Washington Backs No-Fly-Zone and Tells Security Council More Action May Be Needed

Al Jazeera  http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201131715122293202.html  reports that France, Britain and the United States have pressed for a UN Security Council vote on Thursday on a no fly zone to halt Muammar Gaddafi's attacks on rebels.

Council ambassadors met behind closed doors to debate the text for more than eight hours on Wednesday, and said they would return on Thursday morning.


China's UN Ambassador Li Baodong, the current council president, told reporters "we hope we will have real progress tomorrow."


While China, Russia, Germany and other members of the 15-member council have expressed opposition or doubts about military action in Libya, the United States said that even stronger measures than a no-fly zone may be needed.


The council is discussing "a range of actions," including a no-fly zone, US ambassador Susan Rice told reporters after the deliberations.


We must hope that Thursday is the day of decision or it may be too little too late for the opposition fighters in Libya.