Question on Libya

[tabatha]

8,000 civilians and protesters have been killed by Gaddafi's forces so far.

Please explain why he should continue and possibly double that number?

(Also, there have been no reported civilian casualties from the missiles. And now "the foreign intervention" is just a no-fly zone with no more taking out of anti-aircraft equipment.)

[gateley]

1. I didn't hear they've ceased targeting all anti-aircraft equipment --

were they successful in crippling it all, or just being cautious about the strikes?

[vaberella]

3. They did manage to cripple the aircraft zones...Adm. Gortney said so.

He's part of the Pentagon reps. So we took them out. And there is a cease fire at the moment. So the Gaddafi regime has basically no access to the skies.

[gateley]

12. Good. These people need a fair chance to make it work. nt

[mdmc]

2. ..

Gaddafi is the highest authority in Libya. He outlawed all protests. The protesters were acting illegally, and the state needed to use force in order to stop the protests. In order for Gaddafi to remain in power he will need to continue to use force. This will be the only way for him to stop the illegal action of protest.

[tabatha]

5. Good fking grief.

I read on of this board someone ask why the West had not had constructive consultations with Libya?

I ask why did Gaddafi not have the same with his people?

Gaddafi has brutalized his people for 42 years, and he should continue because he ousted a democratically elected person and declared himself the supreme leader.

Jeepers, now I have heard everything.

[mdmc]

6. Its worked for 42 years

pretty ugly, but Carter, Ray-Gun, Bush, Clinton, W., and Obama have all put up with him.
I don't know what the rebels are gonna be like if in power, but I know that they will not be able to hold power on their own; they will need the help and support of the west.

I am very glad that france took the lead on this so it won't look like American aggression. Also glad Russian and China came on board..

[tabatha]

7. Aparthied worked from 1948-1994. Enough said.

[vaberella]

4. He shouldn't be allowed too.

I agree with that sentiment. However, I just felt that the NFZ could lead to a war that we can't afford or should be inclined to participate in.

[NorthCarolina]

8. More than 18,000 adults in the USA die each year because they are uninsured

and can't get proper health care. Money for war though....no problem.

[tabatha]

9. No one should die unnecessarily.

[PurityOfEssence]

10. Those numbers are wrong; Wikipedia has TOTAL loses, including combatants, between 1000 and 6500

Civilians are not being targeted now and it seems they haven't been for a long time. The "protest" phase was very short, whereupon rebels took up arms, declared a provisional government and went into open civil war. Qaddafi isn't going to waste munitions on civilians now; he wants to destroy the armed rebels.

You're conflating "protesters" and "civilians" with armed militia and soldiers. Your numbers are also extremely inflated. Those fighting to oust him are not "civilians", and depicting them as such weakens your position.

Do you also include the 34-100 rebels who were blown up as they tried to get munitions out of an ammunition dump? It would seem so.

You also presume that our reported cleanliness of air strikes is correct and that it will continue to do so.

The UN Resolution okays strikes to prevent civilians; why was the first reported strike from a French Fighter-Bomber attacking armored vehicles that were involved in fighting armed insurgents?

It's very easy to prey upon the sympathies of well-meaning people, but both sides are being played.

Neither of us truly knows what's going on on the ground at the moment.

[tabatha]

11. Here is a press report: stating 8000.

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE72J0Q120110320

and 6500 is just as appalling as 8000.

[squirrelinahurry]

13. The rebel forces?

What's up with the contempt for the rebel forces that is oozing from your post? What exactly did they do to piss you off?