Online Journal

Nicolas Sarkozy pleaded desperately to the Untied Nations on Wednesday for a no-fly zone to protect the Libyan people. However, German opposition made it evident that there are international divisions over what the military should do - and no immediate action has been planned.

Ban Ki-moon, a UN leader requested for a ceasefire from both sides in the conflict, but UN Security Council members held additional meetings to discuss a resolution that would order a no-fly zone and tougher sanctions against Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

In a letter to the leaders of the countries on the 15-nation Security Council, Sarkozy plead "Let us save the martyred Libyan people together. Time is now counted in days, or even hours."

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, British envoy Mark Lyall Grant said that leaders of Britain, France and Lebanon are drawing up a resolution that is being negotiated "paragraph by paragraph."

It�s a consensus among all nations involved that there is a need for urgent action, however, opinions differ between countries. Russia and China have openly opposed the no-fly zone. The United States is still on the fence, and its leaders have been discussing the situation more privately. Unexpectedly, Germany has recently expressed strong opposition to the idea.

Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said to legislators in Berlin, "We have no wish to and we cannot take sides in a North African civil war."

He believes that the no-fly zone would turn into military action requiring ground forces in the event that it fails. "We do not wish to start down a path which would eventually lead to German soldiers taking part in a war in Libya," said Westerwelle.

With all the opposing views, it is uncertain of what will be the outcome of Sarkozy�s plea. Though most nations have some sense as to what their stance will be, all are still discussing and negotiating.