BREAKING: LIBYA ANNOUNCES HALT TO ALL MILITARY OPERATIONS - IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE

[pinboy3niner]

Source: CNN

Just announced on CNN, no link yet.


EDIT:


Statement of Libya's Foreign Minister via AJE:

2:35pm

Libya's foreign minister:

Libya, after having seen the resolution, would like to explain the following.

As the country will try to deal with this resolution. Libya now has knowledge of this resolution, and according to article 25 of the UN charter, and taking into consideration that Libya is a full member of the UN, we accept that it is obliged to accept the security council resolution.

Therefore, Libya has decided an immediate ceasefire, and the stoppage of all military operations.

Libya takes great interest in protecting all civilians, and offering them all necessary humanitarian aid, and respecting all human rights, and obliging to the international and humanitarian laws and it is also obliged to protect all of the foreigners in Libya and protecting their assets.

In doing so, Libya is in accordance with the resolutions of the security council and the articles of the charter of the United Nations.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-18





No link yet.

---

[bigworld]

1. Wow. The UN works as it was meant to.

But I'll believe it when I see it.

[Lars77]

2. Bullshit

They are shelling Misrata RIGHT NOW, Al Jazeera reports tanks is entering the city, artillery levelling building after building. A rebel says they are moving the tanks into the city to make it harder for UN forces to strike them - using civillians as shields.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

25. "Misrata is on fire"

Native citizen just interviewed on CNN:puke:: "There is no ceasefire"

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Scuba]

3. Pleeeeeze let this be true. n/t

[jannyk]

4. BBC Breaking: Libya 'to halt military action (link)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12787739

Libya's government is declaring an immediate ceasefire, hours after a UN Security Council resolution backed a no-fly zone over the country.

Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa said the ceasefire was intended "to protect civilians".

The UN resolution supported "all necessary measures" to protect civilians, short of an occupation. Western powers had been discussing how to enforce the no-fly zone.

Before the announcement of the ceasefire, fighting between troops loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and rebel forces was reported to be continuing.

[SkyDaddy7]

5. WOW! I doubt the Rebels want a cease fire!

Plus, I do not trust anything that man says!

[NoTimeToulouse]

8. Hey! This is an internal matter. We should let the Q-man do as he pleases.

:sarcasm:

[Fuddnik]

6. Baghdad Bob has a new gig.

[pinboy3niner]

7. Let me take a shot in the dark--Libyan Foreign Minister?

:rofl:

[Earth Bound Misfit]

19. Bingo. n/t

[KurtNYC]

18. forgot all about him

Baghdad Bob's Greatest Hits:

After the invasion of Baghdad:
"We blocked them inside the city. Their rear is blocked. They pushed a few of their armored carriers and some tanks with their soldiers. We besieged them and I think we will finish them soon."

About footage of Iraqi soldiers surrendering:
"Those are not Iraqi soldiers at all."

[rayofreason]

41. There are no Indians at Little Big Horn!

Custer has them all surrounded and their bellies will roast in hell I tell you!

From "Baghdad Bob's Excellent Adventure"

[AngryAmish]

9. I bet Hillary gets a good nights sleep tonite

[Beacool]

31. Is she back in the States?

If she is, she usually leaves DC Friday afternoons and goes home to NY. Bill joked last year that she is usually so sleep deprived that when she gets home on Fridays she goes straight to the bedroom to sleep.

:D

[pinboy3niner]

10. MORE of Libyan FM's statement:

We emphasise in the resolution 1973 for the year 2011, we emphasise and agree to the article regarding the protection of civilians and the territorial unity of Libya.

"And therefore, building on this, we are opening all dialogue channels with everyone interested in the territorial unity of Libya.

"And my country is very serious about continuing the development, economic, political, humanitarian and social development of the Libyan nation.

"And we have indeed taken serious steps in continuing this development for the good of the Libyan people. And we believe that this will take the country back to safety and security for all Libyans.

