A prominent member of the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood’s Guidance Council has called on the Arab League and Arab countries to intervene in Libya to end the crisis, but warns the West to desist from what he describes as interfering in Libya’s affairs.
Esam Alarian, spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, says his group is organizing humanitarian assistance to Libya’s anti-government protesters, who demand leader Moammar Gadhafi, step down and cede power.
“We announced many times that we are supporting the struggles of Libyans against Gaddafi’s regime. This is our political situation. But, we appeal to the Arab League and Amr Moussa, the Secretary General of the Arab League, to provide help by all means to the people of Libya and also to intervene as Arabs to prevent any international or foreign interference in Arab affairs,” said Alarian.
“We remember what happened after international interference; the whole country was destroyed. And, that time also, we called (upon) the Arab governments to save the Iraqis under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Now, we repeat the same call and appeal to the Arab League, the armies of Arab countries, to help and stop this catastrophic massacre done by Gaddafi.”
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (Susan Rice) says Washington is in talks with its NATO partners and other allies about military options for dealing with Libya.
Rice said Monday the United Nations is “looking at all options,” including the imposition of a “no-fly zone” to force Gadhafi's regime to stop “killing its own people.” Calling the Libyan leader “delusional,” Rice said the international community has spoken with “unusual clarity” by approving U.N. sanctions authorizing an arms embargo and asset freeze against the Libyan regime.
Alarian said the Muslim Brotherhood backs the anti-government protesters in their struggle to force Gadhafi to step down.
“We don’t want interference because they come in with their interest. We want Arab intervention because we are all Arabs and we can help each other to save ourselves,” said Alarian.
He expresses confidence that, with the new wind of change blowing in through the Arab world, the Arab League will be in effective in resolving problems in the Middle East and North Africa.
“Now, we are going to a new era in the Arab world and history. The Arab League must represent the people, not the government. Of course, they can (resolve the crisis) and they must do (so) because, if they keep silent, it will destroy this unity of the Arab League and cannot represent any dreams of the future of the Arabs.”
Alarian also predicts the anti-government protesters will succeed in forcing Gadhafi to step down.
