Obama directs $25 million in non-lethal aid to Libyan rebels

[News_Editor]

Obama directs $25 million in non-lethal aid to Libyan rebels

2011-04-27 06:43:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday ordered the government to direct up to $25 million in non-lethal aid to help Libyan rebels, who are fighting against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

In a presidential memorandum addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Obama said the directive is a result of 'an unforeseen emergency' that is 'important to the national interests of the United States.'

"I therefore direct the drawdown of up to $25 million in nonlethal commodities and services from the inventory and resources of any agency of the United States Government to support key U.S. Government partners such as the Transitional National Council in efforts to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack in Libya," Obama said.

The U.S. support for the Libyan rebels will include clothing, medical supplies, radio, food, protective gear, and other items but will not include assistance such as cash, weapons and ammunition.

The Transitional National Council (TNC) was founded by Libyan rebels in February and is headed by Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the former Justice Minister under Gaddafi. It has been recognized by several countries as the sole representative of the Libyan people.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-27

[flying]

Sure no problem.........Put it on the tab

And again these rebels are who?

[Ulysses G.]

Al Qaeda need handouts too.

[Robby nz]

In a presidential memorandum addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Obama said the directive is a result of 'an unforeseen emergency' that is 'important to the national interests of the United States.'

The 'unforseen emergency would be that Gaddafi is still alive and apparantly in control of most of the country in spite of the bombing raids on his home.

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Only another $25 mill, no problem add it to the $14.4 trillion debt, Ben get ready for QE3.

Wonder how much they are paying for lethal aid? probably a lot more than the $25 mill.

Great how giving the rebels a fancy name somehow makes the killing OK.

[Derifo]

Who trained Bin Ladin?

They actually haven't learned their lesson.

And the budget deficit ................

[farang000999]

That's what I call Change.

[koheesti]

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Not even close. The USA gets almost no oil from Libya.

[bangkokeddy]

Only 25 million? Cheap Charley.

[bangkokeddy]

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Not even close. The USA gets almost no oil from Libya.

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

[koheesti]

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Not even close. The USA gets almost no oil from Libya.

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

Please list them.

[flying]

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

Please list them.

Well to be fair the Arab League of Nations did agree to the no fly zone (of course they later claimed they wanted no part of the bombing).

So to that end you could say the Arabs are now enemies of Gaddafi

So the list would include all of those.

[Robby nz]

Well to be fair the Arab League of Nations did agree to the no fly zone (of course they later claimed they wanted no part of the bombing).

So to that end you could say the Arabs are now enemies of Gaddafi

This "No fly zone" bit is apparantly only to prevent Gaddafi from useing air power to control, eliminate, whetever, the rebels with the new fancy name.

Anyone else it would seem is quite welcome to fly in and bomb the crap out of the place.

I would suspect when the Arab League agreed to the zone they did not foresee that the US, Brits, France and now the I-talions would interprate the zone as their airspace and kill god knowes how many Libyans with their bombs, rockets and misiles.

The US may not get oil from Libya but the other NATO partners sure do and I would suspect they have done some great deals with the leaders of the rebels which will make it well worthwhile for them to assist with a takeover of the country.

[koheesti]

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

Please list them.

Well to be fair the Arab League of Nations did agree to the no fly zone (of course they later claimed they wanted no part of the bombing).

So to that end you could say the Arabs are now enemies of Gaddafi

So the list would include all of those.

So, these Arab "enemies" of Gaddafi want him out so they can sell more oil to George Bush and his neo-con friends? Is that how the latest lazy, mindless conspiracy theory is supposed to go? It just get tiresome reading these silly theories from people who haven't a clue. I mean, c'mon, the US is after Libya's oil? It's one of the only countries in the region we DON'T get oil from. Some simple research would show that.

[flying]

Well to be fair the Arab League of Nations did agree to the no fly zone (of course they later claimed they wanted no part of the bombing).

So to that end you could say the Arabs are now enemies of Gaddafi

This "No fly zone" bit is apparantly only to prevent Gaddafi from useing air power to control, eliminate, whetever, the rebels with the new fancy name.

Anyone else it would seem is quite welcome to fly in and bomb the crap out of the place.