"We also express our sadness towards what the resolution has included, of procedures against the Libyan nation, such as the no-fly zone, which includes commercial and civilian flights.This will increase the suffering of the Libyan people, and will have a negative impact on the general life of Libyan people.

"The international community should have exempted civilians from the resolution to secure their quality of life.

"Also, the total and inclusive freezing of all Libyan assets and investments will have a very negative impact on normal Libyans and also on Libya's ability to fulfill its contracts locally and internationally.

"Libya also finds that its very strange that the UN allows in its resolution the use of military power and there are signs that this might indeed take place.

"This goes clearly against the UN Charter, and its a violation of the national sovereignty of Libya. And it's also in violation of Article 4(2) of the UN Charter.

"And finally, we insist and emphasise our request for all international governments, NGOs and others to check the facts on the ground by sending fact-finding missions so that they can take the right decision by seeing the facts on the ground.

"Thank you."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-18

[Beacool]

11. Gaddafi is not such a tough guy after all.

Like all bullies, they are cowards at heart.

Good for the UN, I hope that this deters Libya from attacking the rebels.

;-)

[pinto]

12. Here, too - Libya declares cease-fire, halts military operations (LA Times)

Libya declares cease-fire, halts military operations

Libya's foreign minister says the Kadafi government is declaring a cease-fire and stopping military operations.

More soon at http://link.latimes.com/r/WDVMTC/G64HL/IIS1P9/VG7DK/6263WQ/RF/h

[pinboy3niner]

13. Thanks for the link

:hi:

[MannyGoldstein]

14. I hope it's true, but...

I suspect that they're buying time, repositioning their antiaircraft stuff and so forth.

[neoralme]

23. No, I don't think so. But I think they will switch tactics and get

a more Stasi type operation going. The NFZ is good but it is late. I wish Sarkozy would have gone in himself with whoever he could have drug with him two weeks ago. The rebels may not try again and the situation will revert back to pre-revolution. Actually, I wouldn't be surprise if this attenuates all further revolutions. I'll bet Hillary can't wait to exit State. Just another precursor.

[BenzoDia]

15. This is good news from a civilian casualty stand point.

But the point of the uprisings are that people are tired of Gaddafi's iron fisted rule. So protests will continue unhindered? Gaddafi will step down or at least treat the people fairly?

[dipsydoodle]

21. I would assume

that a cease fire applies to both sides. :shrug:

The point of the uprisings are that SOME people are tired of Gaddafi's iron fisted rule. I have pointed out before that there have been no indications of how representative the protesters are in proportion to the total population of Libya. It could be that many , waiting in the side lines , are not supportive of either the rebels or Gaddafi.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. Someone must have upped the $$$$$$$$$$$. n/t

[KurtNYC]

20. Possibly the rebels cut a deal for the oil futures

what else would take 10 days of negotiation while under fire from Gaddafi's mercenaries?

Why do I think we played both sides of this thing?

[drm604]

17. I'm skeptical.

I hope it's true but, as others have said, it may simply be a stalling tactic.

[neoralme]

27. That's exactly what it is. Had this been done two weeks ago

would have kept the revolution going. Now, it allows for the secret police operations to flourish.

[pinboy3niner]

22. UK PM Cameron: We'll judge Gaddafi "by his actions, not his words"

Via AJE:

3:32pm

David Cameron, the UK's prime minister, says that the international community will judge Gaddafi's government by "his actions not his words". In comments to the BBC, he said:

We will judge him by his actions not his words. What is absolutely clear is the UN Security Council resolution said he must stop what he is doing, brutalising his people. If not, all necessary measures can follow to make him stop.

"That is what we agreed last night, that is what we are preparing for and we'll judge him by what he does."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-18

[Turborama]

24. I saw AJE report from outside Number 10 Downing Street on what he said

And for once I have to agree with him.

I think this is a bullshit ploy.

