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Libyan coalition light on membership

Stewart STogel

'No one will believe the U.S. is not in the lead despite what the president says'

NEW YORK – Despite talk from President Barack Obama, documents from the United Nations Security Council reveal support for action against Libya to be limited in scope.

Even though U.S./U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice insisted last week's council resolution "sent Libya a strong message from the international community," the vote showed that one-third of the members abstained on the measure.

Now U.N. records reveal that the "coalition" now "enforcing" the resolution consists of only a dozen nations.

By contrast, in January 1991 when the U.S. and its "coalition" attacked Saddam Hussein in Kuwait, President George H.W. Bush amassed a "coalition" of more than 40 countries.

Nations as divergent as Egypt and Syria were active members in the effort to eject Iraq from Kuwait.

Not so now.

Former U.S./U.N. Ambassador John Bolton told WND:

"This is why no one will believe the U.S. is not in the lead despite what the president says."

Under Security Council resolution 1973, any nation opting to participate in an enforcement must inform the U.N. in writing of its intent.

More than four days after the military campaign against Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began, only the following nations have joined the "coalition," the U.N. says:

They are the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Canada, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Belgium, Spain, Norway and Ukraine.

The 22-nation Arab League, which was the first group to call for a no-fly zone over Libya, apparently has reversed course and has opted to sit on the sidelines despite verbal support from its secretary-general, Amre Moussa.

The new governments in bordering Tunisia and Egypt are being very cautious in getting too involved in events in Libya, speculate diplomats at the U.N.

Not only are additional nations reluctant to join the coalition, published reports claim that "operational differences" are emerging between Britain and France on just how to proceed.

The British are said to be contributing several subs equipped with cruise missiles, while Paris has reportedly positioned the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean Sea.

Still, more than 90 percent of the action against Libya has been conducted by the U.S. military, claims the Pentagon.

Bolton insists that Obama's proclamation that Washington "will soon" hand over the Libyan military campaign to "its coalition friends" is simply not practical:

"It simply shows why handing over the operation to other countries in a few days risks leaving us in a quagmire."

In yet another complication, reports from the war zone claim the USAF lost an F-15 "due to mechanical difficulties" over the Libyan desert Tuesday morning.

The two-man crew was said to be rescued by friendly rebel forces.

www.wnd.com/

March 22, 2011

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