Moonlight Graham Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) The UN Security Council has voted on a resolution that would not only impose a no-fly zone but authorize member states to take all necessary measures to protect civilians from attacks by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces. The vote late Thursday was 10 to zero in favour of the measure with five abstentions, including Russia and China. Immediately following the vote, a crowd of thousands fired guns in the air and set off fireworks in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi to celebrate the news, Al Jazeera TV showed. The vote could open the way for strikes by Western militaries on Gadhafi's ground troops and armour. and U.S. moves for no-fly zoneIn the face of Gadhafi's increasingly powerful advance, the United States sought the UN mandate to strike his forces on land, sea and air. The U.S.'s expanded call for action was a dramatic about-face for Washington, which for weeks has been expressing hesitation over imposing a more limited no-fly zone in Libya. The U.S. change in position reflected the past week's swift reversal of the realities on the ground where once-confident rebels are now in danger of being crushed under an overpowering pro-Gadhafi force using rockets, artillery, tanks and warplanes. Mr Linky Edited April 27, 2011 by Moonlight Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeyhands Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Great news. I was feeling very bad for the rebels, it looked for a while that they were being abandoned by the rest of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 This one is on France....they need/want the oil. I hope the Americans play a very minor role. China and Russia abstained, so they won't be helping as usual either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyly Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Great news. I was feeling very bad for the rebels, it looked for a while that they were being abandoned by the rest of the world. I didn't want to see the US or any other country go in unilaterally, if there was inference it had to be approved by the UN, this is the correct way it should be done...A draft version of Resolution 1973 released earlier on Thursday called for members to "establish a ban on all flights in the airspace" in the North African country and authorized "all necessary measures" to protect civilians caught up in fighting there. it's more than a no fly zone, all "necessary measures" to protect civilians leaves a lot of flexibility for those enforcing the directive, including attacks on ghadaffi's troops should they attack Benghazi...air power alone can destroy ghadaffi's forces to a point where the rebels can handle the ground war, just recall what coalition air forces did to Iraqis army on the "highway of death" in Kuwait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post To The Left Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) Is it too late though? Even if Libya's jets can't provide air support how is going it to help the rebels, a bunch a guys with AK-47s, fighting a trained armed force? That said a student of history might look back at Rommel's advance across the exact same land, as Gaddafi's forces have travelled, and you'll see the same things that spelled the end of the Desert Rats' advance: -Over extended supply lines with the opposing force having a very little distance to supply troops -If the no-fly zone goes up then it might be like how Rommel was pummelled as he lost air support the closer he got to British airbases and the further he got from German/Italian ones. But again the British were a trained professional army not a bunch of newly armed rebels. Edited March 18, 2011 by Post To The Left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post To The Left Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) Canada is expected to announce that it will deploy six CF-18 fighter jets to help enforce the UN's just-approved no-fly zone over Libya, CBC Obviously the planes can fly over there but I wonder how they'll get the support crews, ammunition, etc over to Malta in time?? Edited March 18, 2011 by Post To The Left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyly Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Is it too late though? Even if Libya's jets can't provide air support how is going it to help the rebels, a bunch a guys with AK-47s, fighting a trained armed force?a trained fighting force without air cover = target practice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post To The Left Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) a trained fighting force without air cover = target practice... Yeah but isn't that assuming UN planes will be able to go on the offensive. The UN action sounds like they're trying to create a no/fly zone like the one protecting the Kurds from Saddam. Edited March 18, 2011 by Post To The Left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Dancer Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 The G&M article yesterday had a US spokeperson saying that the US or NATO would not do this on its own, that significant support must be given by other Arab nations. I can see why this is politically important...especially given that every arab nation is in line for similar rebellions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Graham Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 The wording of the resolution is interesting: "Authorises member states to "take all necessary measures" to "protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack". This is, all measures excluding occupational forces. But you can bet covert ground forces from various countries are making their way to eastern Libya as we speak, if they haven't been there already of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Great news. I was feeling very bad for the rebels, it looked for a while that they were being abandoned by the rest of the world. Like in Bahrain? I wonder how the UN would have reacted if the countries neighbouring Libya had sent troops to help prop up Gadaffi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeyhands Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 man did Ghadafi back down quickly... good for the UN. The rest of this should play out very interestingly now. Libya declares ceasefire Libya declared an immediate cease-fire Friday, trying to fend off international military intervention after the U.N. authorized a no-fly zone and “all necessary measures” to prevent the regime from striking its own people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Dancer Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 man did Ghadafi back down quickly... good for the UN. The rest of this should play out very interestingly now. Libya declares ceasefire That is the ideal outcome...although I won't believe it till the week is out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyly Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) man did Ghadafi back down quickly... good for the UN. The rest of this should play out very interestingly now. Libya declares ceasefire but his actions don't reflect what what is said, the siege and shelling of Misurata continues...when the bombs drop to neutralize his AA defense we'll see if that encourages the rebels in the east to rise up again and provoke a response from ghadaffi... Edited March 18, 2011 by