Scotfella: Dictator Bouteflika says Western military action to 'free' Libya reminiscent of war on Iraq

Monday 21 March 2011

ALGIERS, March 21 (BERNAMA-NNN-APS) -- The military action of Western allies

against Libya has raised many questions and sparked fears on the real reasons

behind the war, reminiscent of that waged against Iraq eight years ago.

Following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973

imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, the international coalition launched the

operation on Saturday.

The United States, France and Britain conducted air raids and fired more than

100 Tomahawk cruise missiles at various targets in Libya.

For some, especially in media circles, Western coalition strikes against the

forces of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi''s regime target the Libyan oil.

In Nouakchott, Mali, meanwhile, the African Union (AU) Ad Hoc committee on

Libya has re-affirmed the need for an African co-ordinated and urgent action to

address the disturbing developments of the situation in Libya.

In order to contribute actively in the research for a quick solution, under

international law, the high level committee issued a statement after its first

meeting on Saturday evening in Nouakchott.

The committee asked the AU Commission to take the initiative for a meeting

on March 25 in Addis Ababa, to involve also senior representatives of the Arab

League, Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the European Union (EU), UN

and other partners, in order to agree on ways for a quick exit from crisis, and

agree with them on an ongoing consultative process and concerted actions to

implement.

An extraordinary Western summit on Libya held on Saturday in Paris decided

the start of military action against Libya, under UN Security Council Resolution

1973 authorizing the use of force against the countries to save civilian lives.

A first strike was carried out by French aircraft against Libya, under the UN

resolution authorizing use of force to protect the people of Libya, said the

French General Staff.

The strike took place at 16:45 GMT and targeted "an unknown vehicle," said

the source.

Twenty devices "in total were involved in the operation initiated by the

French army in Libya, and the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" was to sail

Sunday from Toulon towards Libya, the source added.

LKC CS

Scotfella