Malta, Gaddafi's whore once more: NOT IN MY NAME
Il Messagero, today:
GRAN BRETAGNA – La Gran Bretagna sta dispiegando aerei da combattimento Tornado e Eurofighter verso le basi vicine alla Libia.
Potrebbe essere coinvolta Cipro, dove recentemente erano posizionati tre aerei radar Awacs. Londra dispone anche di basi a Malta ma La Valletta non ha dato l’OK per il loro utilizzo. Due fregate Britanniche incrociano attualmente nel Mediterraneo, la Westminster e la Cumberland.
————–
In translation: Great Britain is disppatching Tornado and Eurofighter jets to bases close to Libya. Cyprus might be included; three AWACs reconnaissance planes were recently positioned there. London wanted access to bases in Malta too, but Valletta did not okay their use. Two British frigates are deployed in the Mediterranean already – the HMS Westminster and the HMS Cumberland.
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Some two hours ago I saw three military planes – a big plane flanked by two fighter jets – passing over Malta and headed north. A short while later I saw another one. It is tricky to spot them because you hear the sound in one place but by then they are miles away from the sound already.
Just a point of clarification:
“dispone anche di basi a Malta” – should be translated as “has also bases in Malta”.
This is clearly either not true or the Messagero translated the English version to Italian in a very “loose” way.
[Daphne – Il Messagero is written in Italian. I translated it into English. I think what’s happening here is some kind of confusion between ‘bases’ and ‘military facilities’. Those military facilities were British.]
Actually, what Il Messagero is saying is that Britain HAS bases in Malta. Makes you wonder whether they too are getting their information from Stagno Navarra.
[Daphne – bases = their former military facilities.]
I Think Antoine Vella is right. The news items seems incorrect to me.
What are you on about? Am I a government spokesman? No, I’m a journalist struggling to obtain some form of information from the Maltese government on a number of matters related to the Libya crisis.
The replies are either scant or never given.
I report on facts, to help people like you, Antoine, to get a better picture of what is happening. Rather than just being idle and quick to fire a silly salvo at me, kindly note that during the PM’s presser yesterday I asked him, ‘I know that you are shouldering the responsibility, but don’t you think that denying a base in Malta when you are covered by a UN mandate is sending the wrong message to the international community?”
Malta being the closest EU nation to Libya is somehow saying that we want to have nothing to do with what’s happening there! Exactly what is being said here! And as a Maltese citizen, I find no problem in joining the chorus…’NOT in my name’.
[Daphne – Malta is not the EU state geographically closest to Libya. Greece is just as close. Look at Crete on a map.]
I’m glad to see that Karl reads this and took the time to reply to a flippant and harmless comment by Antoine Vella. I hope he realises that many of the people whose names are published in the newspapers he writes for do not have the means or the ability to do same and defend themselves.
Finally, a journalist comes out of the woodwork!
You (none of you lot, really) didn’t ask him the most crucial question: why is he, and his foreign minister, taking this particular course of action, knowing full well that this is going to be seriously detrimental for the political and business interests he is trying to protect.
You had a golden opportunity to grill the Prime Minister, Mr Stagno Navarra. But you threw it out of the window and did us a disservice.
Karl. I assume you didn’t get an answer to your question. Then you put your tail between your legs and crawled away? Typical.
L-aqwa li niddikjaraw ruhna bhala Kristjani, u kulhadd kuntent.
Is Malta neutral against mustard gas?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaddafi-could-turn-to-libyas-mustard-gas-stockpile-some-officials-fear/2011/03/16/ABT9iEt_story.html
K Scerri – what makes you think Malta is neutral here? Have you missed the part where the prime minister, along with the EU27, called for Gaddafi to step down and agreed on sanctions against his regime?
Can you possibly not distinguish between the issues of ‘neutrality’ and ‘role’?
We are NOT neutral, we want Gaddafi to step down, but our ROLE in this effort is NOT military, it is humanitarian and peace-oriented.
Will this simple fact ever pass through your thick skull? I mean, I know it hasn’t passed through Daphne’s.
Kev, we are assuming a “humanitarian-only-role” because we are, according to Gonzi and Co., “neutral”.
And despite of the fact we are supposed to be “neutral”, we are still allowing military aircraft through our airspace. That is a breach of our blessed neutrality, is it not? If it were up to you, would you stop that, too?
