Exclusive: Gaddafi pre-planned attacks on civilians: prosecutor. Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs. Iran in a dilemma over Libya By Kaveh L Afrasiabi The ongoing crisis in Libya has presented Iran with a vexing policy dilemma. Last week's decision by the Arab League (AL) to call for a no-fly zone in Libya has been greeted with a mixture of a shy nod plus a deep frown in Tehran. The ambiguity from Tehran is a reflection of sentiments torn between siding with AL allies like Syria, Iraq and Lebanon - and thus avoiding a policy split on a serious regional issue - or standing firm on traditional opposition to Western intervention - and thus saving relations with other allies, such as the leftist governments in Latin America that rushed to defend Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
So far Iran has officially communicated both positions. Iran's top envoy to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, emphasized the importance of respecting national sovereignties and disallowing certain powers to bypass international law and intervene under guises such as "humanitarian intervention". Notes 1. Ahmadinejad: U.S., Europe should not intervene in Libya. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (pictured March 8) said military invention by the U.S. and Europe in Libya would make matters worse.
The Iranian president was interviewed by a Spanish networkHe denies any oppression against the opposition at homeBut Ahmadinejad said he condemns "massacres" in Libya Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- The United States and Europe should not intervene militarily in strife-torn Libya because it would make matters worse, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Spanish state television TVE on Tuesday. "I think a military intervention would be even worse. The experience of Iraq and Afghanistan is before us. He condemned Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's bombardment of rebels, saying, "We condemn these massacres and we have condemned them previously.
But Ahmadinejad -- speaking in his native Farsi that was translated to Spanish -- also warned, "A Western intervention will just complicate the situation. On Saturday, the Arab League recommended a no-fly zone over Libya. "Never, never. Libyan ambassador to RI quits in protest. Libyan Ambassador to Indonesia Salaheddin M. El Bishari tendered his resignation Tuesday in protest at the brutal suppression by Libyan President Moammar Qaddafi of protestors in Libya.
“I have submitted my resignation as secretary of the Libyan People’s Council in Indonesia in response to what’s going on in my country. It takes effect today [Tuesday],” El Bishari told The Jakarta Post in an interview Tuesday. El Bishari said he planned to inform Indonesian Foreign Ministry Director General for Asia Pacific and African Affairs T.M. Hamzah Thayeb of his decision. “I planned to submit a letter to Hamzah today [Tuesday], but that didn’t materialize. El Bishari is also simultaneously quitting his role as envoy to Singapore, Brunei and ASEAN. El Bishari also addressed the safety of his family, most of who were still in Libya. “My family is still in Libya. The top Libyan envoys to the US, the UN, India and Bangladesh have also quit their posts in protest at the brutality of the Qaddafi regime. Libya: A turbulent future? Christopher Herbert is based in New York and has worked in public relations and consulting for Middle East-related businesses. Chris' previous post, on his close brush with Qadhafi, is here.
Assuming that Qadhafi's end is near, what does it mean for Libya? What type of polity will emerge in this country of six million people with vast natural resources? I suggest four possibilities. Strongman regime Unlike its revolutionary neighbors Egypt and Tunisia, Libya lacks civil society and infrastructure. The question is whether Libya's revolutionary spirit will allow for a strong leader to unite them. Islamist state Yes, Qadhafi blamed the protests across his nation on al Qaeda (he also blamed them on hallucinogens, while comparing himself to Queen Elizabeth II). While some could argue that Libyan society is primed for a revolution of religious fervour, I am hesitant to predict an Islamist victory.
Transitional state with international guidance Tribal feuds and city-states. Conflit libyen : Aucune option n’est exclue, y compris militaire. Mais il y a un hic… (maj) Nicolas Gros-Verheyde / Libye, Protection Civile / Dans l’étude des scénarios de réponse à la crise libyenne (on peut parler aujourd’hui de « conflit »), « aucune option n’est a priori exclue » a expliqué ce matin un haut responsable du service diplomatique européen. Et l’hypothèse de la nécessité « d’une intervention militaire à titre humanitaire » soit pour permettre l’évacuation des Européens, soit le long des frontières de la Libye, pour assister et sécuriser l’arrivée de personnes déplacées ou réfugiées, est une des possibilités de réponse étudiée par l’Union européenne. Aux côtés de la « no fly zone » évoquée par Alain Juppé ce matin, lire : Alain Juppé (MinDéf français) reprend le flambeau du devoir d’ingérence face à Kadhafi).
De nombreuses discussions informelles se déroulent entre Américains et Européens. L’emploi du battlegroup : pas envisagée, pas envisageable en l’état L’option la plus probable Il y a un gros hic ! InShare0 défense, évacuations, Libye, PeSDC, UE / 0 Comment. Setting Up A No-Fly Zone In Libya: 'This Is Not A Simple Operation'
Hide captionAn F-15C Eagle aircraft returns to base after a mission during Operation Deny Flight, the United Nations-sanctioned no-fly-zone action over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998. Retired Navy Capt. Tom Parker, who flew no-fly-zone missions in the Balkans, says the strategy could work in Libya. But Defense Secretary Robert Gates and others argue that it wouldn't be easy. U.S. An F-15C Eagle aircraft returns to base after a mission during Operation Deny Flight, the United Nations-sanctioned no-fly-zone action over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998. During the fighting this week in Libya, government forces have attacked the opposition in the eastern part of the country with aircraft.
The most talked about option is a no-fly zone — to keep Libyan military aircraft out of the skies. Retired Navy Capt. He took part in one, flying a Hawkeye surveillance plane over the Balkans back in the mid-1990s to prevent Serbian forces from targeting civilians. "It limits the freedom of action of Col. La Libye ? « Naturellement, nous ne ferons rien » Nicolas Gros-Verheyde / Haut représentant / C’était la phrase de Claude Cheysson, alors Ministre français des Affaires étrangères, un rien cynique, à propos de la proclamation de la loi martiale (l’État de guerre) en Pologne en décembre 1981. « Naturellement, nous ne ferons rien ». Cette phrase-là, Maciej Popowski, qui était en service commandé, n’a pas eu l’heur de la prononcer au Parlement européen, mardi (lire : Eurodéputés « frustrés » demandent désespérement Haute représentante (ré)active).
Mais c’était tout comme. Le service diplomatique et la Haute représentante, Cathy Ashton, n’ont pas eu l’intention d’agir et encore moins de réagir face au conflit libyen avec les instruments de la PeSDC. Le manque d’ambition est patent. Car si les divisions des Etats membres sont réelles, une action n’en aurait été pas moins possible. Mais il y a pire… Aucune impulsion politique Les mots « planification prudente » cachent mal une absence de préparation et surtout d’impulsion politique.
InShare0. Libya: Chocks away. So, it's decided. We're going to war. Again. I want to join those who are asking 'Where does this end? '. Given that the stated mission is to protect the civilian population of Libya, the obvious and natural end-point would be the overthrow of Qadhafi. Maybe that can be achieved with air power alone, but even in Afghanistan, the local anti-Taliban forces needed some coalition ground troops to force the issue. And we don't seem to know who we are supporting in this fight, though Crikey's Bernard Keane seems to think this is mere detail: Well, we know one critical thing — they’re not Gaddafi, we know they’re not a regime that engages in systematic and savage human rights violations as a matter of basic policy, we know they won’t, should they manage to take control of those parts of Libya currently under Gaddafi’s control, systematically butcher the resident populations.
We certainly hope they won't systematically butcher resident populations, but do we know it for a fact?