Especially when you read/listen to what he said to Benghazi last night: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4776053

:hi:

[Uncle Joe]

34. Kicked and recommending the thread for this post.

The UN needs to have observers in the affected areas immediately to make sure Gaddafi sticks to his word.

[pinboy3niner]

26. "He's been lying to the world for 42 years" ...Misurata STILL under attack by Gaddafi's tanks!

--Resident of Misurata calling into CNN live, with sounds of Gaddafi's tanks shelling the city--moments ago!

Many casualties...caller begs world to bomb Gaddafi into submission and bring him to justice for all his crimes, all the killings he's done going back to 1969.

Call over.

Ceasefire, my ass! Gaddafi's forces are continuing their tank assault on Misurata.

[Turborama]

28. AJE are reporting that he's still fighting in Misurata and there is no such thing as a ceasefire n/t

[pinboy3niner]

29. Spain's PM: "International community not going to be fooled by Gaddafi regime"

From AJE:

4:11pm

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, says the "international community is not going to be fooled by the Gaddafi regime".

One thing must be clear: the international community is not going to be fooled by the Gaddafi regime. The international community, with all the means it has available, will carry out the resolution to the letter."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-18

[golddigger]

30. Yeah and Arizona has gone blue.

[pinboy3niner]

32. WHAT ceasefire? asks Misurata resident while under attack by Gaddafi tanks

AJE reports:

4:50pm <10:50am EDT>

Abdul Basit Abu Muzairik, a resident of Misurata, tells Al Jazeera that government forces continue to shell the city, despite the announcement of the ceasefire.

Yes, there is shelling by the artillery and the tanks. Although they have been chased to the outskirts of the city, they continue to shell towards the centre of the city. It is still under the control of the revolutionaries and the whole city more or less is under their control."

Responding to a question about the ceasefire, he said:

What sort of ceasefire is he talking about? The ceasefire has not taken place. He is still continuing up till now to shell and kill the people in the city. He is trying to show the world that there are two equal forces fighting each other, while in fact he is shelling unarmed civilians, people living in the city without any protection are being severely harmed. And their homes, streets and commercial places as well as the hospitals have been severely damaged. A large number of people have been killed."

Regarding the no-fly zone imposed by a UN Security Council resolution:

It is very important for us, and I think what's more improtant for us now is to select targets of Gaddafi forces outside other cites and misurata as well ... and these forces are attacking civilian people committing aggression against civilians and they need to be stopped."

And finally, responding to a question about whether or not he believes that pro-democracy fighters can hold on to Misurata:

Yes, I do believe that we can hold on, because the people of the city are persistent and they are resiting the aggression with all their forces ... but he may kill more people ... but he will never break the will of the people in Misurata. There are 600,000 people in this city, and they are very determined, because they have strong faith in their cause beacuse they will not give up and they will not surrender."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-18

[Baclava]

33. Pretty slick chess move - he's gambling nobody will blow up his stuff if he calls it a ceasefire

Buying time. Under the cover of a "ceasefire" he can move assets and improve his positions and claim self-defense from any unprovoked attacks by the UN coalition.

Of course, it gives our side time to move pieces too.

[closeupready]

35. Liars.

:mad:

[Kurska]

36. Pathetic smoke screen

Qadaffi is just trying to buy time before the UN Goes in and blows them the fuck up.

[pinboy3niner]

37. Exactly

His attack on Misurata was still going on during and after his regime's announcement of the 'ceasefire.'

He's trying to have it both ways--continue his attacks on the civilian population (though he's not succeeding at doing it quietly) and avoid the consequences that the UN has now authorized.

If that's his idea of a viable strategy, I suspect somebody's spiking his Nescafe...

[Psephos]

38. In basketball, that's called a "head fake."

In war, it's a tactic to suss out the gullible.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

39. Operation Attach Silencers

:think:


OAS, weird. :tinfoilhat:

[Baclava]

40. Moe must know his days are numbered. n/t