PM and army at odds over Libya mandate

• Military action against Libya to continue into third night • Disputes over whether Gaddafi is a legitimate target • Four New York Times journalists freed • Read our latest summary of events • Read our latest Libya news story 6.50pm: Another picture has emerged of the New York Times journalists, including a Briton, who were freed earlier today. It shows them taking cover in a construction pipe near Ben Jawat, Libya, on 6 March before they were captured. Another Briton is among four al-Jazeera journalists who are still being held in Libya. The prime minister, David Cameron, praised the work of journalists in Libya in the House of Commons this afternoon. 6.42pm: Our political editor, Patrick Wintour, has more on the apparent differences between the British military leadership and their political masters over the legality of taking out Gaddafi. He says Downing Street has appeared to side with the defence secretary Liam Fox against the chief of the defence staff Sir David Richards, by saying the removal of Gaddafi through military targeting is lawful under the UN security council resolution, if Gaddafi is threatening civilian lives. Earlier Richards had said Gaddafi “is absolutely not a target”. But Patrick points out that the Downing Street spokesman has taken a different line. The PM’s spokesman said: “The security council resolution provides for a wide range of action – all necessary measures – but that action must be in the pursuit of the objectives that are set out, and obviously we will act according to that security council resolution and any action we take and any targets will be legitimate targets. One of the objectives of the resolution is the protection of civilians”. He stressed the resolution did not give legal authority to bring about Gaddafi’s removal of power by military means. The stated objective is a no-fly zone and protection of civilians. He added: “Our targets will be chosen to meet those objectives – prevent attacks on civilians and achieve a no-fly zone – but we will not be giving a running commentary on those targets.” The dispute over the interpretation of the security council resolution goes beyond an argument inside the British government and has implications for the breadth of Arab and international support. The US defence secretary Robert Gates had said it is unwise to describe Gaddafi as a legitimate target, and many Arabs fear the west may be going beyond establishing a no-fly zone and is instead making regime change an objective of the current coalition military offensive, rather than a broad policy aspiration of the government. 6.30pm: Good evening and welcome to our continuing coverage of events in Libya. You can catch up with earlier coverage here . • The legality of targeting Gaddafi appears to be causing differences of opinion in Britain and the US. Downing Street has briefed that while removing the Libyan leaders is not an aim of the UN resolution, were it to be necessary to do so in order to fulfil the resolution’s aim of protecting civilians, it would be legal. But the US Army’s General Carter Ham said attacking the Libyan leader was not part of his mission and Britain’s General Sir David Richards, said Gaddafi was “absolutely not” a target and “it is not allowed under the UN resolution”. • The Commons debate on the situation in Libya is ongoing. David Cameron told MPs coalition forces have largely neutralised Libyan air defences. He said action had come “in the nick of time”. Cameron said that Britain thought Libya would be better off without Colonel Gaddafi, but that it was only intervening militarily to enforce the UN resolution and that the Libyans would have to decide Gaddafi’s fate. Andrew Sparrow’s full coverage of the debate continues here. • Military sources have told the Guardian that action will continue against the Libyan regime for a third night, as more details of earlier operations have been revealed. Last night the military coalition imposing the no-fly zone flew 70 to 80 sorties and fired 10 to 12 missiles. An RAF Tornado bombing run over Libya was aborted as civilians and journalists were identified within the target area – specifically a CNN journalist reporting live at the time. • Vladimir Putin has compared the UN resolution authorising military action in Libya to “medieval calls for crusades”. The Russian prime minister said: “The resolution is defective and flawed” … “It allows everything.” Russia abstained from voting on the resolution. • Four New York Times journalists being held in Libya have been freed. The paper said the Libyan authorities had released Anthony Shadid, Tyler Hicks, Lynsey Addario and Stephen Farrell. They have now left the country. Four al-Jazeera journalists, including a Briton, are still being held. Libya Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Military Muammar Gaddafi Ben Quinn guardian.co.uk

Posted by on March 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.