That's right, and when you're walking in your neighbourhood and you see a bunch of thugs kicking the living daylights out of a complete stranger, what do you do then? Do you like most cowards cross over to the other side - or do you get stuck in? Do you merely wander on your way ruminating to yourself on the evils of the modern consumerism that must underlie such brutality – or do you try to do something? Not later but right away. There. Right then. On the spot.
Who are our neighbours? Our neighbours are everywhere. The men and women and children of Libya are as much my neighbours as the folk who live in my street. They may be further away but they are still my neighbours. Therefore, I have a duty to try to take care of them.
We all have a duty to take care of the world we inhabit - of all its species, including Homo and other animals. I and others take that duty seriously. I have never once shirked my duty. I have never once crossed over to the other side. When I have seen someone attacked, I have always got stuck in on their behalf whatever the personal cost.
Go ahead. Bury your head in the sand. Justify your inaction anyway you like by referring to modern consumerism and other specious justifications for inaction. In the meantime, some of us know our duty and we will fulfil that duty in the world in which we live.
The US launched just two drone patrols over Misrata last week, on the face of it in response to the continuing slaughter of civilians by snipers and tanks and other artillery bombarding civilian in Misrata under the orders of the Libyan army led by Gadhafi.
The short-term tactical and psychological effects on the Libyan army of the drone patrols operating over Misrata appear to have been immediate. The Libyan army has withdrawn from Misrata, the shelling of the civilians in Misrata has dramatically reduced and the snipers have stopped killing unarmed men, women and children in the streets of Misrata. If nothing else, this has given the hard-pressed civilians of Misrata a welcome breathing space.
Read, study and understand UNSC Resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011). This has nothing whatsoever to do with Afghanistan. Anyone who thinks otherwise would not even know where to find the Brooklyn Bridge.
All governments of nation states have the duty of looking after the safety and security of their citizens and other residents. It is the responsibility of the current Libyan government still led by Gadhafi to maintain the safety and security of all civilians in Libya. As a member country of the UN, Libya’s government led by Gadhafi agrees to comply with the various UN principles that underlie the whole raison d’être of the UN. Therefore, by savagely bringing to bear excessive and brutal force on the Libyan people in Benghazi, Gadhafi and his government forced the UN Security Council first to approve UNSC Resolution 1970 (2011).
When that failed to stop Gadhafi's brutal attacks on his own people, the UNSC finally voted on and approved Resolution 1973 (2011) para 4 of which called upon member countries:
"... to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory ..."
As far as those UN member countries implementing UNSCRs 1970 and 1973 are concerned, it is simple: Gadhafi has to call off his dogs. Gadhafi has to withdraw all his troops to barracks and stop killing his people. When Gadhafi does that, then and only then will NATO stop bombing Gadhafi's tanks and the like buried into so-called "defensive" positions around Misrata and other towns from where they are launching missiles on unarmed men, women and children.
There is thus no need for further UNSC resolutions. There is no need for a so-called cease-fire as called for by the Roman Pontiff and others. These are all complete red herrings. Instead, the current Libyan government of Gadhafi needs to observe UNSCRs 1970 and 1973 and stop killing innocent men, women and children.
That's right, and when you're walking in your neighbourhood and you see a bunch of thugs kicking the living daylights out of a complete stranger, what do you do then? Do you like most cowards cross over to the other side - or do you get stuck in? Do you merely wander on your way ruminating to yourself on the evils of the modern consumerism that must underlie such brutality – or do you try to do something? Not later but right away. There. Right then. On the spot.
Who are our neighbours? Our neighbours are everywhere. The men and women and children of Libya are as much my neighbours as the folk who live in my street. They may be further away but they are still my neighbours. Therefore, I have a duty to try to take care of them.
We all have a duty to take care of the world we inhabit - of all its species, including Homo and other animals. I and others take that duty seriously. I have never once shirked my duty. I have never once crossed over to the other side. When I have seen someone attacked, I have always got stuck in on their behalf whatever the personal cost.
Go ahead. Bury your head in the sand. Justify your inaction anyway you like by referring to modern consumerism and other specious justifications for inaction. In the meantime, some of us know our duty and we will fulfil that duty in the world in which we live.
The US launched just two drone patrols over Misrata last week, on the face of it in response to the continuing slaughter of civilians by snipers and tanks and other artillery bombarding civilian in Misrata under the orders of the Libyan army led by Gadhafi.
The short-term tactical and psychological effects on the Libyan army of the drone patrols operating over Misrata appear to have been immediate. The Libyan army has withdrawn from Misrata, the shelling of the civilians in Misrata has dramatically reduced and the snipers have stopped killing unarmed men, women and children in the streets of Misrata. If nothing else, this has given the hard-pressed civilians of Misrata a welcome breathing space.
Read, study and understand UNSC Resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011). This has nothing whatsoever to do with Afghanistan. Anyone who thinks otherwise would not even know where to find the Brooklyn Bridge.
All governments of nation states have the duty of looking after the safety and security of their citizens and other residents. It is the responsibility of the current Libyan government still led by Gadhafi to maintain the safety and security of all civilians in Libya. As a member country of the UN, Libya’s government led by Gadhafi agrees to comply with the various UN principles that underlie the whole raison d’être of the UN. Therefore, by savagely bringing to bear excessive and brutal force on the Libyan people in Benghazi, Gadhafi and his government forced the UN Security Council first to approve UNSC Resolution 1970 (2011).
When that failed to stop Gadhafi's brutal attacks on his own people, the UNSC finally voted on and approved Resolution 1973 (2011) para 4 of which called upon member countries:
"... to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory ..."
As far as those UN member countries implementing UNSCRs 1970 and 1973 are concerned, it is simple: Gadhafi has to call off his dogs. Gadhafi has to withdraw all his troops to barracks and stop killing his people. When Gadhafi does that, then and only then will NATO stop bombing Gadhafi's tanks and the like buried into so-called "defensive" positions around Misrata and other towns from where they are launching missiles on unarmed men, women and children.
There is thus no need for further UNSC resolutions. There is no need for a so-called cease-fire as called for by the Roman Pontiff and others. These are all complete red herrings. Instead, the current Libyan government of Gadhafi needs to observe UNSCRs 1970 and 1973 and stop killing innocent men, women and children.
I agree.
Funny? You my friend have a funny sense of what is funny.