They just don't get it...

[green-man-2010.livejournal.com]

It turns out that a British diplomat turned up at the border and asked to be taken to rebel commanders in Libya. he had with him a detail from the SAS, a crack British Special Forces outfit, similar to the American Delta Force, only with stiffer upper lips and no chewing gum to hand out.

Anyways, the Libyan commanders didn't ask for, and didn't want any forign troops involved in what they see as 'their' struggle against Gaddaffi. So they captured the SAS guys and threw them into the brig, only releasing them unharmed once they had got the british diplomat out of their country.

http://news.antiwar.com/2011/03/05/libyan-rebels-capture-british-sas-unit/

So, there you have it. The Libyans are asking for a UN backed intervention in their struggle.
They want the UN , not the UK or the USA to send in any ground troops.

Seeing as if the rebels win, they are going to have to go to their own people and say that' we are not the sellouts to Western Powers like Gaddaffi was ( remember that the jets and tanks he is currently using to murder his own people were supplied by the same people who want to start an invasion) - well , i think it is only fair that they should be the ones who set the terms on how Gaddaffi is otten rid of. Ok, he has to go, nd his own people are the ones to take him down.

Ii don't see the military dictators and undemocratic despots who rule Arab League countries being very enthusiastic about establishing a bit more democracy in the world , somehow - esp. in a place like Libya.

And that leaves the UN. So, what is the UN for? UK/USA forces have basically been acting like the military wing of their countries corporate interests of late. i don't blame the Libyans for telling the SAS that they were unwelcome.

I do think that the Libyans have every right to appeal to the international community, via the UN , which pledges itself to uphold human rights , to which they belong , to give them a hand by way of enforcing a no fly zone and supporting the Libyan Ground forces with airstrikes on Gaddaffis mercenaries, together with his tanks and artillery.

I am suprised that the UK Government didn't get it that the age of gunboat diplomacy is over, but what else can we expect of ex public schoolboys like 'Call Me Dave'? Cameron and his cronies in the British foriegn office 'just don't get it' - but I hope that someone out there in the wider world does, and does what the rebels are begging the international community to give them without delay.

But if you disagree with the idea of airstrikes, and the Libyans are not going to co operate with any foriegn troops that they regard as 'invaders', then what role or position do we want the UN to adopt here? It has been said in this community that ' this is not what the UN is for - well, ok, what should it be doing instead?

Comments

[dwer.livejournal.com]

you seem to want Obama to do more than he is. What army is he supposed to use to do this with?

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

The army isn't the issue. What I wanted was leadership, not dilly dallying while Gadaffi regained the initiative. A small show of resolve, done back when it counted, would have been actually effective.

Too late for that now.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

back when it counted? This revolution is what, two weeks old?

What's the point of Obama saying something of resolve when Quadaffi knows he's got nothing to back it up with?

The UN is involved. As part of that, the US fired off some hundred cruise missiles. Let the French and the Brits handle this one.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Ahh cruise missiles. If the U.S. handed people money instead of buying cruise missiles, that would be hundreds of new millionaires. But we have to keep that military industrial complex backing the correct politicians don't we? Welfare is evil though, I tell you!

[dwer.livejournal.com]

yeah, it's not my preferred method off negotiation.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

4 weeks, actually.

2 weeks ago a strong statement and a general mobilization would have meant something other than a protracted and bloody civil war ending in, at best, a divided Libya.

Timing is everything.

The UN is involved in Congo, too. How is that working out?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

two weeks ago, the US was in no position to do any such thing.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

Obama had some kind of laryngitis two weeks ago?

Who knew?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

...

dude.