The UN Finally grows a pair!

HellFireClub

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/un-approves-no-fly-zone-over-libya-497675.html

At last, the UN stands up for humanity, this side of millions of people being blown to bits by another insane dictator. They have just approved a no fly zone over Libya and the birds are in the air now to enforce it...

starbelgrade

HellFireClub wrote: »

They have just approved a no fly zone over Libya and the birds are in the air now to enforce it...

Fucking hell.

They could at least use aeroplanes.

Aiel

As Principal Skinner said "Now do you kids want to be like the real U.N or do you want to squabble and waste time?":).

Absurdum

stupid idea

HellFireClub

With a bit of luck they'll vapourize that horrible looking tin pot arseh*le Gadaffi and we'll be rid of another one of planet Earth's probems...

johngalway

Not before time. Was just thinking this afternoon that the entire war would be over before the UN removed it's finger from it's ass.

KeithAFC

Hopefully the rebels can get back up and fight on. Never surrender. Gaddafi has his coming to him.

Morgan Freeman

The world is not as I knew it. Time moves fast when you are as old as me.

I've seen many things in my life; the old mill burning down in '59 and Kennedy in '62.

Whats next in this world? One day I will have moved on and you folks will remain to tell the tale. I just hope it will be as extraordinary as all I have overseen.


Red

alchemist33

Good job. But what will they do about Bahrain?

gurramok

Gaddffi is an evil bollix, its about time the "UN" did not do another Rwanda and help pro-democracy forces to fight a dictator to prevent a genocide. Funny how Russia and China abstained considering they suppress dissidents.

Its about time the permanent members of the Security council were decided on their democratic credentials rather than who defeated Hitler.

johngalway

alchemist33 wrote: »

Good job. But what will they do about Bahrain?

Nothing. They won't upset the Saudi's. As bad as the "Kingdom" is, what's under that particular surface is an awful lot worse.

doomed

Too late. Like an ambulance turning up at the funeral.

Mena

HellFireClub

Imagine where we'd be now if back in 1916 when the Brits circled the GPO with their artillery and started shelling the place, we had a UN mandate that had a pair of Apache's dropping into Talbot Street, right behind Captain Maxwell at the junction there on O' Connell Street as he started bombarding the GPO...

KINGVictor

HellFireClub wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/un-approves-no-fly-zone-over-libya-497675.html

At last, the UN stands up for humanity, this side of millions of people being blown to bits by another insane dictator. They have just approved a no fly zone over Libya and the birds are in the air now to enforce it...

I wont exactly put it like that tbh. An earlier intervention could have been misconstrued as an attempt by the west to take advantage of the situation for OIL purposes.

As it is now, especially putting into context Gadafi's remarks about Benghazi in a radio speech earlier, this course of action is timely and quite necessary to say to the least.

This whole Rebels begging for no-fly zone thing reminded me of these trailers

yes, I realise they're video game trailers.

Yes the premise and conversation is cliched.

Yes, I realise reality is *nothing* like this.

I'm going for the sentiment here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aMsTKHNVCQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bNvn8l0OD8

"All Planes: We're going to take back Gracemaria Libya today!

Seaneh

KeithAFC wrote: »

Hopefully the rebels can get back up and fight on. Never surrender. Gaddafi has his coming to him.

Its funny how you support oppressed people using violence against an oppressive government who deny human rights and treat them as sub human and yet you have so much love for Britiania...

Paradox...

OutlawPete

Ovaries, balls or breasts?

Seaneh

gurramok wrote: »

Gaddffi is an evil bollix, its about time the "UN" did not do another Rwanda and help pro-democracy forces to fight a dictator to prevent a genocide. Funny how Russia and China abstained considering they suppress dissidents.

Its about time the permanent members of the Security council were decided on their democratic credentials rather than who defeated Hitler.

Another Rwanda? Its been happening for over half a Decade in Sudan. The world looks away because the islamic northern government controls the oil fields and export it to the developed world. So nobody cares that government helicopters provide air support to the government armed and funded militias who raid the south every day and agape through Darfur non stop. Murdering and displacing millions of tribesmen and christians.

As long as the oil keeps flowing, nobody gives a ****.


The oil stopped flowing in Lybia, the US, Russia and UK start making noise because they aren't getting their cheap oil anymore.
Time to send in the planes.

The UN had balls when it went to war with China, no less, in Korea in the 1950s!
Somewhere in between it became toothless

What happened?

SafeSurfer

It's funny how some situations get prioritised. Over 300,000 civilians were killed in Darfur and more than 2.5 million displaced since 2003 yet it did not deserve UN intervention. Protests began in Libya on the15th of February and hey presto. Makes you think.

Seaneh

SafeSurfer wrote: »

It's funny how some situations get prioritised. Over 300,000 civilians were killed in Darfur and more than 2.5 million displaced since 2003 yet it did not deserve UN intervention. Protests began in Libya on the15th of February and hey presto. Makes you think.

