France and Britain Lead Military Push on Libya

[ClarkUSA]

PARIS — France and Britain continued to press their hawkish position on Libya on Friday, saying they intend to take the lead in enforcing a no-flight zone.

Both countries, the most adamant backers of the United Nations Security Council resolution to authorize military action in Libya, also pointed to the passage of the measure on Thursday as an important — if rare — example of European resolve.

“Despite all negative comments, Libya shows that there is a political and diplomatic dynamic of European construction and an active European voice in world affairs,” said Bernard Valero, the spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry.France’s foreign minister... Alain Juppé, spoke openly this week of his unhappiness with Washington’s slowness and difficulty in defining its position, before the Security Council voted for a no-fly zone.

France and Britain had been calling for a no-fly zone for two weeks, he said Wednesday, but other nations dragged their feet. “It often happens in our recent history that the weakness of democracies gives dictators free rein,” he said. “It’s not too late to break with this rule.” He added that it was not enough just to call on Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi to quit, as leaders in the United States and other nations had done... The British prime minister, David Cameron, has been almost as outspoken as the French about the need to use force against Colonel Qaddafi, despite the large cuts Mr. Cameron has made in military spending.

On Friday, after the Libyan government announced a cease-fire, both countries said they mistrusted Colonel Qaddafi and his promises. Britain started moving aircraft into place.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19europe.html

[jannyk]

1. Britain proposed the resolution, France came on board a few days later,

the UK & France drew it up together with Lebanon and let Lebanon present it. The US was a reluctant '11th' hour signer, .

The UK and France will be the first in with back up from Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and many others.

[Rage for Order]

2. Sounds like they have it under control. I say we pull up stakes and go home

Problem solved

:shrug:

[KharmaTrain]

3. They Need That Libyan Oil More Than We Do...

IRC, Libyan crude is lighter and most of it goes to Western Europe. All those screetching how this is the prime motivation of the U.S. should look at what's driving the European "concern".

[Egalitariat]

4. That makes sense. They learned from us. Iraqi crude flows straight thru to Texas now...

[ClarkUSA]

5. Actually, the Libyan gov't. is warning nations who attack that they will not get favored status.

The oil minister, Shukri Ghanem, held a news conference... He suggested future decisions on oil deals would favor countries that did not join the international force against Gadhafi: "A friend in need is a friend indeed," he told reporters in Tripoli.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110319/ap_on_re_af/af_libya

If France and Britain as well as the US wanted to have uninterrrupted oil flow, they would not be attacking Quaddfi's forces at all. They would have done what Russia and Germany has done: nothing.

[NorthCarolina]

6. Anyone taking bets that the US will be in Libya far longer than either France or Britain? nt