Friday, February 25, 2011

U.S. Plans Sanctions as Pressure Mounts on Libya

WASHINGTON — The United States moved to increase diplomatic pressure on the embattled Libyan government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi on Friday, suspending relations and preparing to impose unilateral sanctions because of the deadly violence the Libyan government has directed at protesters in the country.

Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, told reporters that the sanctions would be announced soon, but gave no specifics. Mr. Carney said the American embassy in Tripoli “has been shuttered” and that diplomatic and military-to-military relations were suspended.

American allies and the United Nations also moved to isolate Libya diplomatically on Friday. A senior U.N. official said the world should intervene to stop the killings and bloodshed in Libya, and France and Britain called on the international organization to approve an arms embargo and sanctions. NATO said it was ready to help to evacuate refugees.
Read the rest here.

1 comment:

Lorne M. said...

Sanctions only hurt the revolutionaries in the streets. They are not going to hurt Gaddafi and his allies, they are going to hit the ordinary people but governments around the world seem to love them. Wouldn´t it be better to find out what aid the revolutionaries need and send it to them?