Source: RT
RT: Who gave coalition forces in Libya the right to eliminate Gaddafi. Well that’s the question Vladimir Putin’s been asking during an official visit to Denmark. The Russian premier also said NATO’s effectively joined one of the warring sides in the conflict and more responsible action should be taken instead. Marti’s Daniel joins us now live for this in Brussels. Daniel so the Russian Prime Minister has effectively lashed out on the operation there in Libya.
Marti Daniel (RT): Yes, he’s made the speech in Denmark and he was very angry. He says that Gaddafi is not the best person in the world sure, he’s made many mistakes, done many bad things. But that does not give the coalition the right to bomb indiscriminately. His words were that they are bombing Gaddafi’s palaces in Tripoli every night. Now coalition said that their plan was not to get rid of Gaddafi.
So Mr. Putin’s question was; Why are the coalition forces obviously making this effort to go off the Colonel Gaddafi himself? Now we also heard that the experts here in Brussels have confirmed that there is bombing going on by the coalition forces which is not being covered by the media here in the European Union. Mr. Putin added that oil was a key interest for the Western powers for the European powers who have gone into Libya that they want to get rid of Gaddafi and install people who are more favorable to the European Union so the European companies can control the oil reserves. Let’s have a listen to exactly what Mr. Putin had to say;
Putin: The Coalition said destroying Gaddafi was not their goal. Then why bomb his palaces? Now some officials have claimed, that eliminating him was in fact their goal. Who gave them that right? Did he have a fair trial? Returning to the no-fly zone, the bombings are destroying the country’s entire infrastructure. When the so-called civilized world, uses all its military power against a small country destroying what’s been created by generations. I don’t know if that’s good.
Marti Daniel (RT): Mr. Putin said that so they have to give the Libyan people time to sort out their own problems and there’s really double standards here. He added there are several other parts of the region in the Middle East and North Africa which is facing pretty much civil war situations but which the West is either ignoring or not really paying the same amount of attention too.
RT: Well Daniel have been reports about an EU plan to send army convoys to assist humanitarian aid they’re in there of course there’ll be those who say well this is really the start of a military ground operation something of course that Allies were adamant wouldn’t happen.
Marti Daniel (RT): Yeah absolutely… I heard these rumors for the first time a few weeks ago. That the EU plans to send up to a thousand troops, under the guise of so-called humanitarian aid. Russia fears that this will be used to plan an invasion and to carry out an invasion of Libya, on the pretext of supporting humanitarian aid to the Libyan people. The draft plan is called ‘You for Libya’ it’s supported by the 27 member states of the European Union, prepared by them and it provides for ground troops, in fact to be deployed by the Western coalition in the port city of Misrata, which is currently under siege by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.
Here in Brussels Michael Mann, the chief spokesman to the European Union High Representative, Catherine Ashton said that they would only send up to a thousand troops and the troops would only be used if they came under attack, otherwise they would only defend aid. Now Russia has said, that it will only support another UN resolution – if it explicitly says; that it will not continue the violence, that if it ends the violence and starts negotiations. Then that is the only current condition under which they would support that. Now I’ve been speaking to military analysts here in Brussels and they confirm that ground troops already in operation in Libya, this is not being covered by the media in the European Union. But troops already in operation and they are pushing forward in Libya with Colonel Gaddafi as the target.