Add the civil war with the christian south since the early 90's...

SafeSurfer

Deleted User wrote: »

The UN had balls when it went to war with China, no less, in Korea in the 1950s!
Somewhere in between it became toothless

What happened?

Maybe it had something to do with the Soviet boycott of the UN at the time and the fact that Taiwan and not the People's Republic of China held the Chinese seat on the UN Security Council.

strobe

Cha ching!

Dionysus

Deleted User wrote: »

The UN had balls when it went to war with China, no less, in Korea in the 1950s!
Somewhere in between it became toothless

What happened?

It was emaciated by the United States of America, which diverted its financial, political and military resources into building up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation over which it had more control and in the process has, particularly since 1985, starved the United Nations of funding?

Just a wild guess.

Hail 2 Da Thief

Thank heavens they're going to rescue the people in Africas most oil rich country just like they helped the people in the worlds second most oil rich country Iraq :rolleyes:

Dionysus

Dionysus wrote: »

It was emaciated by the United States of America, which diverted its financial, political and military resources into building up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation over which it had more control and in the process has, particularly since 1985, starved the United Nations of funding?

Just a wild guess.

its always Americas fault :rolleyes:

Yakult

Amazing what oil can do for a country.

If their was no oil, its obvious no other nations would give two flying ****s who and how many gets killed.

They should change U.N to U.P

United Pussies.

indioblack

Seaneh wrote: »

Its funny how you support oppressed people using violence against an oppressive government who deny human rights and treat them as sub human and yet you have so much love for Britiania...

Paradox...

I agree. Disaster in Japan, crisis in the Middle East and he forgot the Most Oppressed People on Earth.

pragmatic1

Great news.

In fairness, Libyan Semtex killed many an Irishman back in the 80s.

Gadaffi is the closest thing to an enemy Ireland has.

bernardo mac

At last some hope for Libya but none for Limerick

Redlion

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, Libyan Semtex killed many an Irishman back in the 80s.

Gadaffi is the closest thing to an enemy Ireland has.

The Russians will be disappointed

SafeSurfer

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, Libyan Semtex killed many an Irishman back in the 80s.

Gadaffi is the closest thing to an enemy Ireland has.

Would it be fair to say that the Israeli secret service have put more Irish citizens lives at risk in recent years than Gadaffi?

ejmaztec

Oils well that ends well.

c_man

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Would it be fair to say that the Israeli secret service have put more Irish citizens lives at risk in recent years than Gadaffi?

No. Not really.

Manic Moran

Seaneh wrote: »

Another Rwanda? Its been happening for over half a Decade in Sudan. The world looks away because the islamic northern government controls the oil fields and export it to the developed world. So nobody cares that government helicopters provide air support to the government armed and funded militias who raid the south every day and agape through Darfur non stop. Murdering and displacing millions of tribesmen and christians.

As long as the oil keeps flowing, nobody gives a ****.


The oil stopped flowing in Lybia, the US, Russia and UK start making noise because they aren't getting their cheap oil anymore.
Time to send in the planes.

There are a couple of other issues in play, if you must give it full consideration.

Firstly, the fact that the Rwandan or Sudanese governments haven't historically pissed people off. I don't recall Rwandan agents blowing up airplanes over the UK or setting bombs at German nightclubs. Sudanese government agencies did not, as far as I can recall, provide munitions to paramilitary groups to be used to shoot up Rome or Vienna airports, let alone that little scrap going on in the British Isles. Westerners would be most pleased to see Gadaffi unceremoniously removed.

Secondly, the realities of geography. You can plonk an aircraft carrier and a Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Meditteranean twenty miles from Tripoli or in the Persian Gulf. Doing anything at all productive becomes quite troublesome in Rwanda.

And thirdly, simple publicity. Most people know where Libya is. Most people don't even care where Rwanda is, let alone know where it is. Rwandan refugees aren't going to sail across the water to seek asylum in Italy, as Libyan ones might and Tunisian ones have. Libya is considered to be a relative modern country, 'one of us', albeit under dodgy leadership. Rwanda and Sudan are primitive backwaters which don't resonate with the public.

Combine all three together, and you get some pretty understandable rationale for the different reactions even if none of the countries had any oil at all. Kosovo had no oil, but points 2 and 3 applied, it was enough to warrant NATO involvement.

NTM

Seaneh

no...
America, and especially The UK have been perfectly happy to rub Gadaffi's belly and play nice for the last decade exchanging trade and arms concessions in exchange for cheap oil. The UK sent military personal to train Lybia's elite soldiers last year Ffs, once the oil stopped being shipped, they act concerned.

Its that simple.

Manic Moran

Seaneh wrote: »

no...
America, and especially The UK have been perfectly happy to rub Gadaffi's belly and play nice for the last decade exchanging trade and arms concessions in exchange for cheap oil.