Agreed that some of our actions are not neutral, but I expect the government to condemn Gaddafi – basically to burn all bridges with his regime – and to play a role in ousting him, including any type of assistance we can give to the coalition air forces.
Macduff – the neutrality clause applies to situations where two or more countries are at war. This is a frigging revolt – a civil war at best.
As for our air space, we clearly cannot, and should not, close it. Given the (large) size of our air space that would effectively be a hindrance to the UN effort and place us squarely on Gaddafi’s side.
So, in short, McDuff, don’t be funny.
Kev said “but our ROLE in this effort is NOT military, it is humanitarian and peace-oriented.”
I have said, and have to repeat here for the avoidance of doubt, that I agree with the PM that we should not allow Malta to be used a military base.
However, a former NATO military official who took part in the NATO operations in the former Yugoslavia told the BBC tonight that this is a humanitarian action against the Gaddafi regime, because it is an operation intended to protect civilians from his attacks.
I thought there was some sense in that.
However, I have a feeling that the UN resolution is effectively a declaration of war on the Libyan government.
Gaddafi has just declared the ‘Western’ strikes a ‘colonial crusade’. So there you are, not a revolt anymore – and he’s right in his own way.
In this game, we’re not on his side, for we are on the EU’s side, but we are the good cops, the ones who prefer non-military means.
Kif qazzuni tal-media tal-kaxxa, imma – BBC, Sky, CNN, Al-CNNzeera… Programma Vremya – Tuuu, tu tu tu tu-tu tuuu…
For ease of reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ali04XRq88
OK, Kevin Ellul Bonici. Explain in simple terms how being a “good cop” is helping to rid the world of Gaddafi, especially now that he’s claiming the Mediterranean is a war zone and everyone had better watch out.
If you’re going to ride into battle waving our neutrality clause, please let us know. We wouldn’t want to miss the photo opportunity.
All I can say, Corinne, is how grateful I am towards Gonzi for acting sensibly and not passionately.
Frankly, this is not my war but your obsession. If your heart bleeds, then let it bleed for the dying Yemenis, Bahrainis, Iraqis, Palestinians, Sierra Leonese… many, many others.
Oh, but Libya is closer – which means your bleeding heart can hear their screams. Or perhaps this Pavlovian aversion has all to do with the spectre of Mintoff, causing you to view things most irrationally.
Kev,
You haven’t answered the straightforward question: How, in simple terms, is being a “good cop” is helping to rid the world of Gaddafi, especially now that he’s claiming the Mediterranean is a war zone and everyone had better watch out?
Kevin Ellul Bonici, have you heard a single member of Malta’s government mention Gaddafi by name, condemn what Gaddafi is doing, and say that he has to go?
Me, neither.
Yes, imqanzha at best. But that’s another matter, Corinne. The government has officially condemned Gaddafi’s actions – the ones that really happened, that is, not the imaginery ones concocted by the media.
Ahem, where and when did you hear that? And which are the actions that really happened and which were concocted by the media?
Answer Corinne’s question, Kevvy! Are you possibly considering a run in 2013? Your waffling would suit you well.
We are on the wrong side of history. I never expected such a stance from our government.
Tonio Borg says that Malta sits on the fence because it is close to Libya.
We are literally and figuratively close to Gaddafi. Isn’t that why we should provide a military base to get rid of him?
Corinne, no one has explained as yet whether we have a military aerodrome for this purpose. Can someone clarify?
No we don’t. We have a civilian airport. Even our AFM Air Wing uses part of this civilian airport. But it is no sense a “military base”.
There’s a lot of confusing information out there right now: AWACS and reconnaissance, bombing and shelling, military bases and civilian airstrips, ex-bases and current ones, NATO bases and national bases, the whole lot.
Malta has much more than just an aerodrome to offer in this battle for the safety, security and rights of the Libyan people. Malta can provide valuable intelligence and other intangibles, can serve as a staging post for fuel and supplies.
Given the overly-broad interpretation government is giving to the blessed neutrality clause, one must assume that members of the UN-sanctioned team will not even be permitted to bring their casualties to our hospitals.
Can someone clarify whether effectively, what the UN approved was not a no-fly zone, but a war on Gaddafi and the Libyan government?
