15-0: UN Council Slaps Sanctions on Libya’s Gadhafi
- Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:48pm by
Scott Baker
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. Security Council moved as a powerful bloc Saturday to try to halt Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s deadly crackdown on protesters, slapping sanctions on him, his five children and 10 top associates.
Voting 15-0 after daylong discussions interrupted with breaks to consult with capitals back home, the council imposed an arms embargo and urged U.N. member countries to freeze the assets of Gadhafi, his four sons and his daughter. The council also backed a travel ban on the Gadhafi family and close associates, including leaders of the revolutionary committees accused of much of the violence against opponents.
Council members additionally agreed to refer the Gadhafi regime’s deadly crackdown on people protesting his rule to a permanent war crimes tribunal for an investigation of possible crimes against humanity.
The council said its actions were aimed at “deploring the gross and systematic violation of human rights, including the repression of peaceful demonstrators.” And members expressed concern about civilian deaths, “rejecting unequivocally the incitement to hostility and violence against the civilian population made from the highest level of the Libyan government.”
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated council members for the unified vote, saying it “sends a strong message that gross violations of basic human rights will not be tolerated.”
“I hope the message is heard, and heeded, by the regime in Libya,” Ban said.
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant called the vote “a powerful expression of the deep concern, indeed the anger, of the international community.” U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said it was “a very powerful message to the leadership of Libya that this heinous killing must stop and that individuals will be held personally accountable.”
French Ambassador Gerard Araud said the unanimous referral of the case to the tribunal signaled a new commitment by the international community to its responsibility to protect citizens. “A wind of liberty and change is sweeping throughout the Arab world and I think the Security Council succeeded in responding to this new era of international relations,” he said.
The sanctions were welcomed by Libya’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi, whose entire mission is among Libyan diplomats around the world who have renounced Gadhafi.
Dabbashi said the council vote will engender “moral support for our people who are resisting” and could help defeat “this fascist regime still in existence in Tripoli.” He called on the Libyan armed forces to abandon Gadhafi and throw their support to the protesters.
Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch’s international justice program, was impressed by the council’s unanimous vote and said the action “sends a powerful signal on behalf of justice for the people of Libya and all others victimized by mass force and violence.”
The Libyan uprising that began Feb. 15 has swept over nearly the entire eastern half of the country, snatching entire cities in that region out of the government’s grasp. Gadhafi and his backers continue to hold the capital Tripoli and have threatened to put down protests aggressively.
There have been reports that Gadhafi’s government forces have been firing indiscriminately on peaceful protesters and that as many as 1,000 people have died.
Council members did not consider imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, and no U.N.-sanctioned military action was planned. NATO also has ruled out any intervention in Libya.
Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri noted his country is not an ICC member, and would have “preferred a calibrated and gradual approach,” but decided to accept the referral because other council members believed it would help end the violence in Libya.
There had been doubts that China, a permanent council member with veto power, would join the vote if the referral to the tribunal was included. But Chinese Ambassador Li Baodong said his country was concerned about the large number of Chinese citizens who work in Libya.
Earlier on Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama said in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Gadhafi needs to do what’s right for his country by “leaving now.”
The White House on Friday announced sweeping new sanctions and temporarily abandoned its embassy in Tripoli as a final flight carrying American citizens left the embattled capital. The U.S. put an immediate freeze on all assets of the Libyan government held in American banks and other U.S. institutions. The sanctions also freeze assets held by Gadhafi and four of his children.
Britain and Canada, meanwhile, temporarily suspended operations at their embassies in Tripoli and evacuated their diplomatic staff.
Gadhafi is no stranger to international isolation.
U.N. sanctions were slapped on his country after suspected Libyan agents planted a bomb that blew up Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people, mostly Americans.
Libya accepted responsibility for the bombing in 2003 and pledged to end efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. and Libya in 2009 exchanged ambassadors for the first time in 35 years, after Libya paid about $2.7 billion in compensation to the families of the Lockerbie victims.
In Geneva on Friday, the U.N. Human Rights Council called for an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Libya and recommended Libya‘s suspension from membership of the world body’s top human rights body.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Comments (75)
notsodumblond
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:56amJust exactly how is sanctions going to help when there is a mad man that is willing to die to keep Libya for himself? Human rights violations??? Wasn’t this something they declared against him a few years ago and it only got worse. The UN is useless in anything it does.
