Libyan rebels call for Arab support (& disputes emerging between Gaddafi's children)

[Turborama]

Source: Asharq Al-Awsat



08/03/2011
By Khaled Mahmoud

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – Military officials in the National Transitional Council, set up by the Libyan rebels, have called on the Libyan rebel forces not to attack Gaddafi's home town of Sirte for fear of sustaining heavy losses.

Libya's former representative to the Arab League, Abdul-Monem al-Houni, who is a senior member of the National Transitional Council, called on the Arab states to recognize the legitimacy of this body as the sole representative of the Libyan people. In a letter addressed to ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of Arab countries in Cairo, al-Houni said that the Libyan opposition forces are in control of 90 percent of the country, and he predicted that the remaining 10 percent of Libya would be liberated from Gaddafi control in the coming days.

A source within the Libyan National Transitional Council confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that until now 16 countries have recognized the council, and that 10 European countries are set to announce their recognition of the National Transitional Council in the near future.

Al-Houni also urged the Arab League and its member-states to take the initiative and recognize the Libyan National Transitional Council. Al-Houni told Asharq Al-Awsat that it is shameful that Western countries have taken steps to recognize the Libyan National Transitional Council whilst Arabs remain silent about this issue, he also stressed that the Libyan people are waiting for political and moral support from their Arab brothers in order to complete the revolution against Gaddafi's rule.

Read more: http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=24426

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The aticle goes on to say there are reports Gaddafi's children are starting to fight amongst themselves.

"the Gaddafi family has divided amongst itself"

[sabrina 1]

1. It is so hard to watch this.

Those people are so brave. I hope the U.N. does impose a NFZ but no troops on the ground.

The War mongers in this country are pushing for 'interventio' but only because of the oil, it certainly isn't for altruistic reasons.

:kick:

[Robbien]

2. The NFZ agreement proposed to the UN had wording attached to it

The U.S. amendment called for authorizing member states, working with the cooperation of the United Nations, to use "all means necessary to protect civilians and key installations."

That is the wording the US used as authorization to set up a NFZ over Iraq and we claimed that the wording also gave us the authorization for the invasion and occupation.

Russia said it would not agree to the US setting up the NFZ unless the US takes out the wording. So so far no authorization has been given.

[sabrina 1]

3. Then I would not support that and I'm sure neither would the

people of Libya.

Maybe they will prevail without any assistance other humanitarian help. But this regime is insane and I am afraid they are prepared to kill as many people as they can before they are finally forced out of power.

[Robbien]

4. I expect he is running out of resources

especially gas for his planes and trucks, since Libyan refineries have been shut down and no one outside of the country is going to get caught shipping any more to him.

That's what I'm hoping.

[sabrina 1]

5. That would help, but they probably have reserves

Enough to help keep on killing people for a while.

The only other hope is that his own people finally turn on him, realizing what they will be held responsible for.

There has to be a lot of fear among them that even if he prevails, he is now a wanted criminal and so are they. Someone in that regime must have a brain.

[pampango]

7. Interesting that Russia might agree to a NFZ if that wording is removed.

If this is accurate, there is still a possibility that the Security Council might take some effective action. I had thought that Russia's reservations about a NFZ went beyond the removal of that wording.

[Turborama]

6. Talking about hard to watch, have you seen the footage that's come out from Zawiyah?

I posted it in the videos forum just now (warning, there is footage of wounded children in it): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x560932


Due to the potential risks I was undecided about the NFZ until seeing that footage and reading http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4761197#4761677">this article. It's a big step to take, but when the women and children are getting maimed and killed that's when it's time to try and put a stop to it without actually invading, IMHO.

[sabrina 1]

11. Thank you, no I have not watched some of that video

as I know how horrible it is. Agree re the NFZ. I am torn because there is the definite threat of an invasion, and once they go in, they will never leave, especially with all that oil there, and that would threaten the other now liberated countries, Tunisia and Egypt.

But yes, something needs to be done to protect those poor, brave people. Don't know the answer, other than a Nato/Arab League alliance to simply take out his air capabilities without landing anyone on the ground.

The other possibility is to issue a warrant for his arrest charging him with crimes against humanity and list all of his known cohorts, with the message that there may be some consideration given to any of them who make an effort to stop him. I'm sure it's dawning on at least some of them that they cannot win now, they are pariahs and even if they wanted to, no one in the world, can ever deal with them again.

The most he can do is to keep killing until he runs out of the means to do so, but in the end, he will either die or be arrested.
Seems to me some of those around him must understand this and might want to try to hedge their bets by cooperating in ending this slaughter.

I mean they issued an arrest warrant for Julian Assange, who has not even been charged with anything.

[pampango]

8. Libyan revolutionaries ask for international aid

Source: EuroNews

At a news conference in the Libyan city of Benghazi the Interim National Council has rejected any negotiation with Muammar Gaddafi and called for a UN no fly zone over the north African country.

From there Francesca Cicardi reports: “The Libyan revolutionary government asked again for international aid, and said that any help will be welcomed, even military,” she said.

“Rebels confirmed they have had contact with foreign countries but didn’t specify which ones. They hope that their diplomatic representatives are speaking with EU governments and are hoping to get their backing.

“The rebels keep on asking for a no-fly zone and in the news conference made a point of thanking the Gulf states for supporting this option. It’s still uncertain how to put it in place, as the rebels reject any presence of foreign troops in Libya.”

Read more: http://www.euronews.net/2011/03/08/libyan-revolutionaries-ask-for-international-aid/

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Looks like we'll have to shift from "They don't want any foreign help" to "They can't have any help even if they ask for it."

[Posteritatis]

9. There's been more and more of a pro-Qadaffi vibe as a result of stuff like that

People saying that it's just too bad if the people don't have enough support to rout the national army in pitched battle, or that helping them upon request is exactly the same as invading Iraq, or even a few particularly horrible parodies of human beings openly saying Qadaffi's the good guy in all of this.

I figured this would be one where the goalposts would move as necessary, and where anyone who thought something should be done would be called out as an evil imperialist warmonger, and similar tricks that show the bar of discourse on issues like this is still set with a shovel.

[David__77]

10. Conservatives bash Obama's do-nothingness on Libya

It is odd to favor the ineffective over the effective, and to accept blithely the prolonged slaughter of innocents. But this in essence is Obama's non-policy on Libya.

Conservative critics find this disturbing, if not appalling. Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute e-mails me, "As best I can tell, the administration has elevated doing nothing to a policy art form. Better still, as the administration preaches the wisdom of doing nothing on Libya, having done nothing on either Egypt or Tunisia, the Secretary of Defense is spending his time wishing that as far as Iraq and Afghanistan were concerned, he could go back and do nothing retroactively." (The latter is in reference to Gates's comments last month that anyone recommending a military land operation in the future should "have his head examined.")

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-turn/2011/03/conservatives_bash_obamas_do-n.html

(I support the Obama administration's current policy on Libya, which is to condemn violations of rights and support assistance efforts.)

[Uncle Joe]

12. On edit, kicked but too late to recommend.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.