VIDEO:President Barack Obama on Libya: Speech in full
bbc
29-Mar-2011 (16 comments)


US President Barack Obama has made his first formal speech on the military campaign in Libya.

He said US intervention had saved "countless lives" threatened by the forces of the "tyrant" Muammar Gaddafi.

However, President Obama added that military action would not go beyond the United Nations mandate, and that regime change must not be pursued by force.

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David Cameron: 'Better days ahead' for Libya (CNN VIDEO)

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Darius Kadivar

France Sends First ambassador to "Liberated" Benghazi (figaro)

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Libye : Paris envoie
un ambassadeur à Benghazi (Le Figaro)

Un ambassadeur français auprès de la rébellion

 

Le 10 mars, la France avait été le premier pays à reconnaître le Conseil national de transition (CNT) libyen, qui rassemble les opposants au colonel Kadhafi. Mardi, un ambassadeur nommé par la France doit prendre ses fonctions à Benghazi, fief de la rebellion libyenne, a indiqué un responsable français sous le couvert de l'anonymat.

Antoine Sivan a quitté la France dimanche pour la Libye, où il devait se rendre par la route depuis l'Egypte. Ce diplomate de 53 ans, qui parle arabe, a occupé plusieurs postes dans la région et a notamment été sous-directeur pour le Moyen-Orient au ministère des Affaires étrangères, à Paris. Sa prise de fonctions pourrait être officiellement confirmée mardi à Londres, en marge de la conférence internationale sur l'avenir de la Libye. Une quarantaine de pays doivent assister à cette première réunion du «groupe de contact» sur la Libye, chargé du «pilotage politique» des frappes militaires et de la préparation de l'après-Kadhafi.

Lundi, à la veille de ce sommet, Nicolas Sarkozy et le premier ministre britannique David Cameron avaient rendu publique une déclaration commune plaidant pour que le CNT, dont ils reconnaissent le «rôle pionnier», mène un «dialogue politique national» afin de parvenir à des élections libres. Ils appellaient en outre les partisans du colonel Kadhafi à «le quitter avant qu'il ne soit trop tard».


Darius Kadivar

Gaddafi Uses Snipers to Gun Down People say's Cameron (bbc)

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Opening the meeting, Mr Cameron said Col Gaddafi was carrying out "murderous attacks" on the city of Misrata.

"Gaddafi is using snipers to shoot people down and let them bleed to death in the street. He's cut off food, water and electricity to starve people into submission and he is harassing humanitarian ships that are trying to get into the port to do what they can to relieve their suffering.

"He continues to be in flagrant breach of the UN Security Council resolution. That is why there has been such widespread support among the Libyan people and in the wider Arab world for the action that we're taking. It has saved lives and it is saving lives."

He said his message to the people of Libya was that there were "better days ahead".


Darius Kadivar

At a glance: Libya's Troubled past

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At a glance: Troubled past

  • 1911-12 - Italy conquers Libya
  • 1920s - Libyan resistance begins under Omar al-Mukhtar
  • 1942 - Allies oust Italians, divide Libya between France and Britain
  • 1951 - Libya becomes independent under King Idris
  • 1969 - King Idris deposed in coup by Col Gaddafi
  • 1970 - Libya orders closure of UK and US airbases, nationalises Italian settler property
  • 1977 - Col Gaddafi's "people's revolution"
  • 1981 - US shoots down two Libyan aircraft
  • 1984 - UK breaks off diplomatic relations after policewoman killed outside the Libyan embassy in London during anti-Gaddafi protests
  • 1986 - US bombs Tripoli and Benghazi, killing 101 people, after alleged Libyan bombing of Berlin disco frequented by US military personnel

Darius Kadivar

History through Libyan eyes (bbc)

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History through Libyan eyes (bbc)

Libyans are well aware of their long and largely painful history with Western powers - even if many in the West are not.


Darius Kadivar

Turkey's policies tested on Libya (bbc)

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Turkey's policies tested on Libya (bbc)

Turkey has been a member of Nato since 1952, a loyal US ally that sent soldiers to fight and die to the Korean War, and was the eastern frontier of the alliance during the Cold War.


