Main focus of Friday, May 6, 2011

More help for Gaddafi opponents

The international Libya Contact Group resolved at a meeting in Rome on Thursday to set up a support fund for the rebels. The European press is all for taking the money from the frozen accounts of the Gaddafi clan, but calls for more than just financial support for the regime's opponents.

Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

The idea of deducting the costs for the international financial aid to the Libyan rebels from Gaddafi's bank accounts is excellent, writes the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung: "By establishing a special fund to support the rebels, the Western and Arab countries are sending a clear signal to the insurgents that they are not alone in their fight. But in so doing the financial backers are also to a certain extent washing their hands of the matter, because they don't have to decide what happens with their euros or dollars. If the rebels buy weapons with the money, that's up to them. The best thing would be to tap Gaddafi's frozen accounts all over the world. ... That would have one clear advantage: the long-time dictator himself would then be funding the country's liberation. That would only be fair." (06/05/2011)

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Der Standard - Austria

Financial aid for the rebels is necessary but not sufficient, the left-liberal daily Der Standard writes, calling for more resolution from the alliance: "The only ones who can decisively influence the course of events are the Americans. With their strategy of reserve they have not only been trying to save their strength but also to show the Europeans - above all the French - that European security policy still depends on the US forces. After just a few weeks of military intervention that message is strikingly clear. ... The question is how long the operation 'Odyssey Dawn' can muddle along without Europe and ultimately also the United States suffering a painful defeat. And the question is also how long those the intervention is meant to save, the civilians in Misrata and Zintan for example, can stand up to the pressure from Gaddafi's henchmen. Could there be anything more cynical than standing by and watching a massacre take place under a no-fly zone?" (06/05/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Unrest / Riots, » Europe, » U.S., » Libya
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Blog L'Hérétique - France

One reason why the war in Libya is taking so long is because Nato wants to avoid civilian casualties. The blogger L'Hérétique agrees with this approach on the website of the weekly Marianne, saying it will help the rebels to victory: "Nato knows that civilian victims would be a fatal mistake and must be avoided at all costs. For the moment it has managed to keep its nose clean. ... Gaddafi still has supporters in Tripoli. But if the alliance and the rebels continue to ensure that no retaliatory strikes or attacks are made against the civilian population, there is good reason to believe this support will soon crumble. Time is playing against Gaddafi." (06/05/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » United Kingdom, » Libya

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