LIBYA: U.S. Senator John McCain calls on Washington to recognize Libyan rebels' transitional council as the true voice of the Libyan people

Record ID: 334921

  • Title: LIBYA: U.S. Senator John McCain calls on Washington to recognize Libyan rebels' transitional council as the true voice of the Libyan people
  • Date: 23rd April 2011
  • Summary: BENGHAZI, LIBYA (APRIL 22, 2011) (REUTERS) U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN WALKING INTO ROOM AND TO LECTERN JOURNALISTS SEATED IN AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN SAYING: "First, I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognise the Transitional National Council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people. They've earned this right. [SOUND OF APPLAUSE] They have earned this right, and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people." WOMAN IN AUDIENCE FILMING MCCAIN (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN SAYING: "I know of no one who says that they would support ground troops in this country. I do believe that air power, when sufficiently and appropriately used, can affect the situation in the battlefield dramatically. And I believe that we should be much more involved and engaged in the air campaign than we have been." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY, MCCAIN ADDRESSING JOURNALISTS
  • Embargoed: 8th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6H0YOQTUJUWBTCDL8NNJBWT1G
  • Story Text: U.S. Senator John McCain on Friday (April 22) called on the United States to recognize Libyan rebels as the true voice of the Libyan people and transfer frozen Libyan assets to them.
    McCain was speaking to reporters while visiting the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi.
    "First, I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognise the transitional national council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people. They've earned this right...and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people," he said.
    He also called on NATO to step up its air strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's military and said Western allies should provide rebels with training, weapons and command-and-control activities to help overthrow the Libyan leader.
    "I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognize the Transitional National Council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people. They've earned this right. They have earned this right and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people."
    McCain, believed to be the first U.S. politician to visit Benghazi since the conflict broke out in late February, made the trip to Libya on his own.
    McCain, the top Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, also voiced concern that the battle between Gaddafi's troops and rebel forces has reached a stalemate and said he was asking them what more the United States can do to help them.
    The U.S. Treasury has frozen more than $34 billion in Libyan government assets thus far as part of a sanctions programme aimed at putting pressure on Gaddafi's regime.
    McCain arrived in Benghazi after the United States announced that it would use armed drone aircraft against Gaddafi's forces.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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