A powerless Gadhafi could stay in Libya, some NATO countries concede

Moammar Gadhafi remains defiantly in power after more than four months of bombing, and the nations carrying out most of the air strikes want to end the war, even if it means allowing the dictator to step down but remain in Libya.

The bloody stalemate in the ground war has dimmed early hopes that ill-equipped but enthusiastic rebels could topple the despot. With the holy Muslim month of Ramadan looming and no military end in sight, Britain has publicly echoed an offer first floated by France that would allow for Colonel Gadhafi to talk his way into retirement.

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NATO: Errant Strike May Have Killed Civilians in Libya

NATO has admitted another accidental airstrike by its forces may have killed civilians in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The alliance said the air strikes were launched against a military missile site in Tripoli Sunday, but "one weapon did not strike the intended target" because of a possible "weapons system failure." NATO said it regretted the "loss of innocent civilian lives."

Libyan officials said Sunday, NATO warplanes struck a residential neighborhood and killed nine people. Two children were among the dead.

This was the second recent admission of deadly error by coalition forces. On Saturday, NATO acknowledged that aircraft under its command had accidentally hit a rebel column near the oil refinery town of Brega on the frontline between the rebel-held east and the mainly government-held west on Thursday. The number of casualties in that attack were not revealed.

Elsewhere Sunday, rebels and medical officials in Libya say fighting near the rebel-held western city of Misrata has killed at least nine people and wounded more than 50 others.

The officials said forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi used heavy artillery to pummel Dafniya, just west of Misrata.

On Saturday, the coalition called Libyan government claims that alliance airstrikes are targeting civilians "outrageous." Spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said it is Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and his forces who have been "systematically and brutally attacking" the Libyan people

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Colonel Gaddafi wants Libyans to vote for him as leader meets rebels

MUAMMAR Gaddafi's regime is in direct talks with Libya's rebels, a Russian envoy indicated today, as the strongman's son said the way out of a months-long conflict is the staging of elections.

Russia's Mikhail Margelov, in Tripoli for one day after visiting the rebels in their Benghazi stronghold last week, made the remarks following a meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al Mahmudi.

"I was assured at today's negotiations that direct contacts between Benghazi and Tripoli are already underway," Mr Margelov said, according to Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency.

"The Libyan prime minister told me that a round of such contacts concluded yesterday in Paris," he said, adding that French President Nicolas Sarkozy "has been informed of the outcome of these contacts".

He did not disclose the nature of the talks, which could not be confirmed by the rebels' Transitional National Council.

Mr Mahmudi said Colonel Gaddafi's departure from power was a "red line" that cannot be crossed, despite growing international calls for him to quit and the armed insurrection against his 41-year rule.

"Of utmost concern to us in any dialog is the unity of Libya," Mr Mahmudi told a news conference in Tripoli.

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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/colonel-gaddafi-wants-libyans-to-vote-for-him-as-leader-meets-rebels/story-e6frf7jx-1226077079165

Libya: Hundreds feared dead as migrant boat capsizes

Several hundred people are feared to have drowned off Libya, after a boat carrying some 600 refugees trying to reach Europe broke up at sea on Friday.

The UN's refugee agency said 16 bodies, including two babies, had been found.

UNCHR has said all ships using the Mediterranean should be ready to assist such vessels, as thousands continue to flee North Africa in inadequate boats.

Nato has denied claims that its naval units left dozens of migrants to die aboard another boat in distress.

It said it was unaware of the plight of the boat, which reportedly was adrift for more than two weeks.

The Guardian newspaper said 61 of the 72 people on board the boat died of hunger or thirst, despite being spotted by a military helicopter and Nato ship.

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U.S., allies say they remain firm on Libya mission

The United States, France and Britain said Thursday that they "remained united" in their determination to see Moammar Kadafi relinquish power in Libya, even as a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Berlin heard a top commander appeal for more ground attack aircraft to bolster the alliance's efforts against Kadafi's forces.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to smooth over tensions among NATO members, saying that Kadafi "is testing our determination.... As our mission continues, maintaining our resolve only grows more important."

