Monday, March 21, 2011

Libya News:


Gulf Arab States Defend Military Action in Libya
By NOUR MALAS
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ABU DHABI—The organization that represents the conservative Arab Gulf states Monday defended military action in Libya by the U.S. and its allies, saying it doesn't constitute "intervention."

The Arab League, not the U.S., should be responsible for containing Moammar Gadhafi's ambitions in Libya, Council on Foreign Relations President Emeritus Leslie Gelb says. In the "Big Interview" with the Journal's John Bussey, Gelb also warns against deepening U.S. involvement in that country.

The U.S. and its allies intensified air attacks against forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi Monday. Nathan Hodge has details from Washington and Sam Dagher reports from Tripoli, Libya.


"What is happening now is not intervention, it is protecting the people from bloodshed," said Abdel Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, the secretary general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. "These operations are to stop bloodshed in Libya," Mr. Al Attiyah added.

Mr. Al Attiyah's statement follows criticism of allied military strikes on Libya by the Arab League, the group whose endorsement of a no-fly zone gave political cover for U.S. and European military action in a Muslim country.

The Arab League on Sunday criticized the air strikes as being outside the mandate of the recent United Nations resolution that authorized military action to protect Libyan civilians from the forces of Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

The GCC members are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. On Sunday, Qatar became the first Arab nation to join international action against Col. Gadhafi, saying it was sending fighter jets to Libya to help enforce the U.N. resolution. The French Defense Ministry said it expected four Qatari Mirage 2000 jets to fly over Libya.

The U.A.E and Qatar are participating in the coalition, Mr. Al Attiyah said, but he didn't specify what action the U.A.E is taking.

Last week, Saudi Arabia and other GCC states sent troops to Bahrain to help the country's ruling family suppress an uprising by mostly Shiite demonstrators, who were inspired by the recent overthrow of longstanding rulers in Tunisia and Egypt. Soon after the Gulf troops arrived, Bahrain launched a violent crackdown on the antigovernment protesters, clearing them from the capital's financial district and the Pearl roundabout, imposing a curfew and banning all public gatherings.

Iran has condemned the arrival of foreign troops in Bahrain, while Bahrain has indicated it suspects Iran of involvement in the uprising.

Mr. Al Attiyah said the arrival of Gulf forces in Bahrain was not "an act of repression." He said the GCC wouldn't consider pulling out the troops despite opposition within Bahrain to their presence. He said there was no specific time limit to their presence in Bahrain.

"It is not an action of repression, or overstepping the principles of the GCC," he said, adding that the Gulf states reject foreign intervention in their affairs, including by Iran.


Write to Nour Malas at nour.malas@dowjones.com
(source:online.wsj.com)
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