The leaders of the G8 powers were to tell Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi on Friday that he has lost all legitimacy and must step down, according to a draft version of their summit statement.
The leaders were still meeting, and it was not immediately clear if they would authorise the strong language in the draft, with Russia in particular keen to promote a negotiated settlement to the Libya civil conflict.
But the language in the latest draft being circulated among the delegations in the French resort of Deauville early Friday was stark.
"We demand the immediate cessation of the use of force against civilians by the Libyan regime forces as well as the cessation of all incitement to hostility and violence against the civilian population," it said.
"We stress the need to hold to account those responsible for attacks on civilians. These criminal actions will not go unpunished," welcoming the decision of the International Criminal Court to probe Libyan regime leaders.
"Kadhafi and the Libyan government have failed to fulfil their responsibility to protect the Libyan population and have lost all legitimacy. He has no future in a free, democratic Libya. He must go," it warned.
He must go or...what? This only works if you have something else in mind, guys. Somehow I don't think it's going to be a French ban on Libyan oil, which would wreck France's economy overnight. I don't think it's going to be "more Predator drones!" either. Air power doesn't win wars by itself.
So what's the "or else" part? A ground invasion? Why...that would never happen. Would it?
Oh, and P.S...Egyptian protestors are back in Cairo's Tarhir Square, Yemen is about to erupt into civil war, and in Syria people continue to be gunned down.
The Arab Spring is about to become the Summer of Blood, folks.
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