Her words were backed by a joint declaration issued hours later by President Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, promising to sustain their military operations in Libya.

Clinton said the United States was "especially concerned about the atrocities unfolding in Misurata," according to news accounts. "We are taking actions to respond, and those responsible will be held accountable."

But NATO chiefs say they need more ground attack aircraft to be more effective.

U.S. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO's supreme allied commander, Europe, said at the meeting of foreign ministers that eight additional, specific warplanes were necessary for precision strikes against Kadafi's units without causing civilian casualties, according to U.S. and NATO officials.

It was unclear which nations within the alliance might respond to the request. The U.S., which has far more ground attack planes than any other country, withdrew them last week when it shifted to a support role. And no other countries have so far pledged to meet Stavridis' request, the officials said.

Britain and France have openly insisted over the last few days that more action from the U.S. is needed.

Libyan forces have continued to attack opposition-held areas in the last week, but many have shed their uniforms and hidden their armored vehicles to avoid being targeted by NATO's high-flying and fast-moving fighter jets.

Only the U.S. Air Force has A-10s or AC-130s, planes that fly lower and slower to carry out precision attacks on ground targets.

Several other NATO members have fighters that have been modified to conduct such attacks, including the Netherlands and Britain, a U.S. officer said. Britain has already provided several Tornado ground attack fighters and said it would modify two Typhoon aircraft for a ground attacks.

But "many countries have ground-strike assets that have not been offered to the Libya campaign," the NATO officer said.

There was no sign that the United States was considering making its A-10s and AC-130s available.

Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard, commanding the Libyan campaign, has not asked for the U.S. warplanes and would do so only in an "emergency," the NATO officer said.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-nato-20110415,0,5499350.story

U.S. wants other nations to pitch in on Libya

President Obama has touted his emphasis on multilateralism in the U.S. military intervention in Libya, but — for political, operational and legal reasons — his “coalition of the willing” is smaller than any major multilateral operation since the end of the Cold War.

The Cable compiled a list of the countries that contributed at least some military assets to the five major military operations in which the United States participated in a coalition during the past 20 years: the 1991 Persian Gulf War (32 countries participating), the 1995 Bosnia mission (24 countries), the 1999 Kosovo mission (19 countries), the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan (48 countries) and the 2003 invasion of Iraq (40 countries), at the height of the size of each coalition.

As of today, only 15 countries, including the United States, have committed to a military contribution to the war in Libya.

Experts quickly point out that all of these military interventions happened in different contexts. However, they added that the reason Obama’s Libya war coalition has less international involvement than all the others was also because of his administration’s behavior in the lead-up to the war, its approach to multilateralism, the speed at which it was put together, and the justifications for the war itself.

Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the administration’s effort to build the coalition was hampered by its stated desire to hand off the leadership of the Libya intervention to NATO.

“Obama, in his deference to [getting out of the lead], has not only wanted other countries to do as much as they could, he has essentially forgone his responsibility to build the coalition,” he said.

The mission in Libya is, by definition, smaller in scale than those in Iraq or Afghanistan, and a no-fly zone doesn’t require as many countries as a full-on invasion, O’Hanlon pointed out. However, the relatively few Arab countries contributing military assets — three so far — could pose a problem for the mission’s legitimacy.

Although the Libya intervention was endorsed by the Arab League, the endorsement doesn’t require any Arab countries to contribute materially to the effort, said David Bosco, an assistant professor at American University.

“At a certain point, the administration is going to have to decide whether just to say this is a coalition of willing countries,” he said. “That’s not the end of the world.”

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-wants-other-nations-to-pitch-in-on-libya/2011/03/30/AFh2IY6B_story.html

$5 a gallon? Get ready, oil experts say

If gasoline prices approaching $4 a gallon are draining your wallet, brace yourself. Oil industry experts say gas prices could hit $5 a gallon — possibly before summer.