The UN resolution, besides setting up a no-fly zone, authorises any measures necessary to safeguard the civilian population. The only exception made regards the use of ground forces, which are not allowed.
Pentagon spokesman, on Al Jazeera, just said ‘no drive zone’. Heavy times ahead for the madman.
For the time being, the madman can sail. There are nice resorts around the Mediterranean coast. And he could attack Benghazi from the sea.
Don’t think so, Ciccio. He always looks sea sick, even when he puts on his skirts and hats and becomes a drag queen.
On second thoughts, Harry, I agree with you.
Besides, apparently Poseidon, the god of the sea, was an enemy of Odysseus. That must not be a good sign for Gaddafi.
With the ‘paraventu’ conveniently provided by the ‘neutrality clause’ in the constitution niftily removed by the UN resolution on Libya, our parliamentarians have been clearly shown up for the crummy lot that they are.
The utterings of the Foreign Minister are a disgrace to the nation. Malta has failed the Libyans in their time of dire need. Malta has freely chosen to go deaf, mute, and blind to their sufferings. What should have been a time of greatness has been turned into a time of shame.
I trust that, once the Libyan people finally get rid of Gaddafi and his evil regime, as indeed they will, and set up a fair system of government, Malta’s head of state and the entire lot of the sorry examples of [in]humanity that make up the Maltese parliament will have the decency of assuring their absence from the formalities and the celebrations setting up the new Libyan State.
That would be the day, because, sadly, there are very few people who reason the way you do. Decent people are few and far between.
I had a better impression of Gonzi (though Borg has reconfirmed what I have always thought of him).
I’ve just heard part of Tonio Borg’s interview on Sky News and he kept referring to Malta as being “military neutral”. I had never heard this expression before and am wondering what it means exactly.
When accused of showing solidarity with Gaddafi, he calmly replied; “I wouldn’t say so . .”. Not even the least sign of indignation at such a shaming accusation?
The Sky News journalist was not half as “harsh and belligerent” (to use a phrase some commenter used here) as he should have been.
[Daphne – The whole interview is here: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Video-Maltas-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Tonio-Borg-Talks-To-Sky-News/Video/201103315956001?lid=VIDEO_15956001_Video:MaltasDeputyPrimeMinisterTonioBorgTalksToSkyNews&lpos=searchres ]
That Sky News journalist is usually a hell of a lot more harsh when he interviews. I am guessing that he knew he was interviewing a rambling idiot, who would be decimated if he went after him. Too bad. He put his sword back into its scabbard.
The Sky News journalist must have thought it would be unfair to be belligerent with someone who declared himself to be “militarily neutral.”
Ah, now I get it.
We are showering praise on Italy for offering its military bases for British and US fighters and bombers. All power to them.
So whatever happened to “Coraggio, fuggiamo”?
Having it both ways, are we?
[Daphne – I’m glad you brought that up, Angus. Yes, it’s fine pickle, isn’t it, when even the most notorious cowards of Europe are braver than we are and have more integrity too.]
I think that the Berlusconi government is smarter not braver than Malta’s. Italy must have figured that in terms of future oil deals and investment it’s better off supporting the rebels, seeing that the tide has turned again.
The Maltese government, being ‘wajs’ rather than smart, has probably reasoned that it would rather risk ‘cold’ relations with a potential future ‘rebel’ government (something that can be fixed with some ‘qahbizmu’) rather than the wrath of Gaddafi in the unlikely possibility that he survives the attack.
Italy has the capability of fending off any attempt by whichever side Libya wakes up to tomorrow morning and Malta does not. It is not a matter of courage, it’s a matter of being smart enough to adapt to our limitations.
[Daphne – That’s exactly my point, Angus. We haven’t been smart enough to adapt to our limitations. The smart weak ally themselves to the stronger against the strong, and win out. The stupid weak stay out of the game, call it ‘not taking a risk’ and get eaten alive by both.]
Beyond that, it would be like playing Russian roulette. Today’s action by the US missiles proves that a land base is not all that important and we knew about the cruise missiles since at least the Iraq invasion.
I have just listened to Tonio Borg’s interview. How utterly pathetic, banging on about the Mirages and the evacuation process. Both seem to have happened a lifetime ago already. Is it possible that Malta has nothing new to offer in this huge, important and historical operation?
