People Power
Việt Nam hãy học bài học Tunisia, Egypt
Free the people, Free yourself
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible,
make violence inevitable." - John F. Kennedy
Peaceful Revolution Hopeless
Non-violence Hopeless With Vietnam Communists
Tự do không phải ngồi đó mà có,
phải trả giá bằng sự quyết tâm, bằng xương, bằng máu ..
không phải van xin, thắp nến hiệp thông,
cầu nguyện chỉ có ở trong chùa chiền, nhà thờ.
teolangthang
****
AAP March 1, 2011The United States branded Muammar Gaddafi "delusional" and moved naval and air forces into position around Libya, stiffening the international bid to drive the teetering strongman from power.
Washington also clamped a freeze on $US30 billion ($A29.5 billion) in Libyan assets - the largest such haul ever hooked by sanctions and openly goaded key Gaddafi aides to defect.
It said "exile" was an option to end his defiance.
President Barack Obama's team sought to weaken Gaddafi on multiple fronts, as international pressure on his fragile regime multiplied and opposition forces bore down on his Tripoli stronghold amid reports of new violence.
Meanwhile, Britain announced that it had foiled a plan by Libyan Gaddafi to move mint Libyan banknotes worth STG900 million ($A1.44 billion) out of Britain.
"The Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) intervened to block the departure of STG900 million in notes destined for Libya," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.
The British government on Sunday announced it was freezing Libya's British-held assets and the money was impounded before it could leave the country.
Libyan ambassador to the US, Ali Aujali, who defected has been replaced by a pro-Gaddafi diplomat.
Gaddafi has punched his own rhetorical counter-offensive, proclaiming in an interview with foreign outlets that his people loved him."They love me all. They would die to protect me," he said in an interview with Western journalists in a Tripoli restaurant, laughing off suggestions that he might leave Libya as the White House aired the prospect of exile for him.
The remarks drew fierce scorn from Washington.
"It sounds just frankly delusional, when he can talk and laugh to an American and (an) international journalist while he is slaughtering his own people," US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said at the White House.
"It only underscores how unfit he is to lead and how disconnected he is from reality."
There have already been discussions in Washington about what to do with Gaddafi in exile.
Rice said Washington was already contacting Libyan opposition groups, though was not yet ready to recognise any of them.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley added: "he should get out of his tent and see what's really happening in his country".
Earlier, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led the US diplomatic thrust in Geneva, meeting with foreign ministers at the UN Human Rights Council.
"The people of Libya have made themselves clear: it is time for Gaddafi to go - now, without further violence or delay," she said, accusing him of unleashing "mercenaries and thugs" on protesters.
The Pentagon meanwhile said it was moving naval and air forces into position near Libya, as Western countries weigh possible military intervention, and officials discussed a possible "no fly" zone to protect civilians.
"We have planners working various contingency plans," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said.
US commanders could turn to the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, currently in the Red Sea, and the amphibious ship the USS Kearsarge, bristling with a helicopter fleet and about 2,000 Marines.
The force could also launch humanitarian missions as fears grow of a refugee crisis sparked by Libyans fleeing government repression.
Clinton said that two US relief teams were being sent to Libya's borders with Egypt and Tunisia, noting that Washington had set aside $US10 million ($A9.83 million) in emergency assistance.
The Treasury Department meanwhile said it had frozen at least $US30 billion in Libyan assets, the largest amount ever blocked under any sanctions regime.
"As of today at least $US30 billion in government of Libya assets under United States jurisdiction have been blocked," US sanctions czar David Cohen said.
Cohen said more sanctions could be on the way.
Libyan leaders are suspected of holding billions of dollars in foreign bank accounts, cash largely gleaned from the country's vast oil wealth.
In another swipe at Gaddafi, Washington also accused the Libyan government of jamming foreign television broadcasts, including Al-Jazeera and Alhurra, the US-funded Arabic language cable channel.
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