Blame the war in Libya and continuing unrest in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa, experts say.

The region produces 27 percent of the world’s oil.

Libya, which sits on the largest oil reserves in Africa, has almost totally stopped petroleum shipments as rebels battle troops loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi. The addition of international forces, including the U.S., could mean that the country will be embroiled in a protracted conflict that could keep oil fields offline much longer than previously expected, energy experts said.

In Yemen, embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh pledged to step down more than a year early, but his refusal to leave immediately infuriated tens of thousands of demonstrators. Yemen is an important transfer point for global oil supplies.

“It’s creating a situation where we could see the price of oil go up to $150 a barrel and gasoline toward $5 a barrel,” said Phil Flynn, an oil industry analyst with Chicago-based PFGBest.

Prices are likely to be steeper in the city than other regions, Flynn said.

“In Chicago, the odds are higher because the summertime blends of gasoline are more expensive,’’ he said. “Our taxes are higher. So it is more likely that it’s going to happen here before it happens in other parts of the country.”

“Expect $5 a gallon gas by Memorial Day,” said Bob van der Valk, fuel price analyst with 4Refuel Inc., a Canadian fuel management firm.

When you also factor in the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, you have “the perfect storm” that will push prices up, he said.

The average price of unleaded regular gasoline in Chicago was $3.75 a gallon Tuesday, up 69 cents from a year earlier, according to AAA, Wight Express and the Oil Price Information Service. It’s 38 cents a gallon higher than a month ago. At some locations in the city, prices already are above $4 a gallon, according to Gasbuddy.com.

Nationally, the average price is $3.55 a gallon — and rising.

“It’s going to be $4, the average price, within the next two weeks with everything that’s going on in Libya,” van der Valk said.

U.S. pump prices will eventually hit record highs, he predicted.

According to AAA, $4 gas prices haven’t been seen since 2008. Alaska holds the record for an average high of $4.69 reached July 24, 2008, according to the auto club.

Oil prices, which have spiked in the last month, pushed as high as $105.18 a barrel Tuesday. At the close of the day, crude settled at $104.97 a barrel, up $1.88.

Van der Valk noted that crude is up about $6 a barrel from Friday. For every $1 increase in the price of crude oil, drivers can expect a 2œ- cent increase in the price of gasoline and diesel fuel, he said. The increases in crude oil prices over the past weekend have not yet been passed along to consumers at the pump, he said.

The spike in oil prices is making it more costly to travel by air. United and Continental airlines are raising fares on many U.S. routes $10 per round trip, a spokesman for the airlines confirmed Monday.

U.S. airlines have raised fares at least six times this year as they try to offset rising jet fuel costs. The last attempt failed when other airlines decided not to follow American Airlines when it raised prices earlier this month, also by $10 per round trip. Cheap seats will be harder to find this year, said Rick Seaney, chief executive officer of travel website FareCompare.com.

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Gaddafi offers $400,000 bounty for Libyan opposition leader

The embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, facing protests against his 41-year regime, has announced a reward of more than $400,000 for capturing the country's top opposition leader, a media report said. According to a Libyan TV channel, Gaddafi offered a half million-dinar ($410,900) for the capture of former justice minister Mustafa Abdul-Jalil.

The bounty would be paid "to whoever captures and hands over" the "agent spy" Abdul-Jalil, and "200,000 Libyan dinars ($164,300) to whoever offers information leading to his actual arrest".

Inspired by the recent overthrow of long-term regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, Gaddafi's opponents are demanding his immediate removal.

International human rights organisations have estimated about 6,000 people have been killed since the anti-Gaddafi protests began February 14. The UN said the toll ranged from 1,000 to 2,000 people.

Gaddafi said Wednesday in an interview with the Turkish TRT media holding that Libya is confronting an attempt by the Al Qaeda terrorist network to destabilise the situation there and in another Arab countries.