What irked me the most was that when asked whether Malta is still supporting Gaddafi, he didn’t answer with an unequivocal “No. We want him to leave now.” He said “I wouldn’t say so”, as if he isn’t sure what Malta’s policies are.
I’m utterly sick of hearing about neutrality. The Constitution says that we can have military forces to exercise self-defence. It also says that action mandated by the UN Security Council is exempted from neutrality provisions. Everyone talks about the definition of neutrality but nobody talks about the definition of self.
In 2011, do we really still have such a staunch ‘us and them’ mentality?
In an age where we have everything from e-government to e-shopping, where we’re constantly connected and where you can travel to any part of the globe in a relatively short time and we call the world a global village, shouldn’t self include all our friends, wherever they are?
We have always called Libyans our friends. Why aren’t we helping them now?
Even if looked at from the most selfish of perspectives, in a country where we have so many vested interests, doesn’t the government think that in defending Libyans, we will be defending ourselves? We are all humans after all. There is no excuse not to help Libyans.
What a bunch of pathetic nitwits we have in parliament. No wonder they find the earth-shattering discussion about divorce so entertaining.
Gonzi and Tonio should both resign from the PN and hand over the reins to Simon Busuttil.
They are both happy to pry in our personal lives trying to impose their faith on everybody and then stand idly by the side while the Libyans die in their thousands – Catholic my foot.
First time I’ve seen or heard him and all I can think of is: what an appalling deadbeat.
If it wasn’t for the prospect of Simon Busuttil being PM one day I would be seriously depressed right now.
They continue to hedge their bets on the comments-board of timesofmalta.com:
stephen portelli
Libya should learn that Malta has and will always be the closest allies irrespective whether there is gaddafi or not and once this is over they should sit down and agree on the continental shelf with Maltese government. Although Libyans thought that they could bypass Malta in the past 5 years we have shown that despite being small we can play an important role in their future.
Everyone crying and lamenting that we should join the fight, but what can we contribute exactly?
[Daphne – It is not what we can contribute that counts, but our willingness to contribute. ]
We have only one airstrip and its a civilian one.
[Daphne – Wrong. We have several airstrips which were used by the RAF. True, they are mainly in disrepair, and one of them is now used for markets and picncs and bikes at Ta’ Qali. But these are fighter jets we are talking about, not passenger planes which require a fully-serviced runway of 6000′.]
It is not equipped to handle military aircraft geared for war I bet there are some safety dangers if you let military and commercial flights to land and take of in the same place.
We do not have air bases to lend and that’s it.
If that were the case, then the proper response that we want to participate but can’t as opposed to saying we can’t because we’re neutral.
Just a point of note – none of the airstrips apart from the Luqa/Gudja one can be used as airstrips – Mintoff saw to that by building around them and on them in the 70s and 80s.
In actual fact Malta can only support through the use of Gudja airport as supply depot. The same can be said for our harbours.
I hope that our Prime Mnister has a change of heart and forgets those pea brains of the commentators of the times, and offer full support to the force..
Your grasp of what constitutes a modern military base shows clearly. We can participate in the coalition without anyone in Malta feeling the difference.
Even the underground bunkers still exist and could be used. There is ample space and we should make it available. As to H&S within a military environment, we are living with far greater risks every day only the man in the street just does not get to know about them.
Daphne the runways you are talking about have not had a plane land on them in decades, are full of debris, uneven, have had structures erected along them etc. They are not safe enough to use for any aircraft.
Having said that. we can offer use of our two runways at Malta International Airport very easily. Traffic flow into and out of Malta is low by European standards and there are significant periods during the day when military traffic landing or taking off will not create any significant problem to commercial traffic.
You can contribute symbolically by at least declaring your support and availabilty to the military operations as a few Arab states are doing.
Daphne, I too would be cautious about actively participating. You admit that ours would be a token gesture – and that is what it would be if we allow anything military to happen in Malta. It will serve no real practical purpose. Sometimes it takes more courage to say no.
It doesn’t take courage to say no. If Malta can serve no practical purpose to the coalition forces, then why did our government emphatically and repeatedly make the point that Malta will not serve as a military base because we’re ‘neutral’?
Just seen the whole interview. I hope that this is the last interview by our politicians. Embarrassing and shameful. When in a hole please do not keep on digging.
