Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#1
The UN Security Council has voted to authorise a no-fly zone over Libya and approved a resolution permitting "all necessary measures" - code for military action - to protect civilians from Moamar Gaddafi's forces.
A no-fly zone could protect rebel-held areas from air strikes by government forces and prevent the regime from bringing in more weapons and mercenaries from outside the country.
The special cabinet are meeting later today to discuss the detail.No use of ground troops is envisaged. Pity they scrapped the Harrier squadrons or will they bring them out of mothballs like they've done with the Nimrods?. A lack of foresight methinks. It's important that the UK play a leading military role on the world stage and so long as the 'rebels win' it should help with future exports and construction contracts with Libya plus,hopefully, secure the oil fields to help stabilise the price of crude oil per barrel.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#2
Yes its beginning to look like we are going to get some hot action 'within hours'. The wait was fairly desperate and very long. This UN thing is such a long winded process with everyone worried about legalities and so on, but when help is needed its usually needed now, so the process should be speeded up for future situations.
The Americans have been very quiet on this...looks like Britain and France paved the way for this more forceful kind of humanitarian aid, and it is humanitarian aid.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
no "hot action" from us, the commons will debate the u.n. resolution on monday.
a real hot potato this one, we don't really know what the rebels represent or what their attitude to the west would be if they ousted the government.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#4
At the end of the day we must do what is right. Gadaffi is no friend of the west and his downfall is well over due.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#5
Howard
The 9am news said Cameron was to address parliament today and military action could take place within hours.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
#6
The longer we drag our heels on this, the more ground Gadaffi will gain, the main thing is there will be an ever growing list of 'disappeared', as he seeks revenge for questioning his authority. I feel that we should have acted sooner rather than later, but this is probably 'fast track' in UN terms.
Harriers and Apache helicopters should be able to calm the situation down a bit.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#7
The problem Barry was the Obama administration dragging its heels because they were torn with division. If Obama had shown the leadership that he should then the resulution could have been passed a week ago.
The BBC had an erronious report having bought the Obama spin claiming it a triumph for him. In fact Cameron has been the one pushing this and it was very much his triumph having spent a lot of time on it. The evidence of this was in him being the first to say this should be done only for a spokesman in the USA to poo poo this very action.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#8
Things have radically changed, Barry. Now, the US Administration is presenting a detailed plan, endorsed by Bill Gates, to go hammer and tongs into Libya.
This could mean, if my judgment of strategy is right, the deployment of hundreds of warplanes and hundreds of missiles, being launched from warships and aircraft-carriers, an Irak/Serbia style campaign, where missiles reign down in cities hitting "military targets", and every one hundred civilians blown to smithereens is a "oh sorry for the bombs" mistake, full of "regrettable" collateral damage written on the faces of military spokesmen while attempting to spin themselves off as latter-day saints.
I've seen it all before, and hoped I wouldn't see it happen again. I had hoped that no government would compromise Britain again in other peoples' wars.
I agreed with the idea of joint defence cooperation between Britain and France, if this was for purely defensive measures for Britain and France, but this with Libya is something else.
Adding to that, only ten days ago the rebels were on the march trying to conquer Sirte and Tripoli, with weapons in their hands, showing all the world that they were attacking to impose their authority with use of force in Libyan towns and cities where not all people think like they do.
The fact that their leader was a top minister in Col. Gedaffi's government only adds insult to injury. One would have expected him to act decently and within respect of peace, if he had had anything to say against his own government.
Instead he escalated the situation and dragged the country into civil war.
If I supported him, I would be likely to support revolution and civil war in Britain, but as I don't support him, neither will I ever preach such things in our Country.
Principles remain steadfast with me: if you have something to say, stand up and say it decently, but don't bring revolution and civil war on your own country.
The Libyans probably had it much better than most industrialised countries, with all social services laid on, and no poverty, unlike many poor countries further south in the Sahara, where I would have welcomed some sort of economic help in the form of civic infrastructure (irrigation and the like) on the part of western countries.
As for oil, Libya was and still is, to an extent, supplying the stuff, and has never undertaken steps to use it as a means to damage the West by withholding it or trying to increase the price of oil artificially.
To claim that Britain has to attack Libya in order to get oil is hypocrisy, and exactly that will be explained by the Libyan government as a reason as to why any military attack from the West is being carried out.
At this rate, I see very dark horisons, and don't really know what else to add to this.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#9
oh gawd Alexander - you do make thing up.... what a wild imagination you have and some very weird ideas.
I bet you think Elvis is alive and well living on Mars...
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#10
The Prime Minister has just made a statement. part of what he said is below and is not verbatim.
"""""After advice from the Attorney General, the Government is satisfied there is a legal base for the deployment of UK forces. The Cabinet agreed that UK forces will play their part to enforce the Resolution. The Chief of the Defence staff has been instructed to make the necessary military preparations, including sending Tornadoes, Typhoons and surveillance aircraft to the region. Those preparations have already started.
There will be a substantive motion for debate in the Commons next week. but we need to move forward immediately on the basis of the UN Resolution.
We call on Gaddafi to cease the violence against his own people and we will issue a clear statement of what we expect from him later today."""""
This is good.
It seems all the right steps are being made including a clear statement of how this can end so Gadaffi and, perhaps more importantly, those around him, know what they have to do.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#11
(1)It is all to late.
(2) I think we should stay out of this one,let the UN deal with it, they all vote for it,but the UK are always the ones that are sent in first,with the rest following on,lets just keep out of it.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#12
Oh...ok.. well you are wrong again Vic but why change a habit of a lifetime.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#13
Only wrong in your eyes ,you would say that anyway just because it was me who said it..i would love to like you 100% right all the time.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#14
marek
re; post 5, you are right about dave making a statement, but the whole affair is being debated on monday in the commons.
another thing here, the arab league have endorsed military action, so why do they not do the job?
they have state of the arts weaponry and large armies, after all we sold them the weapons and helped train their armies.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#15
You are Right Howard,let them sort it out,The Uk do more then its share now.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#16
Howard - their weaponry is not all 'state of the art' and they lack key capabilities. Indeed we would not want them to get certain 'key capabilities' either. The Saudis do have a capable air force though, unlike most other Arab countries supplied by us and the USA rather than Russia, but I believe end user agreements may restrict how they can deploy.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
forget end user agreements barry, at present saudi troops are on bahraini soil using weapons that doubtlessly were not intended for this use.
yemeni troops have been busiy gunning down their citizens, whoever sold them the weapons would have had a proviso that they would be used to defend their borders.
you have rightly said that the saudis have a capable air force, as things stand that is all that is required.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#18
Barry, may-be you do not realise that people in Britain, many people, are authentically worried, and do not agree with your ideas. Our Country does not have any legal obligations to fight the wars of these, those or the other rebels, in this, that or the other country.
However, the same Barry explains to us all how our Army has to fight rebels in Afghanistan, because they are rebels, but then has to fight for rebels in Libya, because they are rebels. ??? !!!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#19
If you are unable to answer your own question Alexander then there is no hope for you.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#20
I need to lie down in a dark room
I actually agree with Barry on this one
Cannot be well
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