As opposed to what other choice? Once Gaddafi had said 'sorry' and kept to his own devices, with no internal rebellion, what could they have done? Might as well just deal with the situation at hand.

The UK sent military personal to train Lybia's elite soldiers last year Ffs, once the oil stopped being shipped, they act concerned.

Its that simple.

If continued oil was the only thing they were concerned about, all they would have had to do was just shut up, not bomb anyone, not declare support for anyone, and after Gaddaffi had finished up cleaning house, return back to business as usual. This is a very inefficient way of going back to the status quo ante of oil imports.

NTM

Seaneh

also. The reason the US and the west in general done do anything is Sudan is because if they do.

A) the oil stops flowing north.
The Saudis, Qatar, Iran and the Emiraties kick up a fuss and decrease output making oil prices soar.

Biggins

HellFireClub wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/un-approves-no-fly-zone-over-libya-497675.html

At last, the UN stands up for humanity, this side of millions of people being blown to bits by another insane dictator. They have just approved a no fly zone over Libya and the birds are in the air now to enforce it...

johngalway wrote: »

Not before time. Was just thinking this afternoon that the entire war would be over before the UN removed it's finger from it's ass.

Its too little, too late. The hundreds, if not thousands that are dead in the last few weeks are to their shame.
Once again we see just how friggn' useless they ar at the UN at dealing with such matters and the sometimes the two opposite faces of them.

alchemist33 wrote: »

Good job. But what will they do about Bahrain?

Absolutely fcuk all.
...Well maybe except the usual useless political statements of "the will of the people should be respected" - then they will carry on on again individually as countries buying their oil stocks from the Royal Family, which are are just as equally oppressive and murderous as Gadaffi.
...But The royal family there are controlling/sitting on THEE worlds biggest oil natural resources/stocks so that makes a difference, so its business as usual!

Son Of A Vidic

OP I wouldn't quite say the UN grew a pair. It's more a case of the usually dithering and foot dragging by the Muppets. The Arab league backed a no fly zone last weekend. Since then, the Libyan rebels have received a fair kicking and lost a lot of ground. Of course this may very well have been avoided, if the UN quickly followed the example set by the Arab League. But the UN doesn't do speed and inefficiency, so maybe they should do the honorable thing and change their name back to the old League of Nations. Because they've become equally inept and impotent.

johngalway

Biggins wrote: »

Its too little, too late.

We'll see. One thing the no fly zone will absolutely have to do is remove Gadaffis helicopters from the air. Jets are easily enough controlled.

There will be a big negative effect on pro Gadaffi soldier/militia/whoever moral when one of their biggest assets is removed. Momentum is critical, if the rebels can start winning a few small battles they may be joined by others who think it's timely to switch sides.

smk89

HellFireClub wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/un-approves-no-fly-zone-over-libya-497675.html

At last, the UN stands up for humanity, this side of millions of people being blown to bits by another insane dictator. They have just approved a no fly zone over Libya and the birds are in the air now to enforce it...

I hope those birds are angry birds. Then all you need is one black one to take half the map

Predator_

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, Libyan Semtex killed many an Irishman back in the 80s.

Gadaffi is the closest thing to an enemy Ireland has.

No you got it backwards, his Semtex killed many an enemy. He is a friend of the Irish.

MagicSean

Their speedy response reminds me of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN4haC-MoR4

Predator_

Predator_ wrote: »

No you got it backwards, his Semtex killed many an enemy. He is a friend of the Irish.

if you think shoppers in Belfast and London are enemies of the Irish then your
not representative of the Irish people. How dare you claim that they are enemies of the Irish.

Your as bad as Gadaffi:mad:

Morlar

I think they should be left alone to take care of their own internal disputes. My view is that if you overthrow a leader and facilitate the installation of a weak regime it will be divisive and probably not last very long, then what are you going to be left with.

Einhard

Predator_ wrote: »

No you got it backwards, his Semtex killed many an enemy. He is a friend of the Irish.

I didn't realise that British school children and pensioners were my mortal enemy. Thanks for clearing that up. Should I go out now and strangle the next one I see?

Micky Dolenz

Morlar wrote: »

I think they should be left alone to take care of their own internal disputes. My view is that if you overthrow a leader and facilitate the installation of a weak regime it will be divisive and probably not last very long, then what are you going to be left with.

Thats sounds remarkably like Ireland.

Morlar

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Thats sounds remarkably like Ireland.

My point is that the west militarily interfering in countries that haven't declared war on them does not leave a great track-record.

In the last couple of decades, somalia, afghanistan, Iraq being the most notable examples. The fact that Russia, India, Brazil, China and Germany did not vote in support of this but abstained should be a clue. In the west the opinion of Russia is ignored, which is a shame imo.