The UN resolution 1973 permits the use of proportionate action to prevent attack upon, or the endangering of, the lives of civilians. Now call me a silly sausage it you wish, but surely providing the civilian populations with arms and ammunition will mean that they are no longer civilians because they have become combatants!
This would mean that they lose all of their protected status under the terms of the Geneva conventions and not only that, but by the potential for them targeting civilians loyal to Gaddafi would mean that they become a legitimate target under resolution 1973 themselves.
Simple or what?
And then we have the problem in that just as the US armed certain groups in Afghanistan which now are biting us on the behindside, which group can anyone speak for such that the arms won't be turned on the friendly nations that are overflying them now?
What a tricky game this diplomacy is - no wonder they keep getting it wrong!
1 comment:
Vic, you have the problem facing us in a nutshell.
The issue is not what we know about what our government(s) are doing in our name, but what we don't know?
I'm quite sure that there is stuff going on secretly to support the rebellion, albeit, they do not appear to be having much success.
The Libyan army has adapted its tactics to those of the rebels, using civilian vehicles with weapons mounted to fight the rebels. Given that they have superior weapons and training and perhaps motivation (if Gadaffi goes, so do they) they seem to hold the winning cards here.
Off course, if we had Forward Air Controllers on the ground, we would be able to direct air support to take out these new assets, without destroying rebel assets. I wonder if that will be the next step?
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