Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister, has compared the United Nations resolution on Libya to a medieval call for a crusade against "a sovereign state." Ten of the 15 U.N. Security Council members voted to support the resolution adopted Thursday, imposing a no-fly zone over Libya.
"The Security Council resolution is deficient and flawed; it allows everything and is reminiscent of a medieval call for a crusade," Putin told workers at a ballistic missile factory in the Urals region. "It effectively allows intervention in a sovereign state."
Under the War Powers Resolution the president of the United States can initiate such an action but must notify Congress within 48 hours and get congressional approval within 60 days. Whether this action will last 60 days is the constitutional question at hand, Britain's The Guardian reported.
Russia, China, Germany, India and Brazil abstained from voting on the resolution, which was jointly sponsored by the United States, Britain, France and Lebanon.
Putin, recalling the U.S. air strikes on Belgrade under former President Bill Clinton, and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars under both Bush administrations, said "this U.S. policy is becoming a stable trend," Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti reported Monday.
"Now it's Libya's turn -- under the pretext of protecting civilians," the premier said. "Where is the logic and conscience? There is neither."
Source: UPI
Vladimir Putin Critical of Coalition Efforts Against Libyan Leader
Mar 22, 2011, 04:51 by David Hope