Spineless Statement of the UN Security Council on #Libya

Total waste of everyone's time, waste of paper and ink (physical and digital).


"The members of the Security Council expressed grave concern at the situation in Libya. They condemned the violence and use of force against civilians, deplored the repression against peaceful demonstrators, and expressed deep regret at the deaths of hundreds of civilians. They called for an immediate end to the violence and for steps to address the legitimate demands of the population, including through national dialogue.

[National dialogue. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha]

"The members of the Security Council called on the Government of Libya to meet its responsibility to protect its population. They called upon the Libyan authorities to act with restraint, to respect human rights and international humanitarian law, and to allow immediate access for international human rights monitors and humanitarian agencies.

[Yeah that helps.]

"The members of the Security Council called for international humanitarian assistance to the people of Libya and expressed concern at the reports of shortages of medical supplies to treat the wounded. They strongly urged the Libyan authorities to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian and medical supplies and humanitarian workers into the country.

[Best humanitarian assistance is not the medical supplies. It is to STOP THE MADMAN and STOP THE KILLING!]

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need for the government of Libya to respect the freedom of peaceful assembly and of expression, including freedom of the press. They called for the immediate lifting of restrictions on all forms of the media.

"The members of the Security Council stressed the importance of accountability. They underscored the need to hold to account those responsible for attacks, including by forces under their control, on civilians.

[Who is going to hold whom accountable?]

"The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the safety of foreign nationals in Libya. They urged the Libyan authorities and all relevant parties to ensure the safety of all foreign nationals and facilitate the departure of those wishing to leave the country. The members of the Security Council will continue to follow the situation closely."

[Nothing. No No-Fly-Zone. No pressure whatsoever on the madman #Gaddafi.]

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To Be Expected, UN Security Council on #Libya Disappoints

Just "concern", call for an "end", ask for the safety of "foreigners" and more "concern".

And the Libyan delegation had to demand a meeting just to get this lame statement?

From AFP via Dow Jones Newswire via Zawya.com:

UNITED NATIONS (AFP)--The U.N. Security Council voiced "grave concern" Tuesday about the events unfolding in Libya and issued a statement calling for an "immediate end to the violence."

The council also urged Libyan authorities to ensure the safety of foreigners and make sure that humanitarian workers can get access to the wounded.

Those responsible for attacks on citizens in Libya should be "brought to account," added the statement issued at the end of a day of talks.

Libyan diplomats, who have broken with strongman leader Moammar Gadhafi, had demanded the meeting, and had called for a U.N. no-fly zone over the country as well as humanitarian action.

"There is even more concern after what was a very worrying speech by Moammar Gadhafi," a diplomat said before the meeting of the 15-nation council.

Kadhafi ordered his forces earlier to crush an uprising that has rocked his 41-year rule for the past week, warning armed protesters they will be executed and vowing to fight to the end.

In a defiant and rambling television speech, Kadhafi vowed to remain in Libya as leader, saying he would die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the "last drop" of his blood.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

22-02-11 2304GMT

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#Libya Updates from Al Jazeera Live Blog

[Emphasis is mine.]

12: 48am: Al Jazeera Arabic reports the Libyan warship that has been in Maltese waters for the past several hours arrived there after its crew refused to carry out orders to bomb Benghazi. A second Libyan ship has also reportedly been sighted in the area.

12:44am Libya's deputy UN ambassador says that Gaddafi's speech was code for his forces to start genocide against the Libyan people

12:40am Deputy Libyan ambassador emerges from UN discussions. This is significant, as the deputy has a radically different position to the pro-Gaddafi ambassador.

12:35am: A Libyan pilot - speaking from Switzerland - tells Al Jazeera he flew a plane load of mercenaries into Libya. He said he didn't realise what was happening at the time, but that the group were not speaking Arabic, but could hear them chanting verse. He urged his fellow pilots not to go to work and not to answer their phones. He said that, in the chaos of Tripoli, they would not be found. He said he was sure they and their families would be safe as the regime collapsed and lost power.

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HP Bombs After-Hours

Ouch. Down 12.5% in after-hour trading. So much for global 'economic recovery'.

HP beat the profit estimate, but revenues missed, and they guided lower. (For quick summary, see here.)