Report Post »Charliehorse
Posted on February 28, 2011 at 4:59pmGadaffi sounds more than a bit like Gov. Wakler.
Report Post »aunyvomzorro
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:54amSome news from Greece:
Report Post »A few days ago, three Greek ships were sent to Benghazi to take Greek citizens out of Greece. The first ship carried 47 Greeks and 3000 Chinese out of Libya and took them to Crete, where they stayed and summarily flew back to mainland Greece/China the next day.
BoilitDown
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:50amIs there really any leverage a UN council can use against a mass murdering madman? The only real solution is to throw immediate and full support behind those in Libya who want to be rid of him in favor of a true democracy. Just sending a letter to Qaddafi scolding him for misbehaving isn’t enough for them.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:44amThe corpses if Libya would like to extend hand of gratitude to the United Nations.
Report Post »eflow504
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:08amwhy is the United States even in the damn UN? want to make some deep cuts? the UN is a great place to start!!!!!! nothing would make the left happier than to see the UN walking the streets of America trying to take away your rights and your guns. i say “trying” because it would be world war lll around here..
Report Post »REMEMBERRUBYRIDGE
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 4:52amThis brings up the question of who really is “behind the curtain” at the United Nations?
Report Post »Hollow
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 4:03amI don’t think the sanctions will really change anything in my opinion.
Report Post »Bill Mower
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 3:37amWhat about the other illustrious members of the UN Human Rights Council. Saudi Arabia, Cuba and China. I’ll bet you $100 to a donut they don‘t even kick Libya’s butt out properly. The UN is a joke and should be thrown out of New York.
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:55amThe UN has been an immense, corrupt, and greedy money-hole for way too long.
Why do we host this “organization” on our soil anymore?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:28pmI’ve always said, Move the UN to Jerusalem. Let all these Dipstiklomats live in the middle of all this”Palestinian Homeland they so desire. Could ease some of the parking in that cesspool called NYC. Most of the foreign spies would go. No American money should flow to this Black (Not Racist) Hole they call the UN. I want to see these Socialist , Communist sewer rats scurry around , looking for hidey holes to save their yellow asses. That would be a great picture.
Report Post »Brem
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:26amAnother islamic freak show about to begin.
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:06amSanctions… All production has stopped. This isn’t a trade dispute. It’s a civil war. What the hell is the point of this?
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:01amCareful, of I’ll slap some sanctions on you as indicated by a strongly-worded letter and a private conversation with a world leader.
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:49amThe UN is a gutless wonder that has been a worthless organization for the greater part of its history, most coungtries thumb there noses at the UN because they are the frst to run and hide at the first glimpse of danger. Anything this organization does is baseless.
Report Post »ltb
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:44amI‘m surprised they didn’t codemn Israel instead.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:10amIs Quadduffy still a member of the “human rights” panel. I guess it would be going too far to suggest removing him…
Report Post »WeveAlreadyWon
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:37amSanctions? that will only hurt the legitimate people! That’s like Outlawing Guns to Private citizens. Damn JOKE! UN is the most Useless Organization ever. Disband them and quit using millions of US Dollars that we borrow from China to pay for their meetings every year! Demand it!
Report Post »saviorammo
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:26amMaybe we get lucky and hits the U.N.. Naw, doubt it. They are all in on it. Time to cut off the U.N. completely, level they’re building, and develop that property in NYC and put the money towards the deficit. Naw, doubt it. Strait to the Unions and Socialists. This just blows and so does the U.N..
As for crazy man. How do we know that’s really him?
Report Post »WISEPENNY
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:11amIs there possibly a look alike for someone so muttley looking as him anywhere in the Milky Way? Not very likely. It’s him alright.
Report Post »KL
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:23amGEE I bet Gadhafi and his sons are scared now!!
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:15amWhile Quadafi laughs in his tent saying, you and who’s army is going to make me. na na na na can’t make me leave. I use that piece of paper to wipe myself with and mail it back to UN. This is my country to do with as I want come and make me leave.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:36am“While Quadafi laughs in his tent saying, you and who’s army is going to make me. na na na na ”
I don’t think Ghaddafi is laughing at this point. It‘s cackling more likely because the army that’s coming for him is a few million strong and consists of the people of his country.
Still, the UN did pretty much what was expected of them.
Report Post »sadmanwhossane
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:10amwho cares, UN toothless monster
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:06amNow how about issuing the same sanctions against Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs, UN hypocrites. They hanged 46 Iranians in 20 days over the Christmas holidays if you hadn’t noticed.