I would suspect when the Arab League agreed to the zone they did not foresee that the US, Brits, France and now the I-talions would interprate the zone as their airspace and kill god knowes how many Libyans with their bombs, rockets and misiles.

The US may not get oil from Libya but the other NATO partners sure do and I would suspect they have done some great deals with the leaders of the rebels which will make it well worthwhile for them to assist with a takeover of the country.

Agree with all you wrote.

What I think the US & the others involved do not fully realize ( or perhaps they do?)is if the rebels do overthrow the current regime the next may ultimately be worse.

As has been shown this rebel group has who knows who for leadership & while the countries with interest there may believe they can be bought & trained they have no real future guarantees.

What then? Another civil war where they/we prop the next invading side that promises them future oil?

[flying]

I mean, c'mon, the US is after Libya's oil?

I assume your addressing me since you quoted me but....

I never made that claim....I only answered your question to list which Arab countries where now enemies of Gaddafi.

While I do not subscribe to the theory that the US went in after oil I do not discount that others did.

The US has many allies & yes they both owe & receive favors/assistance from each other.

From the start I said in another thread that France has a big stake in Libya in the form of TOTAL

Edited April 27, 2011 by flying

[powderpuff]

What I think the US & the others involved do not fully realize ( or perhaps they do?)is if the rebels do overthrow the current regime the next may ultimately be worse.

ditto Egypt.

These countries could end up looking like Pakistan or Iran. A theocracy.

[koheesti]

I mean, c'mon, the US is after Libya's oil?

I assume your addressing me since you quoted me but....

I never made that claim....I only answered your question to list which Arab countries where now enemies of Gaddafi.

Sorry for the confusion. I don't know how to make this come across on a forum but I was talking with you about the other guy making the claim. If that makes any sense.

[koheesti]

What I think the US & the others involved do not fully realize ( or perhaps they do?)is if the rebels do overthrow the current regime the next may ultimately be worse.

ditto Egypt.

These countries could end up looking like Pakistan or Iran. A theocracy.

All very true.This is a lose-lose scenario and it sucks all around.

[flying]

Sorry for the confusion. I don't know how to make this come across on a forum but I was talking with you about the other guy making the claim. If that makes any sense.

Kow Jai

[coma]

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Not even close. The USA gets almost no oil from Libya.

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

Please list them.

It has got nothing to do with whether the US gets its oil from Libya or not. The simple fact that there is an ongoing situtation there, that has cut off the libyan oil suppys,which is having an effect on the world oil price. Everybody is affected. Just hurts the US a little more than everybody else because they use a shit load of oil. Maybe the most per capita in the world.

Edited April 27, 2011 by coma

[bangkokeddy]

And what would be 'important to the national interests of the United States'? Oh yes OIL of course.

Not even close. The USA gets almost no oil from Libya.

The USA gets oil from the Arab enemies of Gaddafi.

Please list them.

The monarchs in the Gulf states and their Sunni clerics wanna get rid of Gadaffi because his peoples revolution style is not only un-islamic to them but also a threat to their own ruler position as monarchs.

After the Arab league gave the okay for the no-fly zone Clinton was all excited and ready to fight. Its some old beef with Gadaffi but also a step to re-establish the friendship in the Gulf and with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Cleric Denies Fatwa Against Protests in Libya

2011-03-01 18:36:55 Xinhua

A prominent Saudi cleric threw his weight behind anti-government protests that swept Libya to bring down leader Muammar Gaddafi's 41-year-old rule, denying there has been a fatwa (a religious edict) to condemn anti-Gaddafi protesters.

"Qaddafi's government is not Islamic," local daily Arab News quoted sheikh Saleh Al-Lehaydan, as saying.

"He is not an imam (leader) or a true Muslim," the member of the Saudi Council of Ulema (senior religious scholars), the kingdom's top Islamic body, said.

...

http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/03/01/2743s623454.htm

Top Sunni cleric says army should kill Gaddafi

DOHA - INFLUENTIAL Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi issued a fatwa on Monday that any Libyan soldier who can shoot dead embattled leader Moamer 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,' Mr Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born cleric who is usually based in Qatar, told Al-Jazeera television. ...

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_637548.html

Its not only about oil its actually also about keeping friends in the Gulf states and the military base there.