Moved by a new sense of urgency, the major powers accelerate their efforts to secure immediate approval in the Security Council the UN of a package of punitive measures that demonstrate the isolation of Muammar Gaddafi and the risk of facing a future of international justice. This initiative, although very valuable in moral terms, little can be done to stop instantaneously the brutal repression unleashed against the population that has risen against the regime.
After ten days of unproductive discussions that started this repression, international leaders have been accused of indifference to the events in Libya. President Barack Obama has been criticized here for its passivity in a crisis that has spoken in public only once. An editorial in The Washington Post notes that "although the White House seems to have decided that France and others take the lead, the truth is that while the U.S.
president is passive assistance to the Libyans are demanding not come." Under this pressure, the White House announced Friday some unilateral sanctions against Gaddafi environment and pledged to increase their efforts to pass a UN resolution. Hours later, Obama signed a presidential order prohibiting the removal or transfer money from U.S.
banks belonging to Gadhafi, his family or members of his government. In the text accompanying the order, Obama accuses Gadhafi of being used "extreme measures against the people of Libya, including weapons of war, mercenaries and indiscriminate violence against unarmed civilians." "Gaddafi's government has to answer for these acts," the statement said.
Almost simultaneously with the publication of that order, France and the United Kingdom introduced in the Security Council a draft resolution that defined the crackdown by Gaddafi as "crimes against humanity" who "deserve to be judged by the International Court in The Hague ". The draft also includes sanctions such as travel ban to employees of the Libyan dictator, blocking their accounts abroad and an arms embargo.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, went personally on Friday night to members of the Council to describe the tragedy that we live in Tripoli and ask them to accelerate their efforts. The 15-member executive body decided to resume its meetings behind closed doors today and had planned to hold a formal meeting to vote at any time of day.
The draft for discussion, which has been agreed between France, the UK and U.S. telephone conversations between their top leaders, seems to cut through some difficulties. The other two members with veto power, China and Russia, always so reluctant when it comes to adopting international involvement in the internal affairs of a country, seemed to start to give up their objections.
Lebanon and Turkey, which also raised questions about how to proceed in Libya, could finally accept to support the resolution. These two countries have no ability to prevent its approval, but would remove a serious problem with the opposition ahead of the only Arab country and the two Muslims represented in the Council.
A resolution would be a strong moral support for the thousands of people who put their lives at this time on the streets of Libya but little can serve to protect them effectively. Libya has been several times subject to economic sanctions of the United States and other Western countries without the Qaddafi regime to weaken the least.
On this occasion, moreover, the adoption of sanctions is to prove that Gaddafi is alone and that their fate is that of a prison in The Hague, which could push it even more extreme position and fight to the death. With all its limitations, this resolution is all that the international community could do now.
The following steps require military action, something they seem unwilling members of NATO or the insurgents are demanding Libyans fear delegitimize their movement, and national civic far. 
After ten days of unproductive discussions that started this repression, international leaders have been accused of indifference to the events in Libya. President Barack Obama has been criticized here for its passivity in a crisis that has spoken in public only once. An editorial in The Washington Post notes that "although the White House seems to have decided that France and others take the lead, the truth is that while the U.S.
president is passive assistance to the Libyans are demanding not come." Under this pressure, the White House announced Friday some unilateral sanctions against Gaddafi environment and pledged to increase their efforts to pass a UN resolution. Hours later, Obama signed a presidential order prohibiting the removal or transfer money from U.S.
banks belonging to Gadhafi, his family or members of his government. In the text accompanying the order, Obama accuses Gadhafi of being used "extreme measures against the people of Libya, including weapons of war, mercenaries and indiscriminate violence against unarmed civilians." "Gaddafi's government has to answer for these acts," the statement said.
Almost simultaneously with the publication of that order, France and the United Kingdom introduced in the Security Council a draft resolution that defined the crackdown by Gaddafi as "crimes against humanity" who "deserve to be judged by the International Court in The Hague ". The draft also includes sanctions such as travel ban to employees of the Libyan dictator, blocking their accounts abroad and an arms embargo.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, went personally on Friday night to members of the Council to describe the tragedy that we live in Tripoli and ask them to accelerate their efforts. The 15-member executive body decided to resume its meetings behind closed doors today and had planned to hold a formal meeting to vote at any time of day.
The draft for discussion, which has been agreed between France, the UK and U.S. telephone conversations between their top leaders, seems to cut through some difficulties. The other two members with veto power, China and Russia, always so reluctant when it comes to adopting international involvement in the internal affairs of a country, seemed to start to give up their objections.
Lebanon and Turkey, which also raised questions about how to proceed in Libya, could finally accept to support the resolution. These two countries have no ability to prevent its approval, but would remove a serious problem with the opposition ahead of the only Arab country and the two Muslims represented in the Council.
A resolution would be a strong moral support for the thousands of people who put their lives at this time on the streets of Libya but little can serve to protect them effectively. Libya has been several times subject to economic sanctions of the United States and other Western countries without the Qaddafi regime to weaken the least.
On this occasion, moreover, the adoption of sanctions is to prove that Gaddafi is alone and that their fate is that of a prison in The Hague, which could push it even more extreme position and fight to the death. With all its limitations, this resolution is all that the international community could do now.
The following steps require military action, something they seem unwilling members of NATO or the insurgents are demanding Libyans fear delegitimize their movement, and national civic far.
- libyan's last battle (24/02/2011)
- Gadafi "Give me £4BN to stop Europe being flooded by "Black" immigrants" (01/12/2010)
- Gaddafi? Kadafi? Qaddafi? What's the correct spelling? - Christian Science Monitor (22/02/2011)
- EU must face challenge of Arab upheaval and adopt firm stance - Irish Times (22/02/2011)
- Fianna Fail and Gadaffi (23/02/2011)
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