Darius Kadivar

Carnage 'beyond imagination' in Misrata, says witness (cnn)

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Carnage 'beyond imagination' in Misrata, says witness

The day after Gadhafi's regime tried to convince journalists that it was in control of Misrata by taking them on a trip to part of the city but not allowing them into the city center, his troops were killing and wounding civilians and evicting thousands of people from their homes, the witness told CNN.

"The carnage and the destruction and the human suffering from both the evictions and... terrorizing the city -- it's beyond imagination," said the witness, an opposition councilman in Misrata, in western Libya east of Tripoli. "It's incredible."

Gadhafi forces did not even allow people to take belongings with them from their homes, he added. "They tell them, 'Run for your lives,' and fire bullets just above them."

Troops are looting the homes, he said.

CNN could not independently verify the witness' descriptions.


Darius Kadivar

Turkey may lose battle to win hearts of Libyan opposition

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Turkey may lose battle to win hearts of Libyan opposition

Joshi noted that Erdoğan is calculating that the regional diplomatic stature he has accumulated over the past five years would be put at risk were he to align himself with a narrow Anglo-American alliance, but he has misunderstood or ignored the clear requests for limited assistance made by coordinated rebel groups in Libya. Barkey said the irony is, of course, that it is Gaddafi who is in the process of killing innocent civilians. If Gaddafi survives, Barkey argued, Turkish business interests in Libya will be protected. However, he warned, the danger for Turkey is that the longer it takes for the regime to change and the bloodier it is, the greater is the likelihood that the new regime in Libya will have less than positive feelings towards the Turkish government.


Darius Kadivar

You may need plugin to watch Live Q&A

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I had to download a Adobe plugin to watch.


Darius Kadivar

LIVE: Libya interim national council ( CNN Video Q&A)

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Watch Live Video Here


Raoul1955

Thank you

by Raoul1955 on

Darius for all the informative material that you post.  :-)  I consider you of the pillars of this site when it comes to presenting the readers with informative and historically valuable material.
Cheers


Darius Kadivar

Grading Obama's Libya speech (cnn Video)

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President Obama defended American involvement in the coalition effort in a nationally televised address.

Video Here


Darius Kadivar

Bill Clinton's CIA Director Slams Obama on Libya (CNNVideo)

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Bill Clinton's CIA Director James Woolsey calls President Obama's handling of the Libyan crisis "extremely" ineffective.

Video Here


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FYI/Weak Or Strong? (CNN Video) McCain Reacts to Obama's Speech)

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Darius Kadivar

Oh and Mr. President another Friendly Advice if I may ;0)

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Listen Only to REAL EXPERTS ! 

 

WHO'S THE EXPERT? John Simpson Proves Barbara Slavin Wrong on Libya

 

;0) 


Darius Kadivar

Good Speech Mr. President ... It's Never too late to learn

by Darius Kadivar on

Had you made this speech early on and acted on time you would have imposed yourself both on the international scene and reinforced your chances for a re election in 2012. Due to your hesitation The fall of Gaddafi will be cheered with FRENCH FLAGS along Libyan Ones not AMERICAN ! ...

The Libyan Crisis will mark the begining of the end of the so called American Empire ... And guess what is replacing it ? China and possibly with an Alliance with Russia as the next Major Superpowers.

 

China 'to overtake US on science' (bbc)

 

China launches Moon mission (bbc) Re-Read Machiavelli again and you will understand ...
A Weak America in the international arena is not something to rejoice ... China and Russia are now in a position to shape international relations in the years to come as the new giants of Asia. Neither wish to reduced their nuclear arsenals like the Western Democracies. And neither are anything close to democracy. China tops the list of executions according to the recent Amnesty International Poll. America and Americans need to wake up and realize what is happening. I say this all the more that I voted and may vote again for Obama in 2012. But his lack of vision on Libya and belated initiative proved he did not have the necessary reactivity to act smartly in cases of a major international crisis. Otherwise he would not even have to make such an apologetic speech to justify a coalition intervention which was justified anyway and from day ONE. This speech only underlines the Big Blunder of American Foreign Policy in this crucial situation and is a sign of American Weakness as well as loss of credibility in the international scene.
It is a good speech in it's intentions nevertheless. But Great Speeches are not enough Mr. President to lead America out of the trouble waters of self doubt and guilt !

God Bless America nevertheless ...