Obama condemns violence in Libya and calls on united stand.

[JimH52]

Obama condemns Libyan violence, calls for international response - CNN.com

This is a start...

 

[waltky]

Libyan ambassador asks for help in deposing Gadhafi...

Tears Flow at UN Security Council Over Bloodshed in Libya
February 25, 2011 - The Libyan ambassador to the United Nations made an impassioned appeal Friday to the U.N. Security Council, calling on the U.N.’s most powerful body to adopt a strong resolution and "save Libya." His speech ended with him embracing his deputy, who had defected from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's camp earlier this week, and both men sobbing as the U.N. Secretary-General and other ambassadors came over to embrace them and shake their hands.

It was not immediately clear that Ambassador Abd al-rahman Shalgham was going to change his position and take the side of the Libyan people, but as his emotional speech to the council took shape, it became clear he no longer supported Gadhafi, a man he has called a friend since childhood. Shalgham refuted Gadhafi’s claims that anti-government protesters are taking to the streets because they are on drugs, saying "a mountain" of pills would not have been enough for all the people who have taken to the streets of Benghazi. Through an interpreter, he addressed the council about Gadhafi.

"Today I listen to him telling his people either I rule over you or I kill you, I destroy you. Don’t be afraid, Libya is united, Libya will remain united. Libya will be a progressive state. But I tell my brother Gadhafi, leave the Libyans alone," said Shalgham. He went on to recall his time as a non-permanent member of the Security Council representing Libya during 2008 and 2009. He said at that time he had condemned Israel's killing of children in the Gaza Strip, and now he regretted having to condemn the killing of children in his own country. "Please United Nations save Libya! No to bloodshed! No to killing of innocents! We want a decisive, a rapid and a courageous resolution from you."

After his remarks, Shalgham and his deputy, Ibrahim Dabbashi, who broke ranks with the regime on Monday, embraced and both men began to cry. Other ambassadors came over and hugged them, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was in the chamber to brief the council, also vigorously shook Ambassador Shalgham’s hand. Speaking to reporters afterward, the Secretary-General summed up the feeling inside the chamber. "We have witnessed an extraordinary scene in the U.N. Security Council; a truly historic moment. The Libyan ambassador delivered an impassioned plea for our help."

During his briefing, Ban again condemned the violence and told the council that now is the time for decisive action. He urged the council to consider all measures available and recounted some that are being considered in a draft Security Council resolution circulated to members on Friday. Those measures include a travel ban and asset freeze targeting Gadhafi, his sons and daughter, and 13 senior government officials, as well as a comprehensive arms embargo and a referral of the Libyan situation to the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The council plans to meet in a special session Saturday to discuss the sanctions and possibly vote on the resolution.

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International Pressure Mounts on Libyan Leader to Step Down
February 25, 2011 - International pressure is mounting on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, whose violent crackdown on opposition protesters has drawn widespread condemnation.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, says there are reports of mass killings in Libya that should spur the international community to step in to end the violence.

Pillay spoke at an emergency session of the U.N. Human Rights Council Friday in Geneva. "We owe them [the Libyan people] our solidarity and protection from violence," she said.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Friday the 27-nation bloc should consider "restrictive measures" against Libya, including travel bans and asset freezes.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that alliance is also considering the situation in Libya. There were earlier calls for EU and US sanctions against Libya.

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[docmauser1]

The pen of the scholar is mightier than the blood of the martyr - Muslim proverb

Since "scholars" began identifying with martyrs, it's become rather dense, of course.

 

[docmauser1]

Obama condemns Libyan violence, calls for international response.

At least we know now Libya hasn't had nuclear aspirations - President Obama wouldn't be too sexy for his shirt, if it had.

 

[waltky]

O'Reilly pushin' Obama to war if he wants to get re-elected...

Fox News wants U.S. to go to war in Libya
Wednesday 9th March, 2011 - As the crisis in Libya escalates, Fox News hosts are growing increasingly concerned that America's leadership role in the world is being diminished and they are counting the days until the next election.

Bill O'Reilly is frustrated with the President's "dithering" over the crisis in Libya and wonders if America's reputation as the world's strong man is suffering as a consequence. He discusses the Libya situation with Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume, who thinks that Obama should stop making threatening statements and start taking concrete steps by bombing Libyan aircraft batteries and establishing a no-fly zone over Libya right away, preferably with our allies, but alone if necessary. In fact, at the time of writing, the UN has completed a draft resolution authorising a no-fly zone over Libya and 24-hour air and sea surveillance has gone into effect, but apparently, this has not happened fast enough or decisively enough to please either man. O'Reilly, though, is a little sceptical of the need to launch bomb attacks and worries about the possible repercussions.

You know as well as I do that as soon as we start bombing anything, Gaddafi will trot out the dead babies and say "look at America killing Libyan children." You know that's going to happen. And around the Arab world, it's just not worked out well for the US, even when it tries to do good things, as we did in the first Gulf war removing Saddam from Kuwait and all that. It just never works out because the people who hate us use that against us.

Hume counters that the people who hate us are going to hate us anyway, and O'Reilly assures him that they are actually on the same page but that he is just playing devil's advocate because that's his job. He takes up the discussion later with Juan Williams. Williams argues that while it might make the manly men feel good if the president jumps into the Libya conflict guns blazing (I'm paraphrasing), history has surely thought us that it is important to give these matters careful consideration before we act unilaterally. O'Reilly persists with the line that sometimes you just have to go with your gut, and that on this occasion, intervening is the right thing to do.

More Fox News wants U.S. to go to war in Libya

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Blood flows in Libya as Gaddafi men take the streets
Wednesday 9th March, 2011 - Fierce fighting occurred in Libya on Wednesday, with Muammar Gaddafi's forces retaking parts of a key town lost last week. The strategic town of Zawiya is west of the capital Tripoli.

There have been reports from the town of relentless shelling by government forces, which has left dead bodies strewn throughout the streets. Army snipers have also been shooting from rooftops. At least 50 lives are believed to have been lost.

Loyalist demonstrators have been shown on television marching through Zawiya, holding up pictures of Colonel Gaddafi. Fighting between rebels and Gaddafi forces has also been closing in on some of the country’s oil facilities.

Around Ras Lanuf, government planes and artillery have pounded rebels groups who have obtained rockets, with which they are shooting back. An oil storage tank exploded during one exchange of fire. Rebels have told reporters they also re-entered the town of Bin Jawad, but were facing severe retaliation.

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