Sadly, we really let the side down. And ourselves in the process. Just wait until the ‘Rebuilding Libya’ projects take off. Then we’ll be back to arse-licking the victors and no doubt the foreign minister will be the first one there, jippoppa sidru. What a country!
While 70% of French online voters of Le Figaro agree with the attacks, German Der Spiegel is caustic in its comments:
“US-Präsident Barack Obama hat einen neuen Ton angeschlagen. Es ist eine, die undenkbar gewesen wäre zurück haben, als er noch ein Präsidentschaftskandidat – der Kandidat der Friede, der seines Vorgängers Kriege abgelehnt und wollte so wenig wie möglich mit ihnen zu tun haben. Aber jetzt ist er Präsident und Kommandant-in-Chief. Und jetzt hat er den ersten Krieg seiner eigenen machen.”
[Daphne – Most of us know no German. Please translate.]
Barack Obama has struck a new tone. It is one that would have been unthinkable back when he was a presidential candidate – the candidate of peace, who rejected his predecessor’s wars, and had as little as possible to do with them. But now he is president and commander-in-Chief. And now he has to make the first war of his own.
Basically Spiegel is saying that this is not the same peace-loving pre election Obama. They imply that he is now happy to have his own war.
When asked about my nationality I’ll say that I’m a Maltese dissident.
Good one, el topo.
The coverage this evening, of the recent updates of the Libya crisis, on the main three Maltese channels, was an absolute disgrace. One would think that this intervention is happening on the other side of the world and not in our own back garden.
I cringed when I listened to what the leaders of our fellow EU countries had to say about helping the oppressed people of Libya rid themselves of the dictator and compared it to what our lilly-livered neutered leaders had to say.
What the Sky interview clearly shows is how ridiculous the various excuses that Malta came up with sound in an international context. In Malta they sound wise.
They don’t sound wise in Malta. They sound wise to people of a particular mindset.
[Daphne – I think he means ‘wajs’ (Maltese meaning) and not ‘wise’ (English meaning).]
Yes, I meant ‘wajs’ actually.
Is it possible to organise some sort of peaceful protest against what has been decided?
You could write to the Prime Minister and tell him you disapprove.
http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/infografica/201103articoli/64284girata.asp
How can we forget that Dr Borg, only a few years ago, was willing to give up part of Malta’s search and rescue area to Italy, until members of parliament on both sides of the House realised what he was up to and stopped him?
He is a seriously confused man and he sounded like a confused man when he was interviewed by Sky News.
A foreign minister who does not know where the national interest lies becomes a disservice to the country.
Translation is incorrect:
Londra dispone anche di basi a Malta
=
London has the availabilty of bases in Malta
Il Messaggero is totally incorrect on this point.
However, our Deputy Prime MInister’s interview on Skpe was rather dull, to say the least! For one thing the Mirage Jets reached Malta practically at the beginning of the protests, not “a few days ago” ! Dr. Borg sounded very tired!
Enjoy: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Video-Maltas-Deputy-Prime-Minister-Tonio-Borg-Talks-To-Sky-News/Video/201103315956001?lid=VIDEO_15956001_Video:MaltasDeputyPrimeMinisterTonioBorgTalksToSkyNews&lpos=searchresults
Dull doesn’t begin to describe his replies. He was completely off track.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110319/local/libya-says-french-plane-shot-down – though there is no such report on Le Monde.
Berlusconi: “Tripoli non può colpirci”
Imma lilna?
http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2011/03/19/97001-20110319FILWWW00505-libye-un-avion-francais-aurait-ete-abattu.php
It’s on ‘Le Figaro’ site but using the conditional for now.
The names for the operation are sheer poetry.
The French contribution is Operation Harmattan: A wind which sweeps down from the Sahara to the Gulf of Guinea, a sort of reference to sweeping away the dictator perhaps.
For the Yanks, god bless their cotton socks, it’s Operation Odyssey Dawn. Hmm, they never could resist a bit of Hollywood vocab.
For the British it’s Operation Ellamy. They just get a computer to choose harmless words out of the dictionary (no really).
Baxxter, correct. The British employ a computer model to name their military operations. It’s called, I am told by a Scottish relative, a ‘Pornographic Generator’. Developed by a Maltese guy who lives in Soho.
Is this for real? I can’t find out what “ellamy” means though. Is it a place name? During the Gulf War we had Operation Granby, after the Duke of Granby. But this?
