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Sweden open for NATO request on Libya: Bildt

Published: 18 Mar 11 14:03 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/32680/20110318/

Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt has welcomed the UN Security Council decision to authorise a no-fly zone and air attacks on civil war-torn Libya.

Bildt underlined that while Sweden has no current plans to assist in the operation, any NATO request would be considered.

"NATO must first take a decision and decide on its military contribution. We will then see if they (NATO) need to solicit other countries," he explained.

While Bildt ruled out sending Swedish troops and participation in the military operation, he did not rule out some participation for Sweden in the longer term.

On his personal blog, Bildt expressed satisfaction that the council's resolution had provided for more than just a no-fly zone, a measure which he observed had little effect on Srebrenica (referring to the town in the former Yugoslavia known for the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosnians in July 1995).

UN Security Council Resolution 1973 cleared the way for military action against all threats to civilians, stopping short of a ground invasion but including aerial bombardment of Qaddafi's forces on the ground if necessary.

Bildt expressed a hope for "rapid and robust measures" which would enable the establishment of the political phase of the raging Libya conflict.

"I hope that the measures which the Security Council resolution allows can lead to a political process which means a new Libya without Qaddafi," he said.

In a briefing to parliament on Friday, Bildt explained Sweden's position that any military action by Security Council members should be implemented in cooperation with the Arab League.

While Sweden is not a NATO member, it has been a member of the NATO's Partnership for Peace programme since 1994 and participates in the alliance's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force in Afghanistan.

TT/AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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14:31 March 18, 2011 by Gabin
...finally...

Search and Destroy the tyran.
14:57 March 18, 2011 by DJECKY
I like the swedish foreign policy of neutrality.and doesnt just jumb into something untill it has been thought out for a long time .thats proves political maturity thanks Big bros.
15:53 March 18, 2011 by hpunlimited
I have to welcome Swedish foreign policy as well. Sweden doesn't just act on a knee jerk reaction. They think long term and think about effects of military action. 90% of all military actions are unnessisary. Thinking before you act is important.

Unfortunatly lesser mature and intelligent nations like France, USA, UK, Italy always shoot first and ask questions later. War always feeds more war and recentment.

For every enemy you kill, 10 more will pop up! There are always reletives and family that will hate you after you killed their son, father, counsin, wife.
15:53 March 18, 2011 by Observant
Well it is totally clear to me that as it took so long for the UN Security Council to finally adopt a No-Fly Zone over Libya where the Americans were pushed into this idea and even then 5 countries, including Germany, obstained.

So as many thousands were dying in Libya whilst many countries decided on the "actual wording" of the UNSC Resolution for a No-Fly Zone I again get the clearest impression that the countries do NOT want to do anything about Libya.

I say keep up the good work Colonel Gaddafi. Show the bastards that you can do it .

All countries state that Libya is not democratic but Libya is running their country under THEIR laws and how many times have I heard that if you live in a country then you must abide by their laws!!!!! So if one is not happy with that then you do not have toi live there do you?
16:50 March 18, 2011 by Rolf100
Sweden to the world - if you pay may I will participate!
17:39 March 18, 2011 by voiceofreason
WHERE ARE THE ARAB NATIONS, WHY AREN'T THEY CONTRIBUTING TROOPS AND PLANES.

A bunch of hyprocrites, they are waiting on the sidelines to so they can blame "crusaders" for invading another Arab nation.

Did you note that china and russia abstained, why not question their moral. is it that they open to gain some oil deals for supporting Ghaddafi.
18:37 March 18, 2011 by zircon
Yellie Bellie snake. In the first hour Mr Bildt was against any military action in Libya. Five hundred hours or so later he has changed his skin and colour (mind). Take a stand, man!
20:53 March 18, 2011 by technoviking
Just what we need. One more war. Brilliant idea.

How about letting the Muslims solve their own problems, since their "perfect system" has all the answers anyway?

Now they'll overthrow Qaddafi so a bunch of Islamist cave men can take over in 5 years and cause even bigger problems and atrocities.

Even the "peace loving" US was even opposed to this until they got pressured into it. That's how stupid it is.
20:58 March 18, 2011 by Swedesmith
@techno right on the nail.
23:59 March 18, 2011 by waffen
I agree with Techno.

However, I do not believe that the United States is not shrewdly

observing, and is more than influential behind the scenes, to yet get into another war, because their Military/Industrial Complex thrives on wars; a complex that their former President, and the Supreme Allied Commander in WWII, Eisenhower, had warned against.