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#Libyans React to Gaddafi's Threatening Speech: Flying Shoes

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South Korea's Ongoing Bank Run

"Unrest" of a different kind is found in South Korea, where there is an on-going bank run.

The latest from Korea Times (2/22/2011):

One more savings bank shut down

The nation’s financial regulator said Tuesday that it has suspended one more savings bank reeling from massive construction financing loans defaults.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced it had suspended Domin Savings Bank, based in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, for six months. The lender closed its six branches there voluntarily earlier in the day for fear of a bank run.

Domin is one of five savings banks that have failed to meet the government’s recommendation of a 5-percent capital adequacy ratio. It saw a total of 18.8 billion won withdrawn, Monday.

Since new FSC Chairman Kim Seok-dong took the helm of the regulator last month, eight savings banks have been ordered to halt operations.

An FSC official said that Domin’s bank for international settlement (BIS) ratio had fallen below 1 percent, forcing the regulator to suspend its business.

Other than the suspension of Domin, the FSC chairman’s all-out efforts to stifle lingering jitters over possible shutdowns of distressed savings banks through mass withdrawals are working, as the chances of bank runs appear to have abated.

Kim visited Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, where the suspended Bohae Savings Bank is based, Tuesday, and continued to prevent an exodus among depositors of the secondary banks, who were alarmed by the financial regulator’s suspension of business of six similar lenders last week.

What is the world coming to?

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#Libya's Madman Orders Libyans to Kill Libyans For His Glory

We have a madman to deal with, and the world leaders are begging him to show "respect" and "restraint", and asking him please to punish officials responsible for the violence (that's the US's position). What a joke.

From Al Jazeera analysis on what he said in his speech:

"Muammar Gaddafi is the leader of the revolution, I am not a president to step down ... This is my country. Muammar is not a president to leave his post." [Which is very true, as he has no official position to resign from.]

"You men and women who love Gaddafi ...get out of your homes and fill the streets," he said. "Leave your homes and attack them in their lairs ... Starting tomorrow the cordons will be lifted, go out and fight them."

Gaddafi said "peaceful protests is one thing, but armed rebellion is another". [Ummm, it's your thugs who are armed.]

But the most chilling comment is this:

"cleanse Libya house by house"

A tweet by OmarAlmu5tar yesterday said:

"We have reached the point of no return. We know if we don´t die in the streets they´ll kill us in our houses"

He is afraid that Gaddafi is about to use chemical weapons on them, as Saddam Hussein did on the Kurds.

I am afraid there will be unspeakable atrocities, so unspeakable that no one outside Libya will talk about, and the so-called leaders of the so-called West and the UN will issue a statement regretting the atrocities but "hey it's time to move on...."

Now, have you heard of any country that has frozen the assets of the Gaddafis? None.

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No Bid on US Dollar

The stock markets are down around the world due to the "unrest" in #Libya, but there's hardly any bid on the world's reserve currency, a supposed safe haven - US dollar.

Instead, investors are bidding up gold, silver, and even the US Treasuries. But the US dollar index is only marginally up.

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Merrill Lynch to Clients: Buy The F.. Dip

"Failed Dip", of course.

From Zero Hedge:

From Bank of Countrywide Lynch's Fred Batoua:

"S&P futures getting hit hard as Middle East turbulence starts to impact crude price...March WTI contract expires today & seen huge short covering...we have seen buy the dip mentality in S&P futures, 6pts off lows of 1320...near-term though feel we are due a pause cautious & could retest 50 dma (1283)...last wk the FMS highlighted that cash balances back at 3.5%, triggering a "sell" signal that on average is followed by ~6.2% move lower over next 4 wks...but also worth noting that at 14x '11E EPS the S&P is still below 50 yr ave of 15x...also the doubling since March '09 is below the 62% move higher seen in the 2yr's following a bear market....so BUY the dip"

At least he didn't say "fucking"

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Misstatement of the Morning Award: United States

From Al Jazeera English tweet:

US spokesman calls on #Libya to respect rights of "thousands of US citizens" in the country.

uhh... US citizens' rights?

"Rights"? How about LIVES?

"US citizens"? How about ALL CITIZENS including LIBYANS?

