Arab League seen backing Libya no-fly zone

(LP note: It is commonly agreed that the U.S. military's no-fly zone over Iraq prior to the second Gulf War kept Saddam Hussein's military in check with very little cost to human life.)

By Marwa Awad and Yasmine Saleh
Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - Arab states meeting in Cairo are likely to back the idea of a no-fly zone over Libya, an Egyptian official said, in a decision that will provide the regional support NATO has said is needed for any military action.

Libyan rebels trying to end Muammar Gaddafi's rule say a no-fly zone is vital to protect them from his air force.

The Arab League suspended Libya for its crackdown on the anti-Gaddafi uprising and at a March 2 meeting said the imposition of a no-fly zone was an option it was considering.

The Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Arab states would likely approve the idea of the imposition of a no-fly zone, though it was not clear what their role would be in enforcing it.

(More here.)