British names aside, operation names have huge political significance. That’s the mistake that Clancy-type nerds make. As proven by dozens of comments on this site. War is not about the range of missiles or the distance between Tripoli and Malta. Nor is it about the hardware that Malta can contribute. It is language. The Coalition is talking to Gaddafi.
Our peasant culture comes through even in international politics. The idea that “u ijja dawk hmerijiet”. Like not offering flowers “ghax ahjar kexx, heqq”. Ostra kemm ghad fadlilna nevolvu.
P.S. I’ll explain the Odyssey Dawn name later in my blog. It is not Hollywood at all, but Greek mythology, and a reference to Homer. Beautiful. I’m moved. Unless I’m crediting the Yanks with too much culture.
Baxxter, why? You have to credit the Yanks for Homer Simpson.
http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2011/03/19/97001-20110319FILWWW00505-libye-un-avion-francais-aurait-ete-abattu.php
Now French army says all their planes are back safely. Fog of war starting..
This is not about the Ta’ Qali airstrip or Hal Far or Luqa – it is about supporting the coalition by offering whatever services they require and which we can provide.
It may not have transpired into anything substantive but at least we would have shown solidarity and support in a communal effort for a common purpose.
As it now stands we are looking very much like we have some Gaddafi interests to look after and that we are trying to have our bread buttered on both sides.
Two things come to mind – either we are trying to protect the substantial Maltese/Libyan investment in joint ventures or Gonzi is genuinely worried that Gaddafi can fire some missiles at Malta.
How very sad.
The neutrality brigade, including our PM and vice-PM, should by now realise, because it is plainly evident even to the uninitiated, that the no-fly zone and the air strikes against Gaddafi’s hardware can be done effectively even without Malta’s participation or co-operation.
In this vein, and to make it more glaringly obvious (as Daphne has already done several times by now), the message that should have been relayed by our PM and his vici, should have been one of solidarity with the Libyan uprising and with the international community, and that even if we are small, we could be counted upon if the need arose.
Unfortunately, this basic reasoning has been lost on our leadership class.
While Tonio squirms and waffles, everyone else participates.
Saturday, 19th March 2011 – 21:09CET
Times of Malta
Nations ready to take action in Libya
AFP
A coalition of nations including Britain, France and the United States are ready to join military action against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya.
Here are details of their contributions:
FRANCE
A French warplane fired the first shot in the operation on a Libyan military vehicle at 1645 GMT, after talks between world leaders in Paris hosted by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Three more air strikes followed.
He said earlier that French jets were overflying the rebel bastion of Benghazi, preventing Gaddafi’s air strikes.
Around 20 French warplanes were involved in operations over Libya, the French defence ministry said.
France has about 100 warplanes, mainly Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets. Air bases at Solenzara in Corsica and in Ndjamena in Chad were also on alert.
The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be deployed to Libya tomorrow.
BRITAIN
Prime Minister David Cameron said British forces were in action over Libya late today.
Britain has moved Tornado and Typhoon fighter jets to bases near Libya and is also offering air-to-air refuelling and surveillance aircraft.
The country has an airbase in Cyprus, where three of its airborne warning and control system (AWACS) planes were recently stationed.
Two frigates, HMS Cumberland and HMS Westminster, were already in the Mediterranean.
UNITED STATES
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States would deploy its “unique capabilities” but gave no further details.
US tomahawk cruise missiles hit Libya late today, the Pentagon said.
Washington has F-15 and F-16 fighter jets in Sicily, while the USS Barry and the USS Stout, both destroyers equipped with sea-to-ground Tomahawk missiles, are in the Mediterranean.
The USS Bataan, a helicopter-carrying amphibious assault ship, and two other vessels have also been deployed to relieve the USS Kearsarge and the transport docking ship USS Ponce in the Mediterranean. The Bataan was due to leave the state of Virginia on Wednesday.
The US also has three submarines in the Mediterranean capable of firing Tomahawk missiles.
CANADA
Seven CF-18 jets and a C-17 Globemaster transport plane have headed for the Mediterranean, with another C-17 due to be deployed later.
ARAB NATIONS
Qatar said it will contribute to the no-fly zone but has not given details, while a UN diplomat said the United Arab Emirates will participate.
