U.S., allies ponder arming Libyan rebels

[Turborama]

Source: Washington Post

By Karen DeYoung, Friday, March 25, 9:41 PM

The United States and its allies are considering whether to supply weapons to the Libyan opposition as coalition airstrikes fail to dislodge government forces from around key contested towns, according to U.S. and European officials.

France actively supports training and arming the rebels, and the Obama administration believes the United Nations resolution that authorized international intervention in Libya has the “flexibility” to allow such assistance, “if we thought that were the right way to go,” Obama spokesman Jay Carney said. It was a “possibility,” he said.

Gene Cretz, the recently withdrawn U.S. ambassador to Libya, said administration officials were having “the full gamut” of discussions on “potential assistance we might offer, both on the non-lethal and the lethal side,” but that no decisions had been made.

The coalition has stepped up its outreach to the opposition, inviting one of its senior leaders to a high-level international conference in London on Tuesday, called to determine future political strategy in Libya.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-allies-ponder-arming-libyan-rebels/2011/03/25/AFJP9mYB_story.html

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Long, detailed article.

Staff writer Tara Bahrampour in Benghazi, Libya, Colum Lynch at the United Nations and Greg Jaffe and Felicia Sonmez in Washington contributed to this report.

[Paradoxical]

1. We've already armed the other side. Might as well make it fair.

[Scuba]

2. Dear China, We're broke and can't even afford to take care of our own people, ....

...so we've decided the best thing to do is give arms to some well-meaning rebels in northern Africa. But it's expensive!

Can you please loan us the money to buy the arms? Our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren promise to repay you, with interest.


Sincerely (on behalf of the US People),


The US Military-Industrial Complex

[daleo]

11. That's one way to look at it

And a valid way.

[dipsydoodle]

3. There is a UN arms embargo in place.

Arms embargo's are arms embargo's.

I am aware the US did not consider that precluded arming the rebels. The fact was that the UN resolution was against Libya : not Gaddafi.

[Lasher]

4. Then you would think we would be stopping each side from attacking the other.

Rebels regained control of Ajdabiya on Saturday. I don't suppose there were any airstrikes against the rebels to stop them from attacking Gadhafi's soldiers there.

[ctsnowman]

6. This has always been about making sure the rebels win.

We took sides in a civil war and twisted some words to make it sound better.

[timo]

5. hell YES!!!!!

ESPECIALLY SINCE SOME OF THE REBELS ARE ANTI AMERICAN AS WELL, MAKES PERFECT FREAKING SENSE!!!!

[russian33]

7. yeah, cause that worked out so well in the past

what with bin Laden and his bunch and all

[Baclava]

8. Arming with WHAT? Tanks, artillery, more AK-47's? B-52s?

Where DOES it end? Bombing everything in sight all the way back to Tripoli?

It's gonna be a bloodbath.

[South End Liberal]

9. Yeah, that worked out so well in Viet Nam too.

Those that forget history are doomed to repeat it, repeat it, repeat it........

[BenzoDia]

10. After all of our wars, arming them is better than our guys having go in there.

Though maybe we can write them a bill for our expenses. Some of that gold or oil perhaps?

[daleo]

12. Arms merchants will do ok. n/t