The corrupt UN is a duplicitous entity and it should be defunded and kicked out of America.
Obama needs to step down. He is a disgrace to America.
Report Post »motorman
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:01amOh wow! Well that does it for Gadhafi. He’s toast now. Done for … kaput…finito.
Really? This is going to make ANY differance to a psycopath?
We can only hope he shares the fate of Mussolini.
Report Post »Phil E. Stine
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:58pmIf the United Nations were even remotely credible then this action would still mean nothing at this point in time.
Sudan…
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:58pmLike the U.N. really matters.
Report Post »Charliehorse
Posted on February 28, 2011 at 4:56pmLike Glenda Lee Beckerhead matters.
Report Post »Deutscher
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:58pmIt’s about time. Most western citizens are out. Time to get tough.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:20amObama can only get tough in Wisconsin while he has control of the Unions.
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:58pmSo what?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:46amSo, if Obama invites him to the White House and Gadahffi has to fly back out, what-cha wanna bet one of the TSA fellers won’t rip his hangydownies off at the “Feel-Your-Stuff” station? Too tempting not to.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:44amOil 100.00/BBl
Gas in Ct 3.45/gal
Milk just went from 2.99/Gal to 3.49/Gal
No New Drilling Permits Issued
PRICELESS
Report Post »chazman
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 9:14amWe need to slap the U.N. … upside the head!! I’m real impressed!!
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:54pmWhat did the UN do against the mullah’s of Iran last year ?
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 11:57pmOh BTW, Neda says Thank You Mr Obama
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:01amSlap him in IRONS with the potus.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:04amthe U.N. Human Rights Council called for an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Libya and recommended Libya‘s suspension from membership of the world body’s top human rights body.
Report Post »——————
Its only a recommendation .
For a suspension .
How very powerful .
cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:07amThey didn’t do anything Cheez, and again they are doing nothing. They’ve never done anything of substance against Iran. How about North Korea? Again, nothing of substance.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – see the Society in Decline video
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:12amSo the UN speaks once again with a stern letter of sanctions; that will result only in further futility of many nations who chose to ignore them. Once again the uselessness of the UN is demonstrated for all to see, and for all dictators to ignore…and for Quaddafi, that is par for the course, though I have to admit he has lasted in this revolution longer than I did expect.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:23amThey acutally might include a stern look and a finger wag in this resolution. If Gadahfi doesn’t watch it, they might take away his access to the UN gym and uninvite him to the Christmas party.
I have always wondered, if he has ran that country for 40 years, why is he still just a Colonel? Come on, he must have something really bad in his record that he keeps getting passed over for General. I can just see when he meets these 2 bit South American Dicatator and they just look at him, and make him salute them.
Wait, I just heard, they UN just un-liked him on their facebook. That will show him.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:41amSnowleapord, this topic must be a intellectual challenge for you. The liberals and progressives and communists and socialist and fascists are in league with the the Muslim Brotherhood are fomenting the the violence against Quaddafi. Those groups, once they overthrown him, will proceed to overthrow the rest of civilization and enslave us all with a Caliphate under Sharia law, which Obama supports being a Muslim himself. So western civilization is collapsing and we’re all going to be enslaved by Muslims, or Communists or some other evil group.
But you don’t seem to think the US should send the Marines onto the shores of Tripoli in support of Quaddafi either. He’s a Muslim right?
So what should the United States do? As an ordained pastor, you certainly have an opinion about what God wants on this subject. Would you share with us?
Report Post »WISEPENNY
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 12:56amSanctions smanctions. Stop piddling around and make Quadaffi a solid offer he can’t refuse: Surrender to U.N. authorities within 24 hours for crimes against humanity or face a surgical airstrike that will make the one Reagan ordered seem like a Chuckie Cheese Birthday party. He’s too nuts to comprehend anything else. And for the sane loyalist personell surrounding Quadaffi tell them they either take him out or be incinerated along with him, no exceptions. No idle threats, just action. It’s the only language that those animals capice.
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:12amI see stories such as this one giving Obama credit for demanding Gaddafi leave the country. He was on a phone call with Germany – he’s made no such public statements. Even with all Americans out of Libya, he’s still too chicken#*@ to take any position on behalf of the United States.
