LIBYA: Arab League head criticizes airstrikes as Western forces impose no-fly zone
A coordinated attack by Western forces targeting Libyan air capabilities and armor appears to have succeeded in damaging Libyan military installations and armor, but Arab support for the no-fly zone may be waning.
Arab League head Amr Moussa told reporters Sunday that the Arab league thought the use of force was excessive following an overnight bombing campaign that Libya claims killed at least 48 people.
"What we want is civilians' protection, not shelling more civilians," he was quoted saying by the Associated Press.
The Los Angeles Times' Borzou Daragahi reported on Saturday night's bombing campaign from a rooftop in Tripoli (audio link) where heavy anti-aircraft fire could be heard from Kadafi's forces on the ground.
U.S., British and French forces sought to seriously limit Kadafi's ability to advance on rebel-held cities, but Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that Kadafi's forces continued to shell the rebel-held city of Misurata.
As of Sunday afternoon, conflicting reports had emerged on whether Kadafi's advance on Benghazi, the seat of the rebel movement, had been halted.
Statements from U.S. and British military officials on Sunday claimed a no-fly zone had been successfully imposed.
-- Meris Lutz in Beirut
Photo: A loyalist soldier was killed in a French airstrike outside the rebel-held city of Benghazi. Credit: Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters
Strike against Libian forces is not acceptable
Posted by: Prasad | March 21, 2011 at 01:28 AM
Let's pray that this would not happen again.
Posted by: suits | March 20, 2011 at 11:34 PM
The Arab League is unhappy that coalition air strikes directed at Gaddafi's forces killed fellow Muslims. Sorry, but in Araby, only Muslims are allowed to kill Muslims. If we leave, the Arab League members that own an air force or armor can feel free to use THEIR air power and tanks to enforce THEIR will. (However, in the spirit of even-handedness, American Muslims are free to leave our country and fight... for either side.) Besides, Muslims get upset when infidels mess with any of them... makes them want to bomb our airliners, buses and subway stations.
America is still waiting for Moqtada al-Sadr to thank us for getting rid of minority Sunni tyrant Saddam Husein so the majority Shiites could run Iraq (into the ground).
Posted by: Bob Walton | March 20, 2011 at 05:03 PM
What has The Arab League actually accomplished for the Arabic people and for the world since its inception in 1945?
Posted by: swf | March 20, 2011 at 03:47 PM
It makes no sense to accuse the West of acting only because of oil. If oil were all we cared about, then why didn't we continue to support Qaddafi? He was in charge, he was winning, all we had to do was sit back and let him consolidate power and we'd be back in no time getting all the oil we needed. Never mind that our friends the Saudis had already promised to pick up the slack so we didn't even need Libyan oil right now regardless.
The problem with blaming all the world's problems on the West is that it quickly becomes logically incoherent.
Posted by: truther | March 20, 2011 at 02:57 PM
I say not enough. Finish this scumbag terrorist off once and for all. And while you at it make sure they get the PANAM bomber who is still alive
Posted by: Tom | March 20, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Dear LA Times, Your incorrectly identified Arab League head Amr Moussa. Mr Moussa was the head, but he has resigned to run for president of Egypt. Sincerely, Joe
Posted by: Joseph Grcar | March 20, 2011 at 02:14 PM
These people who portray themselves as protecters of freedom, liberty and peace dont know how to maintain that without burning millions of innocent people into ash... hey isn't there anybody out there to stop them...
Posted by: human | March 20, 2011 at 02:02 PM
When did a no fly zone turn into let's bomb and strafe the suckers ?
Posted by: 999999 | March 20, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Waited too long.
Two weeks ago it could have been handled with one cruise missile.
Posted by: Apollo18 | March 20, 2011 at 01:43 PM
The Arab League was in favor of the no-fly zone. And now they are backing away from it? Make up your minds you silly gooses!
A "no-fly zone" means that Kadfi cannot send in jet fighters to kill his "own people".
Islamic countries always want military help from the West, and when they receive it, they bitch about it.
Posted by: Quana | March 20, 2011 at 01:41 PM
I am just concern with the manner in which the UN and its US-backed resolution on Libya interplays with events in the Middle East. It is just disgraceful to humanity how we preach the "good news" of "democracy" on one end of the platform and willfully neglect the do the same in yet another similar event in the region (Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Saudi Arabia, etc). The United States and her allies need to learn how to mind their own business. Obama is the worse president ever. Very inconsistent, weak and doesn't even have a clue of any sustainable plan for the Middle East. His foreign policy sucks!
Posted by: Killing people is wrong | March 20, 2011 at 01:39 PM
Arab League.. They are sending forces to Bahrain to kill civilians.. Arab League in Syria is killing its own civilian.. This civilian killing force of "Mercenaries" from non-Arab religion IS the force that West may one day have to destroy. This is truly ANTI-ARAB FORCE.
Posted by: JonathanK | March 20, 2011 at 01:01 PM
And you know, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if one of those missiles took out the co-conspirator of the Pan-Am/Lockerbie bombing who was let go by the Brits 2 years ago on "humanitarian grounds".
Hope he knows.......paybacks a bitch!
Posted by: Cosmo Kramer | March 20, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Suckered in again by the Arabs who wouldn't dream of bombing and off-ing Khadaffi by themselves. THEY wanted the no-fly zone, THEY want Khadaffi out, then THEY should do it themselves if THEY dont like how it's being done.
Posted by: Cosmo Kramer | March 20, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Oil, oil, oil turn the world....millions people killed or suffering who cares.
Posted by: cane sokolovski | March 20, 2011 at 12:16 PM
If the Arab League thinks force was too excessive than they should have sent their own people in to protect and not beg for help. Now, I am being very nice with my words because L.A. Times would have deleted my post.
Posted by: tontosh | March 20, 2011 at 12:03 PM
So typical of the Arabs. Help, help...we need help! Ex post? Dirty American killers. So typical. Just bomb them all. Get it over with. Not worth keeping.
Posted by: Eight | March 20, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Well, then let the Arab league defend the civilians, they're all well trained terrorist anyways.
Arabs have perfected the art of HYPOCRISY in many ways, they hate America but they want us to fix their problems, and then that's another excuse to hate us even more.
Posted by: SR Callejas | March 20, 2011 at 11:53 AM
There is no way of pleasing the Arabs I called it from the get go ! They suckered us into doing the dirty work then they turn around and say we are killing to many and inflecting to much damage . They will hate us no matter what we do for them and there is no way we will ever be able to please them . They are a uneducated ruthless people who understand nothing but brute force but only if they are the ones using it on others . Are they dumb people No ! but they are people that you can't reason with at all . The Middle East is a sewer and it is because the Arabs have made it so . I turned to my wife when all the talk was about setting up the No -Fly Zone and said to her we will be turned on after this is done we really should stay out of this . Wow I knew this would happen !
Posted by: Rich05 | March 20, 2011 at 11:52 AM