MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Attacks on Libya causing divisions among coalition members
Vladimir Putin called the use of force a “medieval call to crusade” The international military campaign in Libya has created apparent divisions between coalition leaders carrying out the UN-sanctioned operation and other world powers.
The UN-backed air raids mounted so far against forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have been carried out by Britain, France and the US, acting outside of their NATO roles.
Calls for the NATO alliance to take over the enforcement of the no-fly zone have been declined by Turkey, while other members have expressed concerns over whether NATO aircraft and equipment would be diverted from other missions, including the one in Afghanistan.
William Hague, the British foreign minister, refused on Monday to rule out using the coalition air raids to target Gaddafi, saying it depended on “circumstances at the time”.
But Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, said such action would be “unwise” and Laurent Teisseire, the French defence ministry spokesman, said “the answer is no,” when asked about the subject.
In Russia, Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, criticised the UN resolution that sanctioned the use of force in Libya, calling it a “medieval call to crusade”.
“The resolution by the Security Council, of course, is defective and flawed,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin as telling workers on a visit to a missile factory.
“To me, it resembles some sort of medieval call to crusade when someone would appeal to someone to go to a certain place and free someone else.”
The UN resolution imposing the no-fly zone on Libya was passed after Russia, which has a veto, abstained during the Security Council vote.
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Read all commentstheir is always a fly in the soup, always one to watch, in steps Vladimir Putin, the iron man, ex KGB , been there done it got the tea shirt, a man never to turn your back on. he smiles to the cameras, then sends in troops to his neighbours to deal with trouble, some say it is not wise to dismiss this man so quickly, a wolf in sheep’s clothing,
Mar 22nd, 2011 - 01:46 pm 0I just hope our Mr Cameron has eyes in the back of his head, he may well need them ??
“To me, it resembles some sort of medieval call to crusade when someone would appeal to someone to go to a certain place and free someone else.”
Mar 22nd, 2011 - 03:03 pm 0Hmmm, he has a short memory. What about South Ossetia when Russia did much the same in 2008?
Let us not forget that the Soviets and the Russians have supplied most of Gaddafi's military equipment. This will be an enormous embarrassment to Putin as “the West” proves what a load of crap his country produces. Has any Soviet/Russian armoured vehicle survived “Western” strikes? Nope. Has any Soviet/Russian aircraft even dared take off? Nope.
Mar 23rd, 2011 - 03:48 pm 0“To me, it resembles some sort of medieval call to crusade”. Not a bad idea. The Crusades were wars against the encroachment of war-hungry Islam.
But it's OK, South America. Real nations will carry on doing what is necessary, while you carry on being gay.
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