"Respect"? Ya think Gaddafi "respects" anything (other than perhaps the blonde Ukrainian nurse)?

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#Gaddafi Declares War on #Libya, Would Die As 'Martyr'

In a rambling speech that went on for an hour and a half, the Libya's strongman Muammar Gaddafi called Libyans who dare rise up against him as "sick people", blamed the "US tyranny" and he would die a martyr's death than leave.

Aside from an inconvenient fact that a "martyr" would need a noble cause to die for, I sincerely hope he gets his death wish fulfilled, as fast and as soon as possible.

The UN is holding a closed-door meeting of the Security Council. The UN Libya delegation had to beg for a meeting, as the 'unrest' in Libya, no matter how violent it was, was not considered an "international" matter.

Oh excuse me! Gaddafi importing French-speaking 'African' (i.e. dark-skinned and foreign) mercenaries to kill Libyans is not "international" enough for the UN? That Egyptians, Tunisians, Chinese, Koreans in Libya have been attacked and robbed and injured (possibly killed) is not "international" enough for the UN?

It's interesting to note, in passing, that Russia seems to be obliquely siding with Gaddafi (and other dictators). Here's Putin's deputy, accusing Google for the toppling of Hosni Mubarak. The same article (link) also mentions China's Hu Jintao calling for a stricter control of the Internet in China to head off popular dissent.

Dictators of the world are shaking in their boots...

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From Twitter #Libya: Libyan Soldiers Executed for Refusing Gadaffi's Orders

This is so heartbreaking if it is true. Bastards... bastards...

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First Western TV Journalist into #Libya: CNN's Ben Wedeman

From CNN's This Just In (2/21/2011):

In eastern Libya, citizens buoyant and cautious as they await Gadhafi's move

(Editor's note: CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from eastern Libya after crossing into that country from Egypt. He is the first Western television correspondent to enter and report from Libya during the current crisis.)

"Your passports please," said the young man in civilian clothing toting an AK-47 at the Libyan border.

"For what?" responded our driver, Saleh, a burly, bearded man who had picked us up just moments before. "There is no government. What is the point?" He pulled away with a dismissive laugh.

On the Libyan side, there were no officials, no passport control, no customs.

I've seen this before. In Afghanistan after the route of the Taliban, in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Government authority suddenly evaporates. It's exhilarating on one level; its whiff of chaos disconcerting on another.

The scene on the Libyan side of the border was jarring. Men - and teenage boys - with clubs, pistols and machine guns were trying to establish a modicum of order.

Hundreds of Egyptian workers were trying to get out, their meager possessions - bags, blankets, odds and ends - piled high on top of minibuses.

Egyptian border officials told us that 15,000 people had crossed from Libya on Monday alone.

"Welcome to free Libya," said one of the armed young men now controlling the border.

"Free Libya" was surprisingly normal, once we got out of the border area. We stopped for petrol - there were no lines - and saw some stores were open. The electricity was working. The cell phone system is still functioning, though you can't call abroad. The internet, however, has been down for days.

On the other hand, we did see regular groups of more armed young men in civilian clothing, stopping cars, checking IDs, asking questions. All were surprised, but happy, to see the first television news crew to cross into Libya since the uprising began February 15.

They were polite, if a tad giddy. Having thrown off the yoke of Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year rule (longer than most Libyans have been alive), it's understandable.

Read the full article at the link.

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Gaddafi Says He's in Tripoli

And I'd say this is his double. You decide.

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Another Son, Khamis Gaddafi in Charge of Bringing in Mercenaries

International Business Times, quoting Al Arabiya, reports that Khamis Gaddafi, another son of Muammar Gaddafi, recruited French-speaking mercenaries who would have no problem killing Libyans and would be loyal only to the Gaddafis.

From International Business Times (2/21/2011):

Khamis Gaddafi, a son of Libya ruler Moammar Gaddafi, recruited French-speaking Sub-Saharan African mercenaries to shoot live rounds at pro-democracy protestors, reported Al Arabiya, citing sources in the city of Benghazi.

These sources claim this knowledge because they’ve captured some of the mercenaries, who confessed their identity and the fact that Khamis Gaddafi hired them.

The sources also said they saw non-Libyan mercenaries flown in from other African countries land in the Benina International Airport near Benghazi.