Gaddafi also blamed the current unrest in the country on Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, who he said were seeking to turn Libya into a state resembling Afghanistan or Somalia.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Feb 26 on "targeted measures" against the current Libyan government. The sanctions include a total arms embargo, travel bans and freezing of accounts held by the country's leadership.

A UN resolution on the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace is to be debated by NATO defence ministers later this week. Russia has said it is against all military intervention.

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Global call for Libya 'no-fly zone'

David Cameron has raised the prospect of more aggressive international action against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in an effort to prevent him carrying out further attacks on his own people.

The Prime Minister has ordered government officials to draw up plans with Britain's allies for a no-fly zone over Libya. He also suggested that anti-regime forces could be armed to help oust the dictator.

The intervention came as Col Gaddafi again dismissed demands to quit, insisting his people "loved" him and blaming al Qaida for the uprising.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Cameron said the international community could not tolerate the "illegitimate" regime using military force on the civilian population and warned that they needed to be ready to act if the repression worsened.

"We do not in any way rule out the use of military assets. We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people," he told MPs. "In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone."

Asked whether Britain would be willing to arm rebel groups, Mr Cameron said: "If helping the opposition would somehow bring that about it is certainly something we should be considering."

The Prime Minister spoke to French president Nicolas Sarkozy on the telephone on Monday night, and agreed that their experts would work together on "the range of possible options for increasing pressure on the regime", according to Downing Street.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, attending the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that America was also actively looking at the possibility of a no-fly zone. "The no-fly zone is an option we are actively considering. I discussed it with allies and partners," she said. "All options are on the table. That of course includes a no-fly zone."

The Libyan deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim al-Dabashi - one of a number of diplomats to desert the regime - said it was "very important" to have a no-fly zone to "prevent the dictator using helicopters to terrorise people in the streets". "He uses these helicopters to shoot on people," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "People are afraid to go to the streets whenever they see the helicopters."

Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC on Monday night, Col Gaddafi insisted his people "loved" him. "They love me, all my people love me," he said. "They would die to protect me." Asked why so many appeared to be rebelling, he blamed al Qaida fighters. "This is al Qaida, not my people," Col Gaddafi said. "They come from outside."

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Libyan protesters brave bullets to close in on Gaddafi

TRIPOLI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi will fight a popular revolt to "the last man standing," one of his sons said on Monday as people in the capital joined protests for the first time after days of violent unrest in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli's streets, tribal leaders spoke out against Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on national television in an attempt to both threaten and calm people, saying the army would enforce security at any price.

"Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army," he said.

"We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing...We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks."

Wagging a finger at the camera, he blamed Libyan exiles for fomenting the violence. But he also promised dialogue on reforms and wage rises.

The cajoling may not be enough to douse the anger unleashed after four decades of rule by Gaddafi -- mirroring events in Egypt where a popular revolt overthrew the seemingly impregnable President Hosni Mubarak 10 days ago.

In the coastal city of Benghazi protesters appeared to be largely in control after forcing troops and police to retreat to a compound. Government buildings were set ablaze and ransacked.

In the first sign of serious unrest in the capital, thousands of protesters clashed with Gaddafi supporters. Gunfire rang out in the night and police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw stones at Gaddafi billboards.

Human Rights Watch said at least 223 people have been killed in five days of violence. Most were in Benghazi, cradle of the uprising and a region where Gaddafi's grip has always been weaker than elsewhere in the oil-rich desert nation.

Habib al-Obaidi, a surgeon at the Al-Jalae hospital, said the bodies of 50 people, mostly shot dead, were brought there on Sunday afternoon. Two hundred wounded had arrived, he said.

"One of the victims was obliterated after being hit by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) to the abdomen," he said.

Members of an army unit known as the "Thunderbolt" squad had brought wounded comrades to the hospital, he said. The soldiers said they had defected to the cause of the protesters and had fought and defeated Gaddafi's elite guards.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/21/libya-protests-idUSLDE71K00720110221