AJDABIYA, Libya — Moammar Khadafy’s forces fired rockets along the eastern front line and shelled the besieged city of Misrata on Tuesday as France and Britain urged their NATO allies, including the United States, to intensify the campaign against the Libyan regime.
But hopes for a rebel military victory have faded, and diplomatic efforts to find a solution were picking up momentum. Today, diplomats will gather in the tiny Persian Gulf nation of Qatar for a meeting of the Libya contact group, which aims to coordinate an international response to the conflict.
On Monday, African leaders tried to broker a cease-fire but were immediately rebuffed when the opposition insisted Khadafy give up power immediately. Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim insisted that any talk of Khadafy stepping down was “imperialist” thinking.
The outnumbered Libyan rebels have proved to be far weaker than Khadafy’s forces, and without NATO airstrikes they could face a crushing military defeat. So any realistic rebel hopes of unseating Khadafy now rest on international political pressure combined with NATO airstrikes.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said NATO was not doing enough to ease the pressure on Misrata. He also said the alliance should be firing on the weapons being used by Khadafy’s troops to target civilians in Misrata, the only city in western Libya that is still partially in the hands of rebels. International groups are warning of a dire humanitarian crisis there.
France lamented the limited U.S. military role in Libya and chided Germany for its lack of involvement. British Foreign Secretary William Hague agreed that the allies must “intensify” their efforts.
NATO Brig. Gen. Mark Van Uhm rejected criticism and said the alliance is performing well and protecting civilians.