NATO
The 28-nation alliance was discussing whether to participate, but France has indicated that it would prefer NATO did not.
AWACS planes have been flying 24 hours a day in the region for the past week as part of a NATO anti-terror mission. The alliance also decided last week to deploy three ships to the area.
ITALY
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi offered the use of its seven air bases and held out the possibility of using its own air force and navy.
NORWAY
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said six F-16 warplanes would be in place “within a few days”.
DENMARK
The defence ministry said four F-16s, two reserve fighter jets and a transport plane had been sent to a military base in Sicily.
BELGIUM
Defence Minister Pieter De Crem said Belgium could deploy four of the six F-16 fighter jets it has committed to NATO, plus an anti-mine ship.
SPAIN
Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero said four F-18 fighter planes and an air-to-air refuelling plane would leave today for an Italian base.
NETHERLANDS
A diplomat in Paris said the Netherlands would join military action.
GREECE
Prime Minister George Papandreou volunteered the use of the island of Crete, which lies northeast of Libya, a diplomat in Paris said.
MALTA
Minister Borg volonteered to donate freebie packets of Twistees to anyone wishing to sit with him on his fence.
I cannot vote for JPO again, for obvious reasons. Gave him my number 1 last time round ( sorry, my bad). Cannot vote for Tonio Borg either (gave him 6 or 7 last time, so no big deal there).
I hope we get new candidates on Attard or maybe I should move. Maybe John Dalli will let me use his Tripoli home. Tonight I feel dirty.
Dear PM, please get a grip and do what the Constitution allows us to do: offer help to rid the world, including our immediate neighbourhood, of a murderous butcher.
Allura, jekk dawk iz-zewg pilots tal-Mirage li hawn Malta jigu interrogati biex jghaddu informazzjoni dwar strategija militari fil-Libya, Tonio Borg jghid li ma jistax minhabba in-newtralita?
Dik f`dan il-kaz ma tigix ghajnuna tajba ghal kontra Gaddafi.
….yes and maybe use some water-boarding techiques too, while at it.
U jekk ma jaccettawx, nghidlihom li ser nibaghthom b’ajruplan tal-Air Malta malajr gewwa Tripli.
London has military bases in Malta? Just goes to show how accurate reporting is in the international media. Please do NOT try to twist this around that the Italian newspaper is saying anything about military bases built by the British. The verb “dispone” means that something is at the disposal of someone. This is plainly not true, unless there is some secret deal between Gonzi and the UK. Which I doubt.
[Daphne – Ergo, John Dalli must have been right. Those are all media lies. This is a conspiracy. Gaddafi must take his own decisions.]
You’re twisting things around. Ergo nothing. The newspaper report is false, plain and simple. London does not dispose of military bases in Malta.
The reporter there probably was, like all of us, watching Sky News and saw the Union flag pinned on Malta. In any case, no, I dont believe whatever the international media report, like some apparently do. That report is simply false, lazy reporting.
[Daphne – Albert, xi dwejjaq, madonna. You’re like a terrier, digging into a bone while the meat walks past unnoticed. Is this the issue here? It is not a false report. It is a mistaken report. There is no need for Il Messagero to lie about British bases in Malta. ‘False’ and ‘erroneous’ have two completely different meanings. The first requires the deliberate intention to mislead. The second is just a bloody mistake. Another thing: ‘to have at your disposal’ and ‘to dispose of’ mean completely different things. Using your analogy, therefore, your remark is false.]
Daphne, if you have someone who purports himself as a serious journalist reporting that Malta is a British military base, then the reporter together with the paper loses all credibility.
When I see you writing basing your facts on misguided reports than I see that you want to push your agenda.
[Daphne – No, John, you want to push yours. I do not base my writing on misguided reports. I merely point out that the entire coalition appears to have taken it for granted that Malta will be a willing party, as evidenced by the all-over references to Malta being used as a British base. This does not mean that Malta IS a British base, but it does mean that we were expected to offer our facilities just as everyone else did and the reaction when we did not do so was surprise, given that our airport was jampacked with military planes only three weeks ago.]
Our only airport cannot be used for military purposes, it cannot be exposed to danger. The countries which are involving their ‘assets’ are not putting all of them to enforce Libya’s NFZ.
Sigonella is a military airport not a civil airport, the US , UK, France, Denmark, Italy and the rest are not using ALL their military assets for this just cause.
