The US Embassy in Libya has been evacuated, and sanctions are pending against Libya and Moammar Gadhafi. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The U.S. embassy in Libya has been closed as violence in the Libyan capital is increasing. The regime of Moammar Gadhafi is quickly losing control despite stringent and deadly efforts to quell the uprising of Libyans against Gadhafi’s four-decade rule. Sanctions against Libya are likely to be enacted soon.

Tripoli plunging into chaos as Gadhafi regime tightens grip

The regime of longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is fast losing control of the nation, and the capital city of Tripoli is becoming the battleground for control of the North African country. Crowds of protesters have been fired upon, but have remained resilient in the face of mortal danger from African mercenaries and members of the Libyan army still loyal to Gadhafi. As a result of the escalating instability in the Libyan capital, the U.S. State Department has suspended American Embassy operations, and moved most embassy personnel out of Tripoli with a chartered ferry, according to Reuters. The embassy is still open, but most workers have been evacuated except for some staff.

Sanctions against Libya pending

The White House has affirmed that economic sanctions will be levied against Libya, in response to the brutal tactics used by Moammar Gadhafi in addressing the unrest in the country he has ruled for more than four decades. Military cooperation between the U.S. military and the Libyan military has already been cut off, and the nature of forthcoming sanctions against Libya will be determined after a meeting between President Obama and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, according to CNN. Obama has previously been criticized for taking too soft a stance on the situation in Libya.

International leaders call for Gadhafi to resign

A growing chorus of international leaders and figureheads are calling for Colonel Gadhafi to resign, according to the New York Times. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, called on Gadhafi to resign, and British Prime Minister David Cameron admonished Gadhafi that “the world will hold you to account.” Gadhafi has vowed to “die a martyr” and has refused to leave while alive.

Sources

Reuters

CNN

New York Times

In 2003, President George W. Bush right lifted U.S. sanctions on Iraq. (Photo Credit: Public Domain/Tina Hager/White House)

In 2003, President George W. Bush suspended U.S. sanctions against the old Iraq regime of Saddam Hussein. At that time, Bush attempted to convince the U.N. Security Council to follow suit, but he was unsuccessful. Seven years later, reports BBC News, the U.N. has voted to eradicate the majority of Iraq sanctions that had been imposed during Hussein’s reign of terror.

Iraq sanctions lifted in light of political progress

The U.N. Security Council reportedly intends for its latest vote on Iraq sanctions to serve as a “thumbs up” to political progress the nation has made. Among the sanctions lifted is one that had been applied to prevent Iraq from expanding its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons program during Hussein’s rule.

The bulk of U.N. Iraq sanctions were imposed against Baghdad in 1991 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. In line with President Bush lifting sanctions in 2003, the U.N. lifted some trade, investment and conventional weapon sanctions.

Iraq is ‘significantly different’ now

According to the U.N. Security Council, Iraq’s political climate is “significantly different from that which existed at the time of the adoption of resolution 661,” which was levied against the Hussein regime in 1990. Control of oil and natural gas revenue has been returned to Iraq, and sanctions-related programs such as “oil-for-food” have been scrapped, as Iraqi citizens have become more self-sustaining, according to BBC News.

Joe Biden and Ban Ki Moon envision remarkable future

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who served as chairman for the U.N. Security Council meeting, had positive things to say about Iraq’s rejection of religious and political extremism, calling Iraq’s post-sanctions position as being “on the cusp of something remarkable.” U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon shared in Biden’s optimism but tempered the vice president’s remarks by stating that Iraq must work with Kuwait to decide upon borders and war reparations. Otherwise, the U.N. will not agree to end all Iraq sanctions.

Sources

Associated Press

BBC News

Noam Chomsky on reconstructing Iraq