Prophecy continues to be fulfilled everyday.
During Gates's Visit, Russian Defense Minister Calls for Immediate Cease-Fire
By Yochi J. Dreazen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9:50 a.m.
http://nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/during-gates-s-visit-russian-defense-minister-calls-for-immediate-cease-fire-20110322
By Yochi J. Dreazen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9:50 a.m.
http://nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/during-gates-s-visit-russian-defense-minister-calls-for-immediate-cease-fire-20110322
MOSCOW -- In a stinging rebuke of U.S. policy in Libya, the Russian defense minister accused the U.S.-led coalition of killing Libyan civilians through errant air strikes and called for an immediate cease-fire on Tuesday. The comments drew a quick rebuke from visiting Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said the Russian criticism was based on "outright lies."
Speaking to reporters following an hourlong meeting with Gates, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said Russia continued to support the United Nations resolution authorizing the creation of a no-fly zone over Libya but made clear that Moscow was increasingly uneasy about the escalating campaign.
"Unfortunately, recent developments in the country demonstrate that it is experiencing real hostilities, destroying civilian facilities, and the killing of civilians," Serdyukov said. "This shouldn't have been let to happen and we informed our U.S. counterparts of our opposition."
Gates, in his own remarks, said the coalition was going out of its way to avoid civilian deaths, noting that most of the strikes have targeted Libyan defensive systems located far away from major population centers. Gates also said he expected major combat operations over Libya to taper off markedly within the next few days; he is the first senior American official to put any sort of timetable on the ongoing offensive there.
Gates fired back at the Russians shortly after departing the Ministry of Defense. Speaking to reporters in his hotel overlooking the Kremlin, the American defense chief said he was taken aback by the ferocity of the Russian criticism of the ongoing American-led military operations.
"I'm a little curious, frankly, about the tone that has been taken," Gates said. "It's perfectly evident that the vast majority, if not nearly all, civilian casualties have been inflicted by Qaddafi... and it's almost as though some people here are taking at face value Qaddafi's claims about the number of civilian casualties, which as far as I'm concerned are just outright lies."
Gates's comments were an implicit rebuke to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who on Monday accused the U.S. of causing significant civilian casualties in Libya and likened the entire American-led operation there to a "crusade."
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Speaking to reporters following an hourlong meeting with Gates, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said Russia continued to support the United Nations resolution authorizing the creation of a no-fly zone over Libya but made clear that Moscow was increasingly uneasy about the escalating campaign.
"Unfortunately, recent developments in the country demonstrate that it is experiencing real hostilities, destroying civilian facilities, and the killing of civilians," Serdyukov said. "This shouldn't have been let to happen and we informed our U.S. counterparts of our opposition."
Gates, in his own remarks, said the coalition was going out of its way to avoid civilian deaths, noting that most of the strikes have targeted Libyan defensive systems located far away from major population centers. Gates also said he expected major combat operations over Libya to taper off markedly within the next few days; he is the first senior American official to put any sort of timetable on the ongoing offensive there.
Gates fired back at the Russians shortly after departing the Ministry of Defense. Speaking to reporters in his hotel overlooking the Kremlin, the American defense chief said he was taken aback by the ferocity of the Russian criticism of the ongoing American-led military operations.
"I'm a little curious, frankly, about the tone that has been taken," Gates said. "It's perfectly evident that the vast majority, if not nearly all, civilian casualties have been inflicted by Qaddafi... and it's almost as though some people here are taking at face value Qaddafi's claims about the number of civilian casualties, which as far as I'm concerned are just outright lies."
Gates's comments were an implicit rebuke to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who on Monday accused the U.S. of causing significant civilian casualties in Libya and likened the entire American-led operation there to a "crusade."
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China calls for immediate cease-fire in Libya, after days of allied airstrikes
China was one of five countries to abstain from last week's UN vote to allow all necessary measures to stop Gadhafi's assault on rebel-held towns.
By The Associated Press
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/china-calls-for-immediate-cease-fire-in-libya-after-days-of-allied-airstrikes-1.351113
BEIJING - China called Tuesday for an immediate cease-fire in Libya where the U.S. and European nations have launched punishing airstrikes to enforce a United Nations endorsed no-fly zone.
"All parties must immediately cease fire and resolve issues through peaceful means," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regularly scheduled news conference, citing unconfirmed reports that the airstrikes had caused civilian deaths.
China was one of five countries that abstained from last week's vote on the UN resolution to allow all necessary measures to stop Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's assault on rebel-held towns. It was approved with the backing of the United States, France and Britain.
Beijing has been sharply critical of the airstrikes that hit Libyan air defenses and forces for a third night Monday. The Foreign Ministry registered serious reservations about the resolution, and on Monday the country's most important political newspaper compared the Western airstrikes against Libya to the U.S.-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In places such as Iraq the unspeakable suffering of its people are a mirror and a warning," the Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, said in a commentary.
China has historically opposed foreign military interventions as part of its long-standing policy of staying out of countries' internal affairs.
Jiang said China, one of five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, only opted not to oppose the resolution out of consideration for the support shown for the measure among Arab and African nations.
North Korea also Tuesday urged an immediate halt to the airstrikes. An unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman said they were "a wanton violation of Libya's sovereignty and a hideous crime against humanity."
The spokesman also accused the United States of wanting regime change in Libya and control of its natural resources. The comments were carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
China was one of five countries to abstain from last week's UN vote to allow all necessary measures to stop Gadhafi's assault on rebel-held towns.
By The Associated Press
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/china-calls-for-immediate-cease-fire-in-libya-after-days-of-allied-airstrikes-1.351113
BEIJING - China called Tuesday for an immediate cease-fire in Libya where the U.S. and European nations have launched punishing airstrikes to enforce a United Nations endorsed no-fly zone.
"All parties must immediately cease fire and resolve issues through peaceful means," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regularly scheduled news conference, citing unconfirmed reports that the airstrikes had caused civilian deaths.
China was one of five countries that abstained from last week's vote on the UN resolution to allow all necessary measures to stop Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's assault on rebel-held towns. It was approved with the backing of the United States, France and Britain.
Beijing has been sharply critical of the airstrikes that hit Libyan air defenses and forces for a third night Monday. The Foreign Ministry registered serious reservations about the resolution, and on Monday the country's most important political newspaper compared the Western airstrikes against Libya to the U.S.-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In places such as Iraq the unspeakable suffering of its people are a mirror and a warning," the Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, said in a commentary.
China has historically opposed foreign military interventions as part of its long-standing policy of staying out of countries' internal affairs.
Jiang said China, one of five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, only opted not to oppose the resolution out of consideration for the support shown for the measure among Arab and African nations.
North Korea also Tuesday urged an immediate halt to the airstrikes. An unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman said they were "a wanton violation of Libya's sovereignty and a hideous crime against humanity."
The spokesman also accused the United States of wanting regime change in Libya and control of its natural resources. The comments were carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
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