We are permitting the UN forces to fly over Malta. The nearest military base is Sigonella in Sicily. Malta’s airport is not needed. After all, weren’t you stating that Sicily is nearer to Libya than Malta is?
[Daphne – ‘We are permitting the UN forces to fly over Malta’. Please tell me you are joking.
‘Weren’t you stating that Sicily is nearer to Libya than Malta is?’ No, I wasn’t. I said that Sicily is only 60 miles further away from Libya than Malta is, which renders utterly ridiculous Tonio Borg’s point that Malta is the sovereign state closest to Libya. If he is going to quibble over 60 miles, then I hope to God he never has to work in the centre of London and commute to and from his home in Oxford every day.]
As I already wrote yesterday, I saw military planes flying over our skies at a height of about 40,000 feet, and from what I can make up they were refueling. During the flight there was a short trail of white vapour on the two sides of the big plane.
I can see Malta helping the coalition as an SAR base station with helicopters and all, we would be still playing a ‘humanitarian’ role. We would pick up anyone involved in the conflict from the sea.
[Daphne – You illustrate my point, not yours, John, when you say that military planes are having to refuel in midair over Malta because they are not allowed to do so on Malta. Your example merely serves to highlight our shame. There they go, risking their lives, and we won’t even allow them to tank up here.]
The planes which are refuelling over us are not even landing in Sigonella , they are going back to where they came from: England.
I don’t know if you ever lived near a military airport , but I did, and I know and can imagine the logistics involved, and the dangers involved to attack from Malta.
Can you imagine Park 9 where the Lufthansa Technic hangar is , littered with a stockpile of ammo and bombs? What about the safety of the workers there?
How would the bombs to arm the fighters be transported ? Do you know what IATA rules stipulate? Don’t tell me that its OK for IATA to have six fully armed F18’s taking off from Malta international airport , while it doesn’t leave passengers carry a small bottle of water with them on the plane!
I can tell you that I have seen many near misses and a handful of airplane crashes in the Luqa area when Malta was a British military base ,especially during the Nato military exercises. Aeroplanes crash and accidents happen.
Military aircraft produce a lot of noise during take off , our runways are in line with built up areas. Birzebbugia /Haz-Zebbug , Attard and Mosta are affected with the big runway , while Imqabba and Qrendi/Luqa Paola and Zabbar are affected with the old runway ; not to mention Gudja and Kirkop.
Where would you store the bombs to carry out the raids over Gaddafi’s Libya? Do you recall the Mosta fireworks explosion?Or the Um-El -Faroud explosion at the dockyard? Would you still consider it safe to have a similar explosion at Luqa airport?
Good morning to all…
Just a couple of points to clarify matters a bit:
a. First of all, the issue of whether or not the United KIngdom has bases in Malta or not is the result of some misplaced comments by UK Cabinet members made in the Commons in the run-up to the actions taken against Libya and which were picked up by the international media.
[Daphne – Yes, you’re right. It was the defence minister’s remarks which were picked up first by the BBC. He spoke about the British base in Malta, and here’s the thing: he did so right after visiting Malta.]
It seems that some people are not aware of what happened in 1979 and how subsequent requests were always turned down by sucessive Maltese administrations as there were many attempts to relaunch a permanent arrangement between the UK and Malta on ‘defence matters’.
b. Above all other considerations, Malta’s only military grade airstrips are in Luqa and these are, today, in use for civilian air traffic. This makes Malta as a very unlikely option – given the other choices available to the international coalition – due to many logistic and security considerations. Stressing on this point is a no-brainer, really, and the same can be said of Malta’s main ports in Valletta.
I hope this clarifies these two issues.
If Malta cannot and would not be used as an military airbase for technical reasons, why is that simple and straightforward explanation never given?
It would be so simple, really – “we’d like to help, but don’t have the means”. So different from the pseudo-determined “we are neutral”, “the safety of Maltese people comes first” (they’ve forgotten about the ones in Benghazi and Tripoli), “we will offer only humanitarian assistance”, and on and on and on ad nauseam.
Malta suffered enough during World War Two.
[Daphne – Malta suffered? Come on. Malta’s suffering was not exceptional. Unfortunately, that George Cross so many people want to give back just served to give us the impression that Malta’s experience was exceptional.]