The Security Council throws a wet noodle

Lifting from CNN, here is what the UN Security Council said today about Libya:

…condemned the violence and use of force against civilians, deplored the repression against peaceful demonstrators and expressed deep regret at the deaths of hundreds of civilians…[and urged the authorities]…to act with restraint, to respect human rights and international humanitarian law and to allow immediate access to international human rights monitors and humanitarian agencies….[also] underscored the need to hold to account those responsible for attacks, including by forces under their control, on civilians.

This is about as weak as it gets, except for the part about human rights monitors and accountability. The question is whether there is a real plan behind these words, or just hot air.

The UN should be asking the Libyan government urgently to allow unarmed human rights monitors into Libya. This was what was done when the Serbs were misbehaving in Kosovo. Though it was too little too late, it focused attention on the problem and gave the international community some leverage over the Milosevic regime.

Accountability is also something that requires action, not just words. Where is the commitment to gathering evidence and bringing an indictment?

No travel bans or asset freezes? No arms embargo? I understand not going right away for the no-fly zone, but what’s the justification for not acting on these issues? Is this really all we can get out of the Security Council, even when the Libyan delegation to the UN has defected and what we need is swift action?