UN Approves Libya No-Fly Zone, Military Action

The UN Security Council has approved a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from attacks by Moammar Gadhafi's forces. The vote today was 10-0 with five abstentions, including Russia and China. It needed nine votes to pass, and no veto. The resolution comes with Moammar Gadhafi's forces poised to rout rebels from their last stronghold of Benghazi.

In an interview broadcast today on Portuguese public broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa, Gadhafi rejected any UN threats of action. "The UN Security Council has no mandate," Gadhafi said. "We don't acknowledge their resolutions." He warned that any military action would be construed as "colonization without any justification" and would have "grave repercussions." (More Libya stories.)