wyly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeyhands Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 but his actions don't reflect what what is said, the siege and shelling of Misurata continues...when the bombs drop to neutralize his AA defense we'll see if that encourages the rebels in the east to rise up again and provoke a response from ghadaffi... With the fighting being monitored now, if there is shelling taking place it will be dealt with quickly. The UN will want to be seen as having teeth. If I were a pro Government soldier manning artillery, I'd walk away rather quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyly Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 With the fighting being monitored now, if there is shelling taking place it will be dealt with quickly. The UN will want to be seen as having teeth. If I were a pro Government soldier manning artillery, I'd walk away rather quickly.true I think those tanks in artillery near Benghazi would be dealt with very quickly they're absolutely defenceless in a open desert against airpower...in Misurata it's a different story much of the fighting is in the city itself, there is no way for air power to determine friend from foe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) I am a cynic. Part of me believes the no fly zone is as much about protecting oil fields from both Ghadaffi and the rebels equally. However part of me says, what the phack took so long. Hopefully this prevents a horrible slaughter of people by the mad man Moe. However I won't hold my breath. Moe the Mad Man will simply send his mercenaries in by foot. Gawd help the people standing up to this sick sob. If the Arab League had any bawlz it would send in a multi-nation force and get rid of him. I can understand though how they do not have the resources to do that or why they wouldn't. As usual it will end up being the U.S. the country that everyone hates carrying the weight of the solution. Not that anyone cares but the US Navy has already played a huge role in Libya to date as well as now in Japan. The US Navy's presence of the coast of Libya has made people think twice about shipping arms to Moe. The problem now is all the sob's who want to sell him weapons and make a fortune off of this bloodshed. I found it interesting Russia agreed with the no fly zone. They stood to be the most fierce opponent for two reasons-1. shutting down Libyan oil means more for them to sell and 2. they are not exactly fans of NATO and its presence in Europe or anywhere. The cynic in me says someone had to pay them to look the other way. Since Italy is the bigest user of Libyan oil one would think they are part of the air patrols along with the French, British and U.S. Knowing the Dutch when they see we are sending 6 jets they will help. The Dutch always support Canada, always. They never miss an opportunity to stand by us on what we do. I would imagine NATO will send most of the jets, if not all of them i.e., US, Britain, France, Italy and Canada but it would not surprise me if Spain and Holland get involved as well. Now once they are done there how about a no fly zone over Sudan. No wait, the oil all belongs to China, who cares if the genocide continues there. While I am at it I applaud the US's efforts to help New Zealand and Japan. Good on them. Where are all you anti Americans? Gonna tell me China does what they do when there are world disasters? You can take China and its no. 2 economy and shove it up its keester. The US is always the leader in times of world disaster. Gpod on them. Also good on the British and French for pushing the no fly zone. Oh sure maybe they are protecting financial interests but still it is the right thing to do. The world is friggin nutz but hopefully we can still do the right thing. Edited March 18, 2011 by Rue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleg Bach Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 The UN as always as in Africa always wait for the body count to go up...what the hell does the UN have to do with authorizing any action. What the problem was with this belated restriction of bombing civilians and rebels was in the fact that west who have vested interests in oil - were vacilating...between - keeping there old buisness ties with what they considered a stable dictatorship under Kadafi...and continue to maintain the old status quo...Dealing with the devil they know...OR - to take their chances with the rebels who might not be as compliant with the was as was the curly haired crazy Colonel.....I suppose that if they held out any longer with not creating a no-fly zone - Someone might eventually grow suspect of the west and figure out that they are as corrupt as any crazed eastern dictator - It would never do for the world to see the truth - hence now the no-fly zone...and thousands of good men dead while they conemplated their own selfish selve interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post To The Left Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) "A dictator no longer wanted by his people, but determined to play out in real time a bloody slaughter, and it is a slaughter that we now have the power, the demand and the legal basis to stop. That is why what we are doing is right." Mr Obama said: "Now, once more, Muammar Gaddafi has a choice. Let me be clear: these terms are not negotiable … if Gaddafi does not comply with the resolution, the international community will impose consequences and the resolution will be enforced." Seems like they have much more leeway to go on the offensive than I thought: Libya: Col Gaddafi told to leave now or face the bombers Col Muammar Gaddafi was on Friday night warned that he must surrender large swathes of Libya or face military action from Britain, France and other Western countries this weekend. Edited March 18, 2011 by Post To The Left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GostHacked Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Great, another war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilber Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Great, another war. In case you hadn't noticed, this war has been going on for a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogOnPorch Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Nice shot of one of Daffy's Su-24s heading for the turf. http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/French+planes+over+Libya/4471278/story.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GostHacked Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 In case you hadn't noticed, this war has been going on for a few weeks. I have noticed, and it started long before Libya started having issues. The whole region is going to be a war zone. This will escalate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Nice shot of one of Daffy's Su-24s heading for the turf. http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/French+planes+over+Libya/4471278/story.html Damn...gives new meaning to the term "shot down". Safe ejection...must be a Martin seat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 (edited) In case you hadn't noticed, this war has been going on for a few weeks. Indeed....but oh no...here we go again....the world is going to end for sure this time! It's almost 2012! Edited March 19, 2011 by bush_cheney2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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