Rebels thank France for its preeminent role but want 'outside forces' to quit Libya

[Catherina]

Translations mine.

Rebels thank France but want 'outside forces' to quit Libya

From: AFP March 26, 2011 9:13PM

LIBYA'S rebels have thanked France for its role in the Western-led military blitz against the Gaddafi regime but said "outside forces" could now leave the country, in a letter published overnight.

"In the middle of the night, your planes destroyed tanks that were set to crush Benghazi. ... The Libyan people see you as liberators. Its recognition will be eternal," wrote rebel leader Mahmoud Jibril in the letter addressed to President Nicolas Sarkozy, published by the French daily Le Figaro.

However, Mr Jibril said: "We do not want outside forces. We won't need them. We will win the first battle thanks to you. We will win the next battle through our own means."

French, US and British air strikes against the regime of longtime Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi began a week ago under UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which authorised "all necessary means" to protect civilians and set up a no-fly zone over the north African country.

...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/rebels-thank-france-but-want-outside-forces-to-quit-libya/story-e6frf7jx-1226028693457

Free Libya recognizes the preeminent role of France
What was the very first act of the head of the Free Libya government, Friday morning? To address a letter to the French people and the President of the French Repbulic learned JDD. This letter, with a Churchillian tone, was transmitted to France, once again by the intermediary of French writer Bernard-Henry Levy. It expressed the recognition, by the Libyan insurgents, of France's preeminent role in the anti-Gaddafi coalition. It will be published in the Figaro tomorrow morning.

La Libye libre reconnaît le rôle prééminent de la France
Quel aura été le tout premier acte du chef du gouvernement de la Libye libre, Mahmoud Jebril, intronisé ce vendredi matin? Adresser une lettre au peuple francais et au Président de la République française, apprend le JDD. Cette lettre, au ton churchillien, est parvenue en France par l'intermédiaire, une fois de plus, de l'écrivain Bernard-Henri Lévy. Elle vaut reconnaissance, par les insurgés libyens, du rôle prééminent de la France dans la coalition anti-Kadhafi. Elle sera publiée dans Le Figaro de demain matin.

http://www.lejdd.fr/International/Depeches/La-Libye-libre-reconnait-le-role-preeminent-de-la-France-289347/

10:22
The Libyan people see in you liberators. Her gratitude to you will be eternal.
Libya: The Opposition Thanks France
The head of the National Transition Council, (NTC, Libyan opposition), wrote to President Nicolas Sarkozy to thank him for his acts, calling the French soldiers liberators, but reaffirming that it doesn't want "foreign forces" on Libyan soil. "Your planes, overnight, destroyed the tanks that were getting ready to martyr Benghazi and enter a defenseless city (...). The Libyan people see in you liberators. Her gratitude to you will be eternal", wrote Mahmoud Jibril, President of the NTC, in a letter published by the Figaro.

10h22
Le peuple libyen voit en vous des libérateurs. Sa reconnaissance envers vous sera éternelle"
Libye: l'opposition remercie la France
Le dirigeant du Conseil national de transition (CNT, opposition libyenne), a écrit au président Nicolas Sarkozy pour le remercier de son action, qualifiant les soldats français de "libérateurs", mais réaffirmant ne pas vouloir de "forces extérieures" sur le sol libyen. "Vos avions, en pleine nuit, ont détruit les chars qui s'apprêtaient à martyriser Benghazi et à entrer dans la ville sans défense (...). Le peuple libyen voit en vous des libérateurs. Sa reconnaissance envers vous sera éternelle", a écrit Mahmoud Jibril, président du CNT, dans une lettre publiée samedi dans Le Figaro.

http://lci.tf1.fr/filnews/monde/libye-l-opposition-remercie-la-france-6330447.html

Here is the letter itself

Free Libya thanks France, Sarkozy and Cameron

Dear Bernard-Henri Lévy,
Allow me once again to use you, who first had us approach President Sarkozy, as an intermediary to pass on the following message.

Mr President,
Your planes, overnight, destroyed the tanks that were getting to martyr Benghazi and enter a defenseless city. May your pilots be thanked for that. As said Winston Churchill in 1940, about Ehglish pilots: "rarely have so many men owed so much to so few men".

Since then, the strikes by the coalition have paraylized the tyrant even if he holds coastal cities where he barricaded himself and where, due to lack of means, we can't yet dislodge him. May the British, American, European forces, may the Qatari and Kuwaiti forces, and may the French forces again, be thanked for that that too.
The Libyan people see you as liberators. Her gratefulness to you will be eternal.

I would like to add this, dear President Sarkozy, for your personal attention and that of the French people also. The Libyan people but also the people of friendly neighboring countries, beginning with our Tunisian and Egyptian brothers, see in the help you have us, a big gesture towards the Arab world. This help for the Arab Spring, this decisive support for the aspirations of the populations in our region for liberty and human rights, it's in Libya that it's manifesting itself today: but we know that it goes beyond our borders and addresses itself beyond our struggle, to all our brothers.

