March 18, 2011, 2:59 p.m. EDT
Western powers prepare for Libya action
United Nations has authorized military action, no-fly zone
By Polya Lesova and Robert Schroeder, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) â Western powers moved closer to military action in Libya on Friday after the United Nations authorized âall necessary measuresâ to protect civilians there.
France, the U.K. and the U.S. said they were taking steps to carry out the resolution, which is aimed at protecting rebels in Libya who are fighting to overthrow the government of Moammar Gadhafi.
President Barack Obama said the U.S. wonât âstand idly byâ and that the U.N. resolution would be enforced with military action if Gadhafi didnât halt all attacks against Libyans. Obama stressed that the U.S. would act with partner nations but would not send U.S. ground troops.
âNow, once more, Moammar Gadhafi has a choice,â Obama said in a statement at the White House. âThe resolution that passed lays out very clear conditions that must be met.â Obama said a cease-fire must be put in place immediately, and Gadhafi must halt his troopsâ movements and let humanitarian aid reach Libyans.
The steps followed weeks of indecision and inaction by the international community, while forces seeking Gadhafiâs ouster battled his army and air forces. The fighting in Libya is the bloodiest of the unrest that has swept Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa as populations rebel against repression, lack of opportunity and poverty.
Governments in Egypt and Tunisia have been overthrown, while protests have destabilized leaders in Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen. Unrest has also emerged in other countries in the region.
Intervention in Libya would mark the most forceful action by Western powers since the regional unrest broke out.
âWe just passed this resolution last night. And I think now weâre going to be working to operationalize it. And weâll see, as Iâve already said, what the next steps will be,â said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday.
Clintonâs statement followed similar comments by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
âWe are ready, but I cannot give you more details,â Juppe was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Cameron said earlier that Britain was moving aircraft into position to be ready for action.
âPreparations to deploy these aircraft have already started, and in the coming hours, they will move to airbases from where they can start to take the necessary action,â Cameron told the House of Commons on Friday.
He added that the government was âsatisfied that there is a clear and unequivocal legal basis for the deployment of U.K. forces and military assets.â Read MarketWatch First Takje on Cameron.
The comments from Clinton and Juppe followed reports that Gadhafi had declared a unilateral cease-fire. Those reports were quickly undermined by news that Libyan government forces were shelling rebel-held towns.
âWeâve seen press reports of a cease-fire by the Libyan government,â Clinton said. âThis is a fluid and dynamic situation. We are going to be not responsive or impressed by words. We would have to see actions on the ground, and that is not yet at all clear.â
Clinton spoke after Libyaâs foreign minister said his government was bound to accept Thursdayâs vote by the U.N. Security Council that authorized the use of force against Gadhafiâs regime to protect Libyan civilians. The resolution also authorized a no-fly zone.
Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said his government decided to declare an immediate cease-fire and stop all military operations, according to reports. U.S. stocks rose on the report, while oil prices edged slightly lower. See Market Snapshot for more on market reaction.
CNN, citing an opposition source, subsequently reported on its website that âfierce fightingâ was under way in Misrata, Libya, despite the governmentâs cease-fire declaration.
Clinton also said the U.S. will continue to work with other countries to press Gadhafi to leave