He saw what now exists in the United States coming long ago. They have a long history of one war after another after WWII, each one an abysmal mistake, and they haven't won a major one since the end of WWII, in which they had a lot of help from the rest of the world.

They now have two losing wars long-going in the Mid-East, whereas they have advisors in Africa setting up shop from a new Headquarters, Africa Command, from which they operate out of in Vicenza, Italy, where they are greatly expanding their forces with the entire 173rd AB Brigade, much to the dismay of the Italian people..

Once that they get involved, they commit more forces and take over, just as they did in Iraq and Afghaistan, and as they did in Vietnam, and in Korea five years after WWII ended.
02:03 March 19, 2011 by Great Scott
@zircon "Take a stand, man!" You are having a laugh aren't you? This failed prime minister is the laughing stock of Europe. When did this clown ever fly over Libya, so what is a no fly zone to him, the biggest flight this idiot takes is when he gets out of bed.
04:15 March 19, 2011 by BarCode
Hillary Clinton maneuvered Obama into this to improve her chances of defeating him in a 2012 primary election fight. Obama has been acting like Bush Lite -- same policies. Not so much into Crusades, but lacking the will to end them.
04:29 March 19, 2011 by zircon
Additional: I wouldn't trust you in the 700th hour, Mr Bildt.
05:13 March 19, 2011 by flobalob
They won WWII all on their own. Don't you know anything ? have you not watched Saving Private Ryan ?
14:08 March 19, 2011 by babychuma
Waffen, what does your handle refer to exactly?
14:44 March 19, 2011 by Utlandssvensk
I genuinly support the idea that taking a moral stand is crucial. While i understand and appreciate the "Swedish neutrality" i do think we have to approach each and every situation individually. In this case we have a brutal dictator with a 40 year track record of oppressing "his" people. This includes torture, terrorism (Lockerbie and others) clearly violating the idea of free and fair elections, stealing and diverting oil revenue which should have benefitted the people of Libya for his own personal benefit. The Libyans clearly want a political change, yet this dictator is looking to protect his privileged life until death.

I think the world should grant him his wish. This includes Sweden. We need to make a direct and real contribution in getting him out of power. If this includes sending a couple of fighters ready to assist an internationally sanctioned effort, then so be it. Clearly this should be pursued while still giving him an option to save his life. Just like Saddam Hussein, we'd probably find him in a hole somewhere with a couple of million dollars he stole from the Libyan people.

In summary - Sweden time to grow some cojones and show the world that you are a strong, proud democracy. In other words - SACK UP!
18:29 March 19, 2011 by Gabin
Vive la France...
16:02 March 20, 2011 by DAVID T
I think Sweden should allow thousands of Libyan refuges to come and live here
20:54 March 20, 2011 by wenddiver
If it was Swedish air Craft and France was neutral, France would be trying to sell some extra Anti-Aircraft defences to Libiya. Just like they continued to sell Exocet Missiles to Argentina, when Great Britain was trying to take back the Falkland Islands.
10:05 March 21, 2011 by Marc the Texan
Sweden is a follower, not a leader. The world got memo over half a century ago. If it were up to Sweden, half the population of Benghazi would be facing execution by now.
10:02 March 23, 2011 by wenddiver
Dateline Brussels- NATO operations have come to a complete halt pending the Arrival of the ten promised Swedish Air-Craft. Admiral Robert "Buckey" Zimwald, US Navy called a halt to all area Flight/Combat Operations pending the arrival of the Ten air-craft. Admiral Zimwald was quoted as saying "we had to stand down, with nothing but F-22s, F-18s, B-52s, B-2s, a bunch of Stealth planes of various types and the latest and best the Skunk works could produce, combined with a couple of hundred tomahawk missiles, t was obvious the US could not handle this alone." President Obama was right the approval of the almost universally despised in the US United Nation, the two Tomahawks launched by great Britain, the air strike by the antiqauted French Air-Craft and the missing ten Swedish planes will be crucial, because the US is not going this alone and we want the world to know, we are not leading this." "Do not be fooled by the giant US Air Fleet we are just another little country doing our bit in the US."

We are all waiting for Sweden to arrive, so the Navy's Operation "Ground and Pound" called Operation Oddysse Dawn by the white house can morph into the second phase US Navy "Misguided Community Organizer" or the white houses "Peacefull War with UN approval."
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