The logic of the Arab spring is about popular sovereignty. The people power being displayed in the streets, on twitter and Facebook, is intended to sweep away impediments to the expression of the will of the people, mainly presidents for life. The Arab crowds are investing their hopes in a new era of parliamentarism, in […]
Top Ten Ways that Libya 2011 is Not Iraq 2003
Here are the differences between George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the current United Nations action in Libya: 1. The action in Libya was authorized by the United Nations Security Council. That in Iraq was not. By the UN Charter, military action after 1945 should either come as self-defense or with UNSC […]
The War for Libya’s West: More Qaddafi Massacres
The United Nations no-fly zone over Libya so far extends only over the rebel-held east, especially Benghazi. It seems to stop at Ajdabiya, where fierce fighting is reported. Mandy Clark of CBS reports from Benghazi: Aljazeera.net says that their correspondent in Ajdabiya, Abd al-Azim Muhammad, reports that the western quarters of the city took tank […]
How the No Fly Zone Can Succeed
The United Nations no-fly zone over Libya is risky but it can have a good outcome under certain conditions. Above all, it should look more like Kosovo than like Iraq. [I should clarify that I think US participation in this effort should have been conditional on a vote of the US Congress. However, likely the […]
UN Allies Bombard Libya to protect Protesters
United Nations allies France, Britain and the United States took the lead Saturday evening in imposing a no-fly zone on Libya. French and British fighter jets flew dangerous missions, given that the anti-aircraft batteries of the pro-Qaddafi forces had not yet been knocked out. Then the United States launched a barrage of 110 Tomahawk cruise […]
French Jets Defend Benghazi
Aljazeera English is reporting that French fighter jets have destroyed 4 tanks on the outskirts of Benghazi, the center of the provisional government opposing dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The tanks were involved in a concerted attack on Benghazi launched by Qaddafi’s military Friday and Saturday. French President Nicolas Sarkozy surprised observers by announcing that French fighter […]
Qaddafi Bombards Rebel Cities, Defies UNO
The government of Muammar Qaddafi is making a wideranging attempt to dominate as much of the country as possible before Western powers begin patrolling Libya’s skies with fighter jets, probably on Saturday night or Sunday. Aljazeera Arabic is reporting mid-morning Saturday Libyan time that hundreds of people have been wounded in Benghazi by the heavy […]
Yemeni Troops Massacre 46, Wound Hundreds
Thousands of protesters in Yemen mounted a massive protest in the capital of Sanaa on Friday, but ran into a trap set by government forces, which fired on them from rooftops and killed 46, wounding some two hundred. It is alleged that the troops set tires on fire and created walls of flame with gasoline, […]
Libya Threatens Mediterranean Planes, Ships if Attacked
Aljazeera English reports on the eruption of delight in Benghazi at the announcement Thursday evening New York time that the UN Security Council had authorized a no-fly zone over Libya and the taking of all measures necessary to protect civilian life. The Qaddafi regime sent mixed signals after the announcement, with the deputy foreign minister […]
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