NATO has failed to agree on a plan for its possible involvement in enforcing the UN no-fly zone over Libya. Alliance member Turkey, which is against the military intervention, blocked a proposal. The Arab League has also expressed reservations over the extent of military action being taken by France, Britain and the US. As other countries began sending their military hardware to the region, Arab countries claimed they only backed the UN’s no-fly zone in order to protect civilians, not to knock out Gaddafi’s forces. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates believes there is a way to get the League on board. “I think there is a sensitivity on the part of the Arab League to being seen to be operating under a NATO umbrella, and so the question is if there is a way we can work out of NATO’s command and control machinery without it being a NATO mission.” France also has its reservations. As it sent its Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier The Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean, the government warned about treading too heavily on Arab feelings. After NATO involvement in other theatres of war such as Afghanistan, the alliance’s reputation has been tarnished in the Arab world. TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
7128 18858 19708 11123 21068 11378 20983 22428 15713 11293 3388 18943 17753 7978 2623 13588 19283 19368 3133 20303 23703 9933 20473 14438 19453 4238 18093 11803 13503 21748 10953 16988 158 15968 8828 20898 1688 23363 10188 11038 17498 9593 22513 11718 1093 3728 3643 16393 2028 23873 1008 17073 5768 4748 8743 21153 13078 9763 8998 23788 13928 14183 6533 18688 12228 19963 15288 20813 4663 2538 12143 21238 668 16138 7213 2878 22003 2963 17923 14608 923 23533 13758 6958 10783 5428 12738 17413 21493 15373 15628 2198 4918 1178 19198 18773 16053217 877 157 277 457 397 637 757 817 517 577 37 697 337 97 636 696 156 816 396 456 276 876 516 36 216 336 96 576 756 324 864 24 384 144 624 204 504 264 564 744 444 804 684 84 113 773 713 353 233 653 473 893 593 53 833 413 293 173 533 297 237 57 177 357 897 777 477 597 417 657 537 837 117 717 306 426 66 546 126 666 726 246 486 606 366 186 846 786 6 147 807 567 327 447 207 87 867 27 627 267 387 747 687 507 292 592 472 652 892 352 52 532 772 172 712 832 412 232 112 853 73 733 313 793 553 673 493 613 373 13 133 253 433 193 10 130 430 190 490 850 70 550 670 790 370 730 250 610 310 591 651 831 471 171 231 891 51 111 291 531 351 411 771 711 214 274 634 574 514 94 754 694 454 334 154 34 874 814 394 560 200 800 620 320 680 20 260 440 860 140 500 80 740 380 252 672 312 732 192 372 492 792 612 852 72 552 12 432 132 81 561 861 201 441 261 141 621 741 681 501 21 381 801 321 378 78 18 618 558 438 858 138 198 798 258 318 738 678 498 604 64 664 124 484 784 844 544 364 724 304 244 4 184 424 213 813 393 93 693 513 453 633 873 153 33 273 573 753 333 716 596 56 296 476 416 116 536 836 236 356 656 176 776 896 688 268 148 568 388 868 808 748 28 628 328 88 448 208 508 820 160 220 880 400 520 640 280 100 580 460 40 700 760 340 840 600 660 480 180 900 780 420 360 720 300 120 240 60 540 863 83 743 23 443 803 623 563 203 143 323 683 263 503 383 50 530 650 590 350 830 770 110 710 290 170 230 410 470 890 834 654 294 174 474 714 234 354 414 54 774 114 894 594 534 369 189 309 729 9 69 489 609 789 849 429 549 129 669 249 783 603 243 63 123 303 483 723 843 3 663 423 363 543 183