized "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from attacks by Moammar Gadhafi's forces. The action came as the Libyan leader was poised to make a final push against rebels holding out in Bengazhi, Libya's second largest city. The vote in the 15-member council was 10-0 with five abstentions, including Russia and China. Gadhafi said in an interview broadcast Thursday on Portuguese public broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa that he rejected any U.N. threats of action. "The U.N. Security Council has no mandate," Gadhafi said. "We don't acknowledge their resolutions." |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #12 If and its a big if anyone was thinking ahead there should be a cruise missile sub in the Golf of Sidra right now. Targeting wont be a problem and our people are not exposed. We take out command and control, Sam sites, communications the national tv station and just for good measure the palace tent. Let the Brits, French and Arabs do the overflights - we're just the tenderizer |
| Posted by: Retired LEO 2011-03-17 23:24 |
| #11 Its a crap sandwich any way we got. Col Daffy will leave one way or another sooner or later, and it will be bloody - especially if he wins now, the retribution and tribal genocides will be horrible, as well as repriasals against his neighbors. Better to prevent that. What will replace him is unknown, but is unlikely to be even worse. I say if we are going to do anything, better kill the one we know is a devil while we have a chance and the opposition is fragmented and still influence-able. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2011-03-17 23:08 |
| #10 If the UN approves it, I have to conclude it is a bad idea and we should have nothing to do with it. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2011-03-17 22:59 |
| #9 Liberals can't defend a nation. They can only defend an agenda, and in this case the agenda is peace at all costs. Obama won't suffer with his base over his inaction because this is precisely what his base wants him to do: Gut the military, render it useless and then fail to employ it when circumstances demand it. Liberals such as Obama love dead Americans and if their actions or lack of it can place more Americans in danger, then that is a fulfillment of the liberal agenda. And if you are spitting mad because of this crap, you should be. |
| Posted by: badanov 2011-03-17 22:09 |
| #8 The only way the Egyptians can save this is to roll a full armored division across the border right now, with appropriate air cover. As for the US, other than knocking down Libyan AF planes, interdicting the supplies and sinking their ships, the only effective weapon we have now are direct attacks on the leadership. Immediate, before the rats have scurried. This will be quite hazardous to our aircrews compared to actions that were available even 5-6 days ago. We simply waited too long to be effective any other way. That bastard president we have doesn't realize the eternal triangle of how the dues of war are paid: time, money and blood. We have wasted time, money is fixed, so that only leaves blood as the potential spendable element. God be with our armed forces, especially the Navy and Air Force crews and the special forces operators who will soon be at the tip of the blade. You know, the place where the blood flows. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2011-03-17 21:13 |
| #7 Oooh, they're sending them assault rifles and some ammo. That's barely enough to deal with rampaging street gangs... I guess some more poor stupid bastards can waste a couple more clips lying on their back shooting at the contrails of Mirages screaming overhead. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2011-03-17 20:24 |
| #6 My theory is that the Saudis strong-armed the Arab League into going along with this thing. Why? Gaddafi tried to knock off Crown Prince Abdullah (now king) back in 2003. Very bad move on his part, especially given that the man he picked was arrested and sang like a canary. I have to wonder if Abdullah is looking beyond revenge in looking to topple Gaddafi. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-03-17 20:19 |
| #5 Germany abstained. The Hun no longer. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2011-03-17 20:15 |
| #4 I should hope the Navy has this well targeted and the Tomahawks are on the way. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2011-03-17 20:12 |
| #3 From USA Today... Update at 6:53 p.m. ET: British and French warplanes could make initial air raids on Libyan positions as early as Friday, the BBC reports, citing senior U.N. sources. Arab allies might provide logistical support. Also this... Update at 7:02 p.m. ET: Egypt is shipping weapons and ammunition to Libyan rebels, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing U.S. and rebel officials. The shipments, mostly assault rifles and ammunition, are apparently the first known instances of an outside government arming the rebels, who have been losing ground to Moammar Gadhafi's forces. The Journal says the shipments are occurring with the knowledge of the Obama administration. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-03-17 20:05 |
| #2 This should take sixth fleet about thirty seconds to start implementing. I wouldn't want to be working the night shift at the air base power plant. |
| Posted by: penguin 2011-03-17 19:50 |
| #1 And they're talking about sortieing... Sunday. Maybe. If the base commander doesn't have to get his hair done that day, in which case, maybe Monday. Gaddafi will try his best to level Benghazi between now and Sunday. Can't destroy armored columns in the open desert or the highways if they're buried bayonet-deep in built-up civilian areas, shooting anyone who looks cross-eyed at them, while the western jets can't tell the difference between good guys and blood-gutted mercenary scum at sixteen thousand feet. Unless this happens tonight, it's too late, the only thing salvaged will be a modicum of useless honor, and that's being charitable. "Saving face" is more like it. I hope to be proved wrong, and there are actually French strike packages inbound as I type, but I see no signs of it right now.. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2011-03-17 19:41 |