Putin On NATO Trying to Kill Gadhafi: What, there was a trial?

04-27-2011 • kyivpost.com

Putin accused the nations taking part in the NATO-led operation of straying from the U.N. mandate to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians. "Now several officials are saying, 'Yes, we're trying to destroy Gadhafi.' But who allowed you to do this? What, there was a trial? Who gave themselves the right to sentence someone to death, regardless what kind of person he is?" Putin said. He didn't specify which officials or countries he was referring to. Russia abstained in the U.N. Security Council vote last month authorizing the military operation in Libya. At the time Putin compared the U.N. resolution to "a call for a crusade." When Putin was asked by a Danish reporter Tuesday what he meant by that remark, he spent three-minutes questioning the goals of the intervention and urging participating nations to read the U.N. resolution again. "Is there a summons there for everyone to come and do whatever they want in Libya?" he said. "When the so-called civilized world community directs all its powers against a small country, destroying infrastructure created over generations, I don't know whether it's good or not. But I don't like it." The Russian prime minister said that Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa. "It begs the question: is this the real source of interest of those who are brandishing their weapons now?" Putin said.