US senators to block confirmation of Libya envoy

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

Four U.S. Senate Democrats said on Thursday they would block the confirmation of President George W. Bush's nominee to be ambassador to Libya until Tripoli makes good on its promise to fully compensate relatives of victims of terrorist attacks in the 1980s.

Bush moved on Wednesday to fill the post that has been vacant for nearly 35 years, nominating Gene Cretz, currently deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, to be U.S. ambassador to Libya.

The move came despite unresolved issues with Libya over compensation for families of Americans killed in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 and the 1986 bombing of the La Belle discotheque in Berlin that killed two U.S. servicemen and injured 90 others.

The Senate Democrats, led by Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, said no U.S. ambassador should set foot in Tripoli until Libya fulfilled the financial commitments made to the victims' families.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N12376606.htm

[NV Whino]

1. Oh boy, time for new glasses

I was sure that said Libby envoy.