Canadian NATO commander urges against ceasefire in Libya

Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, the Canadian in command of the NATO operation in Libya, urged NATO politicians against a potential ceasefire, arguing that halting military operations in the region to administer  aid would only result in more violence. Bouchard believes that if NATO ceases air strikes—as Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini insists it should—the Gadhafi regime will use the offensive lull to recuperate and re-build its forces before striking again. Frattini, however, is not alone. Recent civilian deaths caused by a failed NATO airstrike have made several politicians, including members of the Arab League, cynical about the mission’s future.

The Globe and Mail