Al Arabiya did not report or speculate on which countries these mercenaries are from. Many African mercenaries have historically come from South Africa. Ironically, Libya is another country known for supplying mercenaries around the continent. However, because these mercenaries are non-Libyan and French-speaking, they’re probably not from these two countries.

Rania Masri, a Lebansese activist, said via her Twitter account that analysts think the mercenaries may be from Chad, a French-speaking African country.

African leaders are no strangers to the concept for hiring foreign mercenaries. Indeed, many have been accused of importing mercenaries in the past – both from other African countries and outside of Africa.

In Gaddafi’s case, using mercenaries provide a key advantage: these paid soldiers will have no problem killing Libyans, whereas some of Libya’s own military personnel are hesitant.

Moreover, even before the massive protests, Libya is a country that historically fractured along regional and tribal divide, and the Libyan army may be defecting along those same lines.

Thus, the specter of a civil/regional war may be another incentive for Gaddafi to import outside help whose loyalty is to him (or his money) alone.

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Crude Oil Goes Vertical

The US stock futures are extremely ugly, though Dow futures are not in triple digits yet.

From Bloomberg's page:

Ben and the Inkjets at the Fed have the work cut out for them tonight and tomorrow...

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Ads for Mercenaries in Guinea and Nigeria, US$2000 Per Day

Al Jazeera Libya Blog:

1:20am: Al Jazeera Arabic reports that adverts appear in Guinea and Nigeria offering would-be mercenaries up to US $2000 dollars per day

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Daddy Gaddafi May Speak At Any Moment..

according to Al Arabiya. I hope Al Jazeera Live Feed will carry it as soon as that happens.

Back in September 2009, Gaddafi's translator collapsed from exhaustion during Gaddafi's one-hour and 36-minute speech at the UN.

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Hillary Clinton "We're Working with Our Allies to Send Libya a Message" While Obama Wants Gaddafi to Punish Officials Responsible for Violence

The US Secretary of State says she's working to send Libya a message, or something like that is what I just read in Al Jazeera's Live Feed.

Send a message.

Right.

Send in the bombers to take out Gaddafi would be more like it.

Wall Street Journal reports a rather disjointed statement from the Obama administration (again):

WASHINGTON— The Obama administration, citing reports that hundreds of antigovernment protesters had been killed and injured in Libya, demanded Sunday that Col. Moammar Gadhafi's regime punish officials responsible for the violence.

So, Obama is demanding Gaddafi to punish officials responsible for the violence.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....... It's actually very sad. Gaddafi and his sons do not hold any official government positions, by the way. So Obama is effectively saying to Gaddafi don't worry he is not responsible.

(Oh wait, it's almost the same as telling Ben Bernank to better regulate the TBTF Wall Street banks...)

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Muslim Brotherhood Issues Fatwa on Gaddafi, as Egyptian Army Declares Libyan Border Open

From Yahoo!7 (Australia) citing AAP (2/22/2011):

Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi has issued a fatwa that any Libyan soldier who can shoot dead embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi should do so "to rid Libya of him."

"Whoever in the Libyan army is able to shoot a bullet at Mr Gaddafi should do so," Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born cleric who is usually based in Qatar, told Al-Jazeera television.

He also told Libyan soldiers "not to obey orders to strike at your own people," and urged Libyan ambassadors around the world to dissociate themselves from Gaddafi's regime.

Famous in the Middle East for his at times controversial fatwas, or religious edicts, the octogenarian Qaradawi has celebrity status in the Arab world thanks to his religious broadcasts on Al-Jazeera.

He has in the past defended "violence carried out by certain Muslims."

The West accuses the cleric of supporting "terrorism" because he sanctioned Palestinian suicide attacks in Israel. Britain and the United States have refused to grant him entry visas.

The cleric, spiritual leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and longtime resident of Qatar, heads the International Union for Muslim Scholars.

The Egyptian Army says the border between Egypt and Libya is now open, and the Army is setting up camps and field hospitals near the border for Egyptians. From Reuters Africa:

"Members of the Libyan border guard withdrew from (the Libyan side of the border) and it is currently in the control of people's committees," Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said in its Facebook message.

The statement did not make clear whether the groups now in control of the border were loyal to Gaddafi.

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