Sarkozy has just spoken after the Paris summit
Speaking live on television after the Paris Summit just now, Nicolas Sarkozy said:
We shall use any means necessary to protect the civilian population of Libya.
This includes air attacks on armed forces on the ground.
French planes are ready to attack tanks and armoured vehicles being used against civilians by a murderous regime which, by killing its own people, has forfeited all legitimacy.
Yesterday, we warned Colonel Gaddafi that in the absence of a ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of weapons, we shall use military force against him.
He ignored that threat and instead in the last 24 hours he has intensified his murderous attacks.
The Arab peoples, in these great difficulties they are going through, need our help. They need our support. It is our duty to provide it.
All that the people of Libya are asking for is the freedom to decide their own destiny. We are duty-bound to respond to their appeal. The future of Libya belongs to the Libyans.
Nobody can stand aside and tolerate such crimes.
Anything we can do to protect the civilian population of Libya against this murderous madness, that we shall do.
We warned Colonel Gaddafi: avoid the worst. He has to respond to all the demands of the international community.
We are totally determined. Each one of us knows our responsibilities, and each one of us now has to face up to those responsibilities.
We are all very conscious of our role before history.
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French military jets over Libya;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
Foreign planes might already be over Libya, at least according to Aljazeera.
I wouldn’t bother much with AlJazeera, but this time coincidentially or otherwise they seem to be right.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12795971
Sky News has just reported exactly the same .
Yep, read about it courtesy of http://www.baxxterswar.wordpress.com
The Maltese non-action in the face of slaughter in Libya reminds me of the dithering of the European monarchs when Malta needed them during the Great Siege.
Maybe it’s payback time?
“We are all very conscious of our role in this historic moment”.
Too right.
Malta, too.
Germany included. One would think that after Hitler, they would have tried to redeem themselves (“jigbru giehom”) with the rest of the civilised world.
Sadly, Malta too has now lost respect and credibility.
I think our politicians should be excused for peeing in their pants during the last three days. Nothing major happened in the international neighbourhood since 1964 which needed our co-operation, so actually our current crop of politicians had no precedent to act upon.
So they took the ‘safe’ road: “we are so small, we are neutered. Ikkumpatuna”.
Phu, x’attegjament tal-viljakki. Now what are we going to tell the Libyans when all this is over?
“Hello neighbours, we were brilliant during the evacuation of foreigners from your country, but we sucked at not even uttering ONE word against Gaddafi. We did not even have the guts to ever mention HIS NAME. But listen, we had very good relations with ‘you’ while Gaddafi was in power, so please do not forget this. Come on, let us keep doing business together”.
There is nothing to explain. The ‘new’ Libyan government, (whenever that comes to be) and the existing businesses will be most anxious to resume business and not being aggressive enough against Gaddafi, when our input could be measured minimally at best, makes no difference.
The first thing the new Libya would need is all the foreign workers back. The ones with experience that is, otherwise they will have to import unskilled labourers from neighbouring countries as Gaddafi did using them as mercenaries.
Our knickers seem to be tied in a knot because some 200 Maltese worked there before the trouble started and several companies (including Dalli’s) conducted several million dollars worth of business. Veru kas ta, “qed ninfaxxaw rasna qabel ma naqsmuha”.
The inescapable truth is that more construction jobs will need to be created just to re-build what the Gaddafi troops destroyed. Malta stands to share in that market if, for nothing else, its proximity to Libya.
If any of you think that getting rid of Gaddafi is a matter of dropping a couple of bombs and the job is done in a matter of hours, think again.
How long did the US search for Saddam and after months, only came across him by accident, buried in a tiny hellhole? Gaddafi may have more sophisticated shelters and escape routes one can even dream of. One such elaborate quarters were already discovered when one of his houses was plundered by the protesters.
So, finding not only the father (Maummar) but his sons, especially Saif can turn out to be a real headache and a lot of aerial interventions may be needed before this is all over.
The collateral damage to Tripoli could be extensive and Malta’s refusal to let itself be used as a springboard of destruction could very well be something the future peaceful Libyans be thankful for.
I subscribe with your first four paragraphs. I have written along these lines on this blog in the first hours of the Libyan revolution.
However, from your fifth para onwards, I do not share your views. While I augur that the Gaddafi clan are set to justice quickly by the new Libyan leaders, I would still think that it would be very embarrassing for any Maltese to go and present themselves in Libya after there has been no direct and clear condemnation of the Gaddafi regime by Malta.
Even if I were to go seek business in Libya and would be asked directly about Malta’s lack of condemnation of Gaddafi, I would be embarrassed, even if I personally have always been against the regime; because who would care what I think when the representatives of my county cowered and played with words at the most important hour?
Beaucoup de dignite` et de lucidite’. Merci.
French expert in armed conflict Gérard Chaliland says the French fighter jets will bombard all military posts in Libya. The operation is not expected to last more than a few days before Gaddafi is defeated.
Sarkozy has shown that he really believes in “fraternite”. Would that our Catholic and devout members of parliament show that they care enough about our brothers and sisters in Libya to offer more than they have promised up to now.
The international coalition against Gaddafi is impressive in the number of diverse participants in it, and yet, our politicians dithered in providing practical assistance and in allying Malta morally with the right side. Kemm ahna chickens.
David Cameron today: “A successful coming together of the international community including Arab countries…”.
Barring Malta, obviously.
What a lost opportunity for Lawrence Gonzi. I honestly can’t believe he blew it away like this.
There’s still room for manoeuvre. Our government might finally see sense.
Absolutely. We could have been “brave little Malta on the front lines of the war for freedom and democracy.”
Then again, you cannot create a complete fiction and not be caught out.
Brute Saif please note: It’s not “never ever” but “now or never”.
I still cannot understand why Gonzi has chosen to act in this way. He got everything wrong, from the general policy down to the choice of words in yesterday’s conference.
How does the Prime Minister think he’s safeguarding Malta’s interests by sitting on the sidelines?
What is going on?
I used to think that our adversary politicians only came together to vote themselves a rise in salary. Now I must add also, not to step on Gaddafi”s toes even if that meant sacrificing valuable links with a successive Libyan government. How shortsighted can we be!
Sarkozy said: “Nobody can stand aside and tolerate such crimes.”
He must have momentarily forgotten about Malta.