The UN proves again how irrelevant they are. Sanctions? Seriously? Gaddafi doesn’t need money or goods – and he’s certainly not worried about the UN becoming involved militarily. This could very well drag out for months, with many thousands more murdered, since there are no leaders on the planet willing to put boots on the ground in Libya to try to end this before it gets completely out of hand.
I am not calling for military involvement, but if we recieve word of where Gaddafi is holed up, I say turn it into a parking lot.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:13amBig whoop-di-doo. Let’s see, that would make them about 40 YEARS LATE!
http://www.americasteapartynews.com
Report Post »Everyone wants to rule the world
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:30amUN: rulers who cannot run their own life, trying to run our life. They are “making all their nowhere plans for nobody”.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:49amSnowleapord, as a man/woman of the cloth I realize that at this time you are finalizing the sermon you will deliver to your congregation tomorrow. I seek not to interrupt your thoughts or influence them. You speak for God, and your flock listens as we all do on this website. I ask only that you quote the Bible in connection with your ideas. I accept that you are a portal through which God speaks, but those who follow you want you to quoteth the Bible, the Word of God, so that we can send the Word forth! Those who attend your church need to hear the Words of Jesus and how they apply to world events, as do we all. Praise God!
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:51amI still hold my opinion that if Kaddaffi falls, the calliphate wins. “The enemy of my enemy….” and such. The fact that the UN supports Kaddaffi’s fall, as does obama, sets my BS detector to full tilt. The radical, hard core dictators are standing in the way of the calliphate, and if all fall, then who is left to stand for Saudi Arabia? The United States?
I don’t think so, scooter.
Obama is complicate, and this is an islamic NWO revolution beginning before our eyes.
Thank God they had to start early, before the UN was able to issue their global ban on civilian gun ownership.
America has a chance.
Never let ANYONE unlawfully take your means to defend yourself, your family, community or state!
And NEVER let them take down the Red White and Blue!
Semper Fi and Si vis bellum, para pacum!
Report Post »FlatFoot
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:53am“Okay everybody… that’s a wrap! Good job on the recommendations. Now let’s get that harshly worded memo out to Moammar asap! With any luck we won’t have to actually do anything meaningful if Moammar comes to his senses within the next year or two. Oh yeah, almost forgot. A special shout out to our brother in D.C., Barack Hussein Obama! For his key influence and leading by example helping to get this harshly worded memo approved.”
Report Post »jzs
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:47amMy Sacred Honor – thank you for your post. You speak for all of us. If Qaddafi falls we all fall. The Muslim Brotherhood is behind this along with liberals, Democrats and 38% of independent voters (according to the the latest USA Today poll) support their goals of a worldwide caliphate. Some say that the Muslim Brotherhood is behind the labor protests in Wisconsin.
Experts on Islam’s growing threat are now saying that that recent statements by the SEIU and AFL-CIO suggest that unions support the imposition of sharia law as the best say to guarantee “workers rights.” Teacher unions have cast their lot in with these major players.
The extent of the infiltration of Muslim ideals in nowhere more evident than in Wisconsin where the police and fire departments are both showing support to the protesters even though they were exempted from the “union busting” legislation. . As a result of daily propaganda by the Muslim Brotherhood (I’m so sick of that), the public unions in Wisconsin are getting support throughout the United States, another sign of decline in freedom in the United States.
These anti-American protesters have lost sight of a simple fact. Due to actions like theirs, civilization is about to collapse, and the world is about to fall under the complete domination of a Muslim caliphate, and we will all become enslaved.
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 3:46amjzs
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:47am
My Sacred Honor – thank you for your post
And as far as the rest of your post, I worry, but then I do NOT worry. Obama and the NWO elitists were rushed, and the global mandated UN santioned citizen gun ban was not enforced and the United States stands armed and ready for encursion.
Report Post »Whoops.
You have a 300 Million strong ARMED citizenry and you union thug-life wanna-bes wanna start some “stuff”?
Trumpka, you are bluffing with an 8-high hand where we stand with a straight-flush.
And I call your all-in.
avenger
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 11:38amwhoopee…now I have an xcuse to light up my Cohiba Behike 52 and pop open my Camus Cognac Cuvee 3.128 I can rest easy with the most corrupt organization on the job….
Report Post »Opinionmonger
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 10:01pmHow nice!
I wonder why egypt and tunisia did not get slammed !
Oh , YES!
THERE IS …..
NO OIL!
K
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