diplomatic effort spearheaded by France and the UK for the use of
force against Gaddafi's troops in Libya. The post is titled "Notre
honneur," which I translate below.
***
OUR HONOR
It's not enough to proclaim, as have done almost all the great
democracies, that "Gaddafi must go." There's a need to be given the
means to efficaciously help those that have taken up arms against his
dictatorship.
Juridical and financial sanctions decided by the United Nations and
the European Union are useful. But we know that they only get results
after several months. Now it's a matter of urgency.
Only the threat of the use of force can stop Gaddafi. It's by bombing,
with the few dozens of planes and helicopters actually at his
disposal, the positions of his opponents that the Libyan dictator has
tipped the balance. We could (can) neutralize his air power with
targeted strikes. This is what France and Great Britain have been
proposing for two weeks. On two conditions: to obtain a mandate of the
Security Council, the sole source of international law pertaining to
the use of force; to act not only with the backing but also with the
actual participation of Arab countries. This second condition is
nearing fulfillment: several Arab countries have assured us that
they'd participate. France, with Great Britain and Lebanon have just
introduced a resolution project that would give us the expected
mandate. The President of the Republic and the British Prime Minister
have just solemnly called upon members of the Security Council to
examine and adopt it.
It has often happened in our contemporary history that the weakness of
democracies gives free rein to dictatorships. It's not too late to
give the lie to that rule. It will be the honor of France to have
attempted everything to achieve it.
