Is the Med about to become a war zone?

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

I just have a feeling that this mission is going to last much longer than what we were all originally led to believe.

 

It's only been two days and there are starting to be cracks within the coalition. The Brits want to take down Gaddafi, Obama and Sarkozy say no -- it's not in the UN resolution mandate. Italy threatens to revoke permission to use its bases unless NATO takes over command. I even read that Obama didn't want to get involved, and it was Hillary who had to convince him.

 

Experts believe that just by maintaining a no-fly zone will not stop Gadaffi -- ground action may be required. However, the UN Resolution only provides for a no-fly zone and nobody wants to talk about ground forces because that brings memories of Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Also, international rules supposedly mandate letting nations fight it out within to determine what government will result and we are only supposed to intervene to prevent civilian genocide.

 

I would hope that putting together the most powerful armed forces in the Western World would be enough to stop Gadaffi, but I just don't think it is as simple as some of you folks are making it out to be.

 

Remember Iraq? We all saw that statute of Sadam go tumbling down on worldwide television. We all thought it would be over at that very moment. But years later .......

 

I just hope that everybody is safe and sound and this incident does get resolved in the next few days.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Rancher Dave]

Hopefully Q's money is all frozen around the world so it can't be used by his operatives and family to launch "no-good" from outside Lybia.

 

If his operatives want to make a point he would kill a bunch of EU and USA citizens...a quick easy way to do so is a ship or an airplane. Attacking a ship in may ways would be easier for them than an airplane.

 

RCCL and other lines want to be safe so if a threat comes up intelligence will alert the lines who likely will do the right thing. Getting attacked is one thing, but if the lines had advance warning of a pending attack and ignore it that would be a death blow for the line.

 

I feel it would be safe to book a cruise to the Med...most likely nothing will happen while on the cruise, well maybe some big waves but that is not as bad as a big bomb.

[remydiva]

Dear friends:

 

I just have a feeling that this mission is going to last much longer than what we were all originally led to believe.

 

It's only been two days and there are starting to be cracks within the coalition. The Brits want to take down Gaddafi, Obama and Sarkozy say no -- it's not in the UN resolution mandate. Italy threatens to revoke permission to use its bases unless NATO takes over command. I even read that Obama didn't want to get involved, and it was Hillary who had to convince him.

 

Experts believe that just by maintaining a no-fly zone will not stop Gadaffi -- ground action may be required. However, the UN Resolution only provides for a no-fly zone and nobody wants to talk about ground forces because that brings memories of Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Also, international rules supposedly mandate letting nations fight it out within to determine what government will result and we are only supposed to intervene to prevent civilian genocide.

 

I would hope that putting together the most powerful armed forces in the Western World would be enough to stop Gadaffi, but I just don't think it is as simple as some of you folks are making it out to be.

 

Remember Iraq? We all saw that statute of Sadam go tumbling down on worldwide television. We all thought it would be over at that very moment. But years later .......

 

I just hope that everybody is safe and sound and this incident does get resolved in the next few days.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

Hi: I started a thread some time ago about the trouble in the eastern 'mediterranean' when the Egypt problem first began (yes, I know Egypt and Libya aren't in the Mediterranean per se) and at that time, very few fellow cruisers were concerned.

 

I had just booked Italy, Greece & Turkey for this fall and in the case of any trouble, ports could be cancelled (Athens was in November due to demonstrators) or flights disrupted so I was concerned. Insurance doesn't cover 'acts of war or terrorism'.

 

At this point, my deposit is refundable and I have not booked air so as long as I decide before final payment, I won't be out $$$. I will continue to monitor the situation closely but before I book non refundable air, if the situation is the same as it is now (or worse yet, worse) I will cancel and do the cruise another time.

 

I've booked a Plan B cruise just in case.

[Verfai]

Come on guys and gals, have you learned nothing from 9/11 (and all other dates)!?

What I am reading here in this thread is exactly what “people” with terrorist intentions want! For western people, not only from the USA, but the entire western free world.....to show fear.

 

Do not let this get to you, stand tall! If you cancel, the only one that will lose is RCI, you all know how much they want your money ;)

Terrorist attacks have always been present throughout history....And always will be :(

 

If it’s not clear, I am not canceling my cruise in the Med :)

 

Greets

[Cotswold Eagle]

The Brits want to take down Gaddafi,

 

That's simply not true. People here seem to be having enough trouble coming to their own view, without such misinformation. Let's stick to facts :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

(yes, I know Egypt and Libya aren't in the Mediterranean per se)

 

This will come as a surprise to a lot of mariners! Both countries have significant Mediterranean coastlines.

[seaofwonder]

We have an E. Med booked for late May. I'm excited and am ready to go!!

 

I will be extremely disappointed if RCCL cancels or changes ports (Italy, Greece, Turkey).

 

If they do, then I guess I'm extending my land vacation in Europe :-)

 

I have no problem traveling overseas while this is going on. There is always something happening.

[sidari]

"we are only supposed to intervene to prevent civilian genocide"

 

last night i watched a TV programme about the early stages of demonstrations in Tripoli and the rest of Libya, Gadaffi had his own people killed by his armed forces using Anti aircraft guns .... :eek: many people were actually cut in 2! if that does not count as the above then i do not know what does.

 

I am not sure why certain countries apart from Russia and China abstained from the vote and was totaly suprised that Germany did so!

 

Most ships heading around to Greece from the West side of Italy will porobably go via Sicilly and the straights of Messina.

[alodge]

My family and I have booked the Eastern Med for June/July. I have to admit I am a little worried but I can't let it destroy my holiday. A lot can happen in a short time so hopefully this will be over a.s.a.p. I hope RCI will be sensible when it comes to the itinerary and if changes have to be made so be it....

 

Last year it was the Ash cloud....the year before I was affected by a Spanish air traffic controllers strike...there is always something!!!!!

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

The Brits definitely do want to take down Gaddafi, the other members of the coalition say it's not in the Resolution.

 

That was published in every major newspaper in the world. And here is a reprint.

 

So those are the facts. Whether the British people are in favor of what their government is saying may be another story.

 

Let's hope this is all over soon.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

 

