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From the BBC:
BBC News - Libya: African leaders head to Tripoli talks
IMO, if the AU delegation can reach a ceasefire that includes tangible assurances concerning the safety of civilians, NATO should endorse the ceasefire and end its operations on the basis that the stated objective of protecting civilians would have been achieved. Of course, such an outcome would probably result in some political cost to the leaders who had declared that the Gadhafi dictatorship 'must go.' However, that's a separate matter and can be mitigated by subsequent information that the rebel movement was not a broad-based popular movement, but instead only a fairly small regional one. The reality is that despite enormous international political and military support, the anti-Gadhafi movement proved almost totally inept and even if critical interests were lacking--and they are--the movement is unlikely to be up to the more rigorous tasks of governance in a multi-tribal society in which they lack broad popular support.
Given their battlefield position, the anti-Gadhafi movement is in no position to dictate demands, as it attempted to do in a previous ceasefire proposal. Indeed, since that time, the anti-Gadhafi movement's battlefield position has worsened. That extraordinary outcome has been achieved in spite of generous NATO air support. Therefore, if the rebels reject a ceasefire that guarantees security for civilians or they attempt to impose unreasonable demands relative to their battlefield standing, NATO should take note of that intransigence, end operations, and leave the movement to its own fate so long as civilians protections are assured. NATO should make clear that harm to civilians should be avoided to the greatest extent possible in any future military operations should the rebels reject a reasonable ceasefire offer.
A team of African leaders is on its way to Libya to try to negotiate a ceasefire between rebel forces and those loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi...
Earlier, a statement from the South African presidency said: "The [African Union] committee has been granted permission by Nato to enter Libya and to meet in Tripoli with.. [Col] Gaddafi. The AU delegation will also meet with the Interim Transitional National Council in Benghazi on 10 and 11 April."
BBC News - Libya: African leaders head to Tripoli talks
IMO, if the AU delegation can reach a ceasefire that includes tangible assurances concerning the safety of civilians, NATO should endorse the ceasefire and end its operations on the basis that the stated objective of protecting civilians would have been achieved. Of course, such an outcome would probably result in some political cost to the leaders who had declared that the Gadhafi dictatorship 'must go.' However, that's a separate matter and can be mitigated by subsequent information that the rebel movement was not a broad-based popular movement, but instead only a fairly small regional one. The reality is that despite enormous international political and military support, the anti-Gadhafi movement proved almost totally inept and even if critical interests were lacking--and they are--the movement is unlikely to be up to the more rigorous tasks of governance in a multi-tribal society in which they lack broad popular support.
Given their battlefield position, the anti-Gadhafi movement is in no position to dictate demands, as it attempted to do in a previous ceasefire proposal. Indeed, since that time, the anti-Gadhafi movement's battlefield position has worsened. That extraordinary outcome has been achieved in spite of generous NATO air support. Therefore, if the rebels reject a ceasefire that guarantees security for civilians or they attempt to impose unreasonable demands relative to their battlefield standing, NATO should take note of that intransigence, end operations, and leave the movement to its own fate so long as civilians protections are assured. NATO should make clear that harm to civilians should be avoided to the greatest extent possible in any future military operations should the rebels reject a reasonable ceasefire offer.
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