Qaddafi defies U.N., attacks rebel forces

A warplane is seen being shot down over the outskirts of Benghazi in eastern Libya, Saturday, March 19, 2011. / AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus

Last Updated 9:58 a.m. ET

BENGHAZI, Libya — Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi appeared to defy the United Nations' call for an end to violence and even his own government's claim of an immediate cease-fire, with continued strikes against rebel forces in Benghazi.

A warplane was shot down over this eastern Libyan rebel stronghold Saturday, though it is unclear whether the jet belonged to Qaddafi's forces or to the rebels.

An Associated Press reporter saw a plane go down in flames outside Benghazi early Saturday, sending up a black cloud of smoke after the city came under attack. The sound of artillery and crackling gunfire was heard in the distance.

Libyan television broadcast live pictures this morning of a pro-Qaddafi demonstration at a Sabha airport. The video, which was taken on an airport runway, appeared to demonstrate the use of human shields.

Arab media has speculated that if Qaddafi's power base in Tripoli is threatened, he may flee to Sabha.

Complete coverage: Anger in the Arab World

The latest developments come as leaders from the Arab world, Africa, the United States and other Western powers hold urgent talks in Paris Saturday over possible military action against Qaddafi's forces.

Trying to outmaneuver Western military intervention, Qaddafi's government declared a cease-fire on Friday as the rebel uprising faltered against his artillery, tanks and warplanes. But the opposition said shells rained down well after the announcement and accused the Libyan leader of lying.

On Saturday, government spokesman Ibrahim Musa denied that a government plane had gone down. He also denied government forces shelled any Libyan towns on Saturday, saying the rebels are the ones breaking the cease fire by attacking military forces.

CBS News correspondent Mandy Clarke reported on "The Early Show on Saturday Morning" that there is confusion over whose plane it was -- whether it was from government forces or those of the rebels.

Later, Qaddafi said the U.N. resolution authorizing international military intervention in Libya is "invalid.'' The Libyan leader said he sent a message to President Obama defending his decision to attack rebel cities: "If you found them taking over American cities by the force of arms, tell me what you would do?''

The statement came from a government spokesman at a news conference in Tripoli.

Qaddafi also sent a letter to the French and British leaders, and the U.N. secretary general, saying the resolution violates the U.N. charter and saying they would "regret'' any intervention. "Libya is not for you, Libya is for the Libyans,'' he said."

"Our armed forces continue to retreat and hide, but the rebels keep shelling us and provoking us," Musa told The Associated Press.

Wary of the cease-fire, Britain and France took the lead in plans to enforce a no-fly zone, sending British warplanes to the Mediterranean and announcing a crisis summit in Paris with the U.N. and Arab allies. In Washington, President Barack Obama ruled out the use of American ground troops but warned that the U.S., which has an array of naval and air forces in the region, would join in military action.

There should be no doubt about the Libyan leader's intentions "because he has made them clear," Obama said. "Just yesterday, speaking of the city of Benghazi, a city of roughly 700,000, he threatened 'we will have no mercy and no pity.' No mercy on his own citizens."

In a joint statement to Qaddafi late Friday, the United States, Britain and France — backed by unspecified Arab countries — said a cease-fire must begin "immediately" in Libya, the French presidential palace said.

The statement called on Qaddafi to end his troops' advance toward Benghazi, the rebel headquarters, and pull them out of the cities of Misrata, Ajdabiya and Zawiya, and called for the restoration of water, electricity and gas services in all areas. It said Libyans must be able to receive humanitarian aid or the "international community will make him suffer the consequences" with military action.

Parts of eastern Libya, where the once-confident rebels this week found their hold slipping, erupted into celebration at the passage of the U.N. resolution. But the timing and consequences of any international military action remained unclear.

Misrata, Libya's third-largest city and the last held by rebels in the west, came under sustained assault well after the cease-fire announcement, according to rebels and a doctor there. The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals, said Qaddafi's snipers were on rooftops and his forces were searching homes for rebels.

"The shelling is continuing, and they are using flashlights to perform surgery. We don't have anesthetic to put our patients down," said the doctor, who counted 25 deaths since the morning.

Libya's deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, denied late Friday that government forces had violated the cease-fire and invited four nations to send observers to monitor compliance: Germany, China, Turkey and Malta.

"The cease-fire for us means no military operations whatsoever, big or small," he told reporters in Tripoli.

He said military forces were positioned outside Benghazi but that the government had no intention of sending them into the city.

[rwsmith29456]

I wonder if that plane was able to 'pull up' at the last second?

[ipeachobamaB4itstolate]

I bet this has Obama heartbroken.....A fellow dictator being run out of his country.....You notice it took the un meeting for him to get off his butt and do something...now him and his family go on vacation....What a weak pres we have!

[JV1970]

This idiot is determined to stay in office until his death. I think he'll soon get his wish. Since he doesn't have sense enough to resign on his own volition, I think he'll soon be taken out if he continues to murder his own people. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't by one of his own guards. One way or another, though, I don't think there's much doubt that his end is coming soon and maybe his children's too.

[billpl-2009]

"If you found them taking over American cities by the force of arms, tell me what you would do?''

we'd blow them off the face of the earth

...next question?

[native1speak]

Hey someone bomb him quickly, I cannot afford these gas prices !!!!!

I have no clue why we're so gas hungry as a society it seems too me that with all the technology we as a intelligent people (term used loosely) cannot come up with an alternate means of propulsion that does'nt need a dictator to control the destiny of a given population! We have always backed the idealogy of these tyrant's for one reason OIL. C'mon people grow up, we can do better!

[miami_don]

Well stated.

[wfw3536]

I really can't believe anyone thought Gadaffi would stop the fighting. Looks we will soon be involved in a third ground war.

[doctor_know]

Nope....

[miami_don]

I do not think we will. Logistics, aid, and intellegence should be the most we provide.

This is Europe's backyard let them play in their own sandbox.

[zengxeng]

I wish someone would hurry up and take that goofy looking dude and his flunkie kid out already!

www.real-privacy.it.tc

[morriswise]

There comes a time when an old wife has to be let go. Plastic surgery and the best cosmetics cannot make her pleasing to her husband. It is the same with Gadhafi, he has lost his looks and it is time to have him replaced. A youthful new leader will have the charisma to bring Libya into the twenty-first century. Mother Nature favors a good appearance and so do the majority of Libyans.

[erasmus111]

"There comes a time when an old wife has to be let go. Plastic surgery and the best cosmetics cannot make her pleasing to her husband."


And what's your solution if a man can no longer please his wife? Mine is....CHOP IT OFF! If it's useless, get rid of it. : )

[curse914]

More like a crazy, drug addicted, gun toting mistress. By the way, we supplied the drugs and guns, the crazy came with the relationship.

It takes two to tango, Morry.

[formrusmcsgt]

What I find perplexing is that, after passing the resolution and having resources within range to attack LLibya's air defenses in the north, no action has been taken......

[doctor_know]

Did you see the photo of the plane being shot down?

[lucifersshadow]

Qadaffi is attempting to wipe out the resistance before the UN acts, and is doing a pretty good job of it. The more resistance fighters disposed of, the more difficult it will be for them to win in the long run, and the more difficcult it will be for the international community to hold him accountable for war crimes. The UN is moving in slow motion, Qadaffi is moving fast . . . and Obama is expelling hot air, as usual.