The UN Security Council’s resolution to take “all necessary measures … to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack” in Libya is a belated but very welcome intervention by the international community to try to undermine the capacity of the Gaddafi regime to destroy Libya’s uprising and murder its supporters.
The resolution paves the way not merely for a no-fly zone but for all measures short of “a foreign occupation force of any form”, meaning air strikes can be used against Gaddafi’s heavy armour, where, as with air power, he has a decided advantage over the rebels who have been pushed back to Benghazi and Tobruk.
It does not guarantee an end to the Gaddafi regime, by any means: there is hard fighting to be done by Libyans who want to throw off this vilest of regimes. But the battlefield will be much more equal, with the advantage Gaddafi has gained from his rapprochement with the West in recent years — nearly one billion Euros worth of arms sales — partially nullified.
Most of all, as the wild celebrations in Benghazi in response to the passage of the resolution show, it signals both to the rebels that they have not been forgotten by the world, and to Gaddafi that his chances of clinging to power are fading. Two days ago, his son had promised that the conflict would be over in 48 hours, but the assault on Benghazi had barely begun when the UN defied its long history of inaction and passed the resolution.
Plainly the Obama Administration has undergone a change of heart, suddenly ramping up its support for action over the last 48 hours, plainly unnerved by the speed with which Gaddafi was pushing the rebels back, opening up the possibility of mass slaughter if Benghazi was recaptured. It was a belated change of direction — counter-productively late, as a No Fly Zone imposed two weeks ago may well have forestalled Gaddafi’s push — but nonetheless should be acknowledged as a display of decisiveness from an administration so far uncertain about how to handle recent events in the Middle East.
The passage of the resolution also reflects credit on Kevin Rudd. He was among the earliest foreign ministers to demand a no-fly zone in Libya, and earned the usual reward of those who defy the foreign policy establishment — background leaking designed to discredit him. It turns out he was right.
Great god almighty Crikey, would it be totally beyond you to credit the US Administration with anything just straight out? With all your exaggerated ‘belated’lys and ‘counter-productive’lys etc etc. you fail to offer any balance at all. Its all breathless opinion that has very little to do with actual real foreign policy in action. As so mich of the coverage on this issue has been. So because you have chosen not to, I’ll just render a few balancing thoughts:
The Libyan people did not want intervention. Then they did.
The Libyan rebel government did not want intervention. Then they did.
The Arab League did not want intervention. Then they did. Only a few days ago in fact.
China and Russia threatened veto. They ended up abstaining. Do you think it was their reading of Crikey that changed their minds? Or perhaps the diplomatic influence of the US?
Before anyone jumps up and down and calls me a Patriot, I’ll remind again that I’ve been calling for intervention since the first round of protesters were murdered. So its not like I’m not in agreement that the whole thing took too long. But I was for intervention on humanitarian grounds – and I’ll call for intervention on that basis whenever the shoe fits, and I’ll wear the consequences of what that means I have given our government the authority to do.
All everyone else seemed able to do was sit around and criticise for inaction without actually saying what that action should be – and more importantly, on what foundation it should occur.
Is it possible the US Administration’s change of heart was less to do with your “(double) plainly unnerved” insight (like they didn’t have CNN on so didn’t know what was actually going on before then…) and more to do with the fact that a few days ago the Arab League asked the US to take action against one of its own member states? Just maybe? Perhaps?
As for the NFZ that “two weeks ago may well have forestalled Gaddafi’s push..”, I mean from what foreign policy, security and defence expertise do you have the right to declare this on a “news” site? Clearly so knowledgeable about these matters, I’m interested in your assessment on why this NFZ would have worked when the one over Serbia in 1993 did not?
Gee whizz Crikey, you better see someone about that anti-American / anti-West chip on your shoulder. You’ll lose so much balance soon you’ll fall right over.
great news, I have been more affected by the situation in Libya than Christchurch or Japan, because the causes and solutions are entirely human induced.
I wonder what the Saudis think?
Dr Harvey M Tarvydas
Great news (a bit late but) and yes, well said Crikey
I said a long time ago (on Crikey) ‘don’t underestimate Kevin Rudd he’s way ahead of most of what is out there for Aussies politically in ideas and personnel.
He has hero status by my reckoning but would react disapprovingly knowing that.
Physically he lives with a heart defect (same as mine), politically he lives with a defect that is not his own but his Aussie community’s and is rather pathetic in its unsophistication.
President Obama is somewhat like our Kevin Rudd (that’s probably why they got on so well) a lot of ability and determination under the surface so only the perceptive rather than the noise deafened will notice.
Crikey, you are media in the end (good media by an increasing margin), why does everyone expect you to be Obama or our priceless Kevin Rudd.
Given the usual long drawn out decision making by the Security Council, the speed of this resolution is breath taking. Even the Russians and Chinese, by their abstaining, ensured a quick decision, so in essence their non vote was a yes vote. Well done and well done Kevin Rudd and Julia for showing determination in the face of abuse and attacks from the MSM and mesma and Rabbott.
“We can rely on America to do the right thing, …”