Arab Unrest

Gaddafi blames the al-Qaeda for the unrest in Libya.

The people of the Arab world will benefit from all the unrest the most. The Western governments are trying to protect their interest. If this violence was happening in Africa, South/ Central America, any of the old Eastern Bloc than NATO would have already sent in forces to combat these CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. But instead they are taking a wait and see approach because if we sent in troops and the old regimes stay in power.... HELLO WORSE OIL CRISIS then 1970's.

I support the protesters, they have a lot of guts for what they are doing and who they are standing up against.

PS> I wish every military in the world was like that of Egypt's. The Military is there to protect the people, not the people in power.


EDIT: Ok i know it is happeing in africa but i meant africa as in the poor nations over there, not the ones what have some western help. I wouldnt compare North Africa( Morocco, Egypt, basically where all this happening) to the rest of africa (excluding South Africa)

ska_sean wrote:

I support the protesters, they have a lot of guts for what they are doing and who they are standing up against.

I don't oppose what the protesters stand for.
Just because I don't support the US getting involved doesn't mean that I don't support the protesters. Its a lot more complicated than being for or against whats going on.

ThusSpokeYourFace wrote:

ska_sean wrote:

I support the protesters, they have a lot of guts for what they are doing and who they are standing up against.

I don't oppose what the protesters stand for.
Just because I don't support the US getting involved doesn't mean that I don't support the protesters. Its a lot more complicated than being for or against whats going on.

never directed at you or anyone else, it was a just a my opinion statement.

HEY JAPAN STOP STEALING OUR THUNDER!

So, tonight the UN will discuss the situation in Libya and possibly do something about it. Libya has announced they will attack various targets around the mediterranean area and will attack foreign ships/aircraft/people.

word on the street is that the UN wants to put a no fly zone on libya

yeah they just labeled a no fly zone over libya.

shit is about to hit the fan

Or not!

Libya 'to halt military action'

haha, when you have 4 or 5 of the most powerful militaries in the world on your doorstep about to take a metaphorical 20 ton dump on your plans you tend to change your mind about things.. what happened to the whole, "we're not scared!" thing.. ?

So how come this Libya shit happens and all the world nations are like "were gonna fuck your shit up!" and act relatively quickly but Darfur or Rwanda goes on and its like "um stop, thats bad." and takes like a year for something to be done? I guess Libya is just more of a priority?

"UN Security Council Resolution 1973 gave broad backing to taking military action against all threats to civilian"

Gaddafi brings up a good point that the UN has no right to intervene because the fighting is domestic. I'm not an expert on UN regulations but thats the reason they gave about not intervening in those previous genocides. It didn't spill into other nations.

Idk I'm just not a fan of the UN. They have their BS interest and agendas

Let's hope they don't follow the foot steps of the League of Nations. Those guys fucked up bad.

the Leagues main problem was they had no army to back up anything they said. the UN has an army but they dont really do anything anyways

Intervening domestic fighting is a bad thing? What about domestic violence in your neighbour's house? Oh, it's in your house so I don't care that you are beating your children to death? I'm not sure if intervening domestic fighting is that wrong...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/18/libya-obama-gaddafi-un-strikes

Gaddafi either lied to the UN saying there's an immediate ceasefire or is troops are not as loyal as he thought.

France airplanes are defending the Libyan rebels now, British planes are going to help them soon.

Gaddafi is a fucking child with this "ceasefire". What a cunt.

Also, what's with Germany's opt-out? I've heard different things about them and Libya.

And is it just me or do you think France are getting so heavily involved because of this?

Aaron wrote:

Also, what's with Germany? I've heard different things about them and Libya.

Germany abstained from voting in the Security Council. In my opinion (which is also represented by a commentary of one of the biggest German weekly newspapers) it's mainly for domestic reaons. Germany's investment in Afghanistan with soldiers dying (the fact that soldiers die in wars is something German public wasn't really aware of until a few years ago) is not very popular. So to avoid further military actions and to present the government as being more or less "pacifist" makes sense given several upcoming state elections in which the liberal and conservative parties in power are about to lose voters' support.

More here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/17/germany-rules-out-libya-military

I don't understand no-fly zones. Surely the UN can't ground all planes in Libya.

It's not only a non-fly zone. Security Council's resultion includes "all necessary measures to protect civilians under threat of attack in the country, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory" ( http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/sc10200.doc.htm )

And they've already attacked vehicles... it's not only a non-fly zone.

But how can external forces force a no-fly zone?

Aaron wrote:

But how can external forces force a no-fly zone?

That's what Robert Gates said a few weeks ago:
"A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses and then you can fly planes around the country and not worry about our guys being shot down. But that's the way it starts."

Lowy Institute military analyst James Brown told ABC News Online a no-fly zone is essentially a militarised zone in the air.
"When you enforce a no-fly zone you're saying that the military aircraft - with their helicopters and jets and transport plans - of a country or group can't be used," he said.
"If you spot them, you'll force them down or you'll shoot them down. It's definitely military action."

More here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/18/3167743.htm

And in fact The Guardian reports:
"British and US forces have fired more than 110 Tomahawk missiles at targets in Libya. The Pentagon said the aim of the operation was to take out the Libyan air defence systems in order that piloted aircraft could enforce the UN-mandated no-fly zone." (The Guardian)

Oh interesting. So it's not somehow stopping Libyan planes going into the air, it's destroying them and then flying around without their hassle?

Dutch news just reported 95% of Tripoli has been captured by the rebels.

This afternoon in Cairo. Absolutely tragic.