Thursday, March 3, 2011

Libya is now a major humanitarian crisis, it’s time that President Obama got off the fence and 'got in the game' as a World Leader














Dear All

All eyes are focussed on Libya.

But eyes should also be focussed on the international community.

Their lack of action is appalling.

Talk is cheap and there has been a lot of it, most adding up to squat.

The longer, the West sits on the sidelines, the more likelihood that Libya will plunge into a protracted civil war.

Country destroyed by default.

Another mistake, this time, the problem is cowardice, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya; the West never gets it right.

And in the mean time people will die.

President Obama’s failure is indecision.

He should be backing to the hilt a UN Peacekeeping Force being sent in on humanitarian grounds.

The no fly zone should be a discussion but a reality by now.

Now, we have the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court saying he will investigate Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, his sons and senior aides for crimes against humanity.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo said no-one had the right to massacre civilians.

Thanks for that insight Luis.

Thousands of people are thought to have killed after security forces randomly targeted protesters in unrest which began in mid-February.

Col Gaddafi vowed to fight on to the last bullet despite losing control of much of the country.

The rebels don’t have the capability to launch an assault on the Libyan Capital, Tripoli and end this.

Fighting is taking place near the oil town of Brega which has been subject to airstrikes, but despite this Gaddafi still cannot take the town back.

This is the front line in war for freedom.

If the West is backing democracy, then the rebels need tools to do the job.

Weapons, supplies and logistical support!

A checkpoint set up in the desert seven miles (11km) beyond the little town of Agayla and manned by no more than a couple of dozen lightly armed rebel soldiers.
It’s Dad’s Army on a budget.

The rebels needs to press forward but they haven’t the training to press home their advantage and take other cities and towns up the coast.

On the Tunisian border, there is a major humanitarian crisis with tens of thousands of foreigners trapped.

Where’s their help going to come from if not the international community?

Either we are supporting democracy or we aren’t, the Arab world has fundamental shifted in recent months, history is unfolding every day and the President of the United States has to act and show leadership.

Back the no fly zone, send in the fleet; take out the planes and airfields as part of a multinational force.

Get Peacekeepers and organisations such as the Red Cross on the ground now, the West has already given up Gaddafi.

Don’t let fear cloud judgement or the country maybe in protracted civil war for years.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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