[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]
|
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
International News Title: US Moves Forces Near Libya 'In Case' As World Pressure On Muammar Gaddafi Grows THE US has moved armed forces near Libya but won't say what they are for as Libyan jets reportedly fire on ammunition stores The Pentagon says it's moving some armed forces in the region near Libya in case they're needed, but is not saying what they might be needed for. Defence Department spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan says Pentagon planners are working on various options and contingency plans as the violence aimed at overthrowing the government continues in the North African nation. Lapan told reporters today that as part of that planning, the Pentagon is repositioning some naval and air forces. The US has a regular military presence in the Mediterranean Sea and farther to the south has two aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf area. The unrest that erupted in Libya nearly two weeks ago has killed at least 1,000 people and set off a "humanitarian emergency", the UN refugee agency UNHCR said, as almost 100,000 migrant workers fled the North African state. However, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, asked about the move after a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said there was "not any pending military action involving US vessels." "We have naval assets in the Mediterranean," she said. "We do believe there will be a need to support humanitarian intervention." Earlier this morning Libyan air force planes attacked ammunition depots in two separate locations south of opposition-held second city Benghazi, witnesses say. Fighter jets fired on an ammunition stores Adjabiya, around 100 kilometres south of the city, a witness told AFP by telephone, while a military reservist said two planes also attacked a munitions dump at Rajma, just south of the city. Oil slips from grasp MUAMMAR Gaddafi's regime no longer controls most of Libya's oil and gas intallations, the European Union's energy commissioner says. "There is reason to believe that the majority of the oil and gas fields are no longer under Gaddafi's control," Gunther Oettinger told a news conference following a regular meeting of EU energy ministers. Oettinger dismissed the idea of imposing a blockade on oil exports from Libya because the installations are now in the hands of regional groups opposed to the Gaddafi government. "We would potentially be punishing the wrong people," he said. As the UN Human Rights Council met in Geneva over a deadly crackdown by Gaddafi's forces on anti-regime protests and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, there were signs the strongman's grip on power was slipping even further. "The council should not relax its vigilance over Libya as the threat of violent reprisals against civilians still looms," the UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, told ministers and envoys at the gathering. Increasing pressure World powers have ramped up the pressure on Muammar Gaddafi's regime, as the United States urged the international community to work together on further steps to end bloodshed in Libya. "The people of Libya have made themselves clear: it is time for Gaddafi to go -- now, without further violence or delay," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday. "We all need to work together on further steps to hold the Gaddafi government accountable, provide humanitarian assistance to those in need and support the Libyan people as they pursue a transition to democracy." "We will continue to explore all possible options for action -- as we have said, nothing is off the table so long as the Libyan government continues to threaten and kill Libyan citizens," she added. During an intense round of one-on-one meetings on the sidelines of a session of the UN Human Rights Council, Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton as well as counterparts from Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries, discussed steps to deal with what the US envoy called "post Gaddafi" Libya. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called for a 60-day freeze on all payments into Libya in order to deprive Gaddafi's regime of the means to oppress the Libyan people. British Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the suggestion but insisted that there was a need to implement the measures such as sanctions agreed over the past few days first, claiming they could have a swift impact on violence. "It is part of the intensifying pressure on the Gaddafi regime, it is time for him to go," he told journalists. Hague underlined a "remarkable" and "unprecedented" degree of unanimity in the international community. "We have signalled that crimes will not be condoned, they won't go unpunished and they won't go forgotten which is a warning to anyone contemplating violations of human rights in Libya or any other country: they should stay their hand, there will be a day of reckoning." The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to impose sanctions and to refer Libya to the International Criminal Court over bloodshed in the Libyan leader's bid to crush an uprising. A day earlier, the 47 member UN rights council set up an investigation into suspected crimes against humanity. In Brussels, the European Union agreed Monday to implement an assets freeze and travel ban on Gaddafi and 25 members of his family and inner circle, and ban any supply of arms, ammunition and related material in addition to the UN measures. According to the New York Times, the United States and European allies are planning to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the regime from an aerial bombardment of its population. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd voiced his support for the plan. But Lavrov, when asked whether a no-fly zone over Libya had been discussed with Clinton, said: "Absolutely not. It was not mentioned by anyone." Ashton and Hague warned while such a step was being discussed it had to be drawn up with broad international support. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay warned that "the threat of violent reprisals against civilians still looms," in Libya, after hundreds were feared killed in the brutal attempts to crush the revolt against Gaddafi.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Brian S (#0)
THE US has moved armed forces near Libya but won't say what they are for as Libyan jets reportedly fire on ammunition stores I'll tell ya. The Counter Revolution. Every advance by the rebels is instantly met with Hillary ratcheting up the response. In two weeks, the Rebels have gone from sticks/stones/harsh Language to shooting down jets and isolating Tripoli, while capturing nearly all oil/gas facilities. Too bad we can't train our satrap armies as well, eh? 8D LMFAO Nothing in the ME will be better for the US/Israel/Saudis in 4 years. Nothing.
|
|
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]
|