Senator Kerry calls on oil companies to suspend Libya operations in response to violence there

[karynnj]

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry called for the ouster of Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi amid an uprising in which armed supporters have fired on crowds of protesters.

The Massachusetts Democrat also said in a statement Tuesday that U.S. and other oil companies should “immediately cease operations in Libya until violence against civilians ceases,” and that the United Nations Security Council should condemn violence directed at the protesters and remove Libya from the Human Rights Commission.

“The Qadhafi government’s use of deadly force against its own people should mean the end of the regime itself,” Mr. Kerry said. “It’s beyond despicable, and I hope we are witnessing its last hours in power.”
<snip>
“While Qadhafi himself is irredeemable, his senior military commanders need to know that their acquiescence in atrocities could open them to future international war crimes charges,” Mr. Kerry said

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/02/22/kerry-gadhafi-is-irredeemable/

His idea to use pressure from the oil companies is interesting as the US government does not have a lot of leverage - unlike in Egypt. It is also interesting that he is warning the senior military commanders that they could be charged with atrocities.

The Boston Globe has pretty much the same story - their headline " Kerry calls for international condemnation of Khadafy's government"

Here's an excerpt:

Oil companies – both American and foreign – should withdraw until violence ends, he said, and the U.S should also impose new sanctions. Kerry also said Libya should be dropped from the Human Rights Commission, a United Nations body widely seen as a fig-leaf for human rights abusers, and called for action from the Arab League and the African Union, both of which count Libya as a member. The Arab League is having an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss Libya.

“Today, the world is watching how the region’s leaders will respond to Libya. The Arab League can demonstrate that after the popular uprisings across the region, the old rules of impunity no longer stand. And the African Union can vigorously investigate reports that African mercenaries are involved in the atrocities in Libya,” Kerry said.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2011/02/kerry_calls_for_2.html

[Inuca]

1. "beyond despicable" is the right way to say it

Just heard CLinton's statement (I assume the official administration statment?), the key word was "alarming". Way too weak.

[Inuca]

2. Just seen on the Guardian blog

(been incommunicado today until very recently, so I may be way beyond the curve with what's happening)

Senator John Kerry, a Democratic Party figure who the White House has sometimes tapped to float possible foreign policy strategies, led those calls today.

Here's what the Associated Press News agency filed earlier:

Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that the violent crackdown was "cowardly" and "beyond despicable." He urged U.S. and international oil companies to suspend their Libyan operations immediately until attacks on civilians stop.

He also urged the Obama administration to consider re-imposing sanctions against Libya that were lifted by President George W. Bush after Gadhafi renounced terrorism and abandoned development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. He said the Arab League and the African Union should investigate reports of atrocities.

"These are concrete steps that must be taken now and in the days ahead to show that the world will respond with actions, not just words, when a regime wields reprehensible violence against its own people," said Kerry.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/22/libya-gaddafi-speech-reaction-live-updates

[Mass]

3. This is a big story given the coverage it receives.