For now, our struggle for liberation continues. Certainly, our forces must organize. Our command structures need to be more efficient. But remember, Mister President, that our army didn't exist 4 weeks ago. All our men are ready to fight. We don't doubt their bravery. We don't want foreign foreign forces. We won't be needing them.

We will, thank to you, win the first battle. We'll win on our own, the next battle. Our liberation is for tomorrow. We just need a little time. We know we can count on you until our country is completely liberated and the tyrant Gaddafi falls.
Thank you France.
Long live Free Libya.
Mahmoud Jibril

La Libye libre remercie la France, Sarkozy et Cameron

Cher Bernard-Henri Lévy,
Permettez que, une fois encore, je passe par vous – vous qui nous avez fait, le premier, approcher le président Sarkozy - pour lui délivrer le message suivant.
« Monsieur le Président.
Vos avions, en pleine nuit, ont détruit les chars qui s’apprêtaient à martyriser Benghazi et à entrer dans la ville sans défense. Que vos aviateurs en soient remerciés. Comme l’a dit Winston Churchill, en 1940, à propos des aviateurs anglais: « rarement autant d’hommes auront dû autant à si peu d’hommes ».
Depuis, les frappes de la coalition ont paralysé le dispositif du tyran, même s’il tient les villes de la côte où il s’est barricadé et d’où, faute de moyens, nous ne pouvons pas encore le déloger. Que les forces britanniques, américaines, européennes, que les forces du Quatar et du Koweit, que les forces françaises encore, soient remerciées de cela aussi. Le peuple libyen voit en vous des libérateurs. Sa reconnaissance envers vous tous sera éternelle.
Je voudrais ajouter, cher Président Sarkozy, à votre attention personnelle et à celle du peuple français, ceci. Le peuple libyen mais aussi les peuples amis voisins, à commencer par nos frères tunisiens et égyptiens, voient dans le secours que vous nous apportez un grand geste à l’égard du monde arabe. Ce secours au Printemps arabe, ce soutien décisif à l’aspiration des populations de notre région aux libertés et aux droits humains, c’est en Libye qu’il se manifeste aujourd’hui: mais nous savons qu’il dépasse nos frontières et s’adresse, par delà notre lutte, à tous nos frères.
Pour l’heure, notre lutte de libération continue. Certes, nos forces doivent s’organiser. Nos structures de commandement doivent être plus efficientes. Mais souvenez-vous, Monsieur le Président, que notre armée n’existait pas il y a encore quatre semaines. Nous avons tous les hommes prêts à combattre. Nous ne doutons pas de leur vaillance. Nous ne voulons pas de forces extérieures. Nous n’en aurons pas besoin.
Nous allons, grâce à vous, gagner la première bataille. Nous gagnerons, par nos propres moyens, la bataille suivante. Notre libération est pour demain. Il nous faut seulement un peu de temps. Nous savons que nous pouvons compter sur vous jusqu’à la libération complète du pays et la chute du tyran Kadhafi.
Merci la France. Vive la Libye libre.
Mahmoud Jebril »
http://laregledujeu.org/2011/03/25/5232/la-libye-libre-remercie-la-france-sarkozy-et-cameron/

[msongs]

1. Great! Monday night Obama can announce the US is no longer aiding in any way. mission accomplished n

[Catherina]

2. This came out in French news last night and been up all day there

There's barely a mention in US or UK news. Odd that.

[joshcryer]

3. BS, the UK news has been covering it. I do not watch US news however.

Who does.

[joshcryer]

4. Shh, this "report" is from the tyrannical burka enforcing national council in Benghazi.

:rofl:

[tabatha]

5. "Thank you Obama, Thank you Cameron"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12869658

Ooops, would they be thanking the US and the UK too, and not only France.

Btw, "quit" is misleading. Don't like.

[joshcryer]

7. Yes, they are not asking for them to stop airstrikes.

Despite the misleading spin.

[Karmadillo]

6. Mr. Tiger! Mr. Tiger! I'd like off now.

nt

[Catherina]

10. That's about it. They ask us to leave but we're ramping up the plans.

Mr. Tiger! Mr. Tiger! indeed.

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

12. do you have any evidence of a ramp up? or are you just blowing smoke?

[bullwinkle428]

8. There was an interview with a rebel leader on NPR maybe 2-3 weeks

back, in which he was urging the implementation of a no-fly zone, but had a VERY different sentiment when it came to the idea of any kind of ground troops enlisted to overthrow Qadaffi's regime.

He said that if foreign ground troops were to get involved, the rebels would align with Qadaffi's forces, viewing these outside forces as invaders!

That interview REALLY stuck with me, with regards to how Middle Easterners perceive "outsider" military forces.

[Catherina]

9. The one thing that would unite them under Gaddafi would be foreign troops

They made that very clear. It's understandable since there history is full of slaughter and betrayal by the west.

[joshcryer]

11. I can confirm that, which is why I steadfastly oppose ground forces.

However, they aren't going to side with Gaddafi just because a couple of hundred SAS are on the ground.

[Ghost Dog]

13. The danger there would be

British and French 'special forces' fighting amongst themselves, as bad communications and cockups bring them face-to-face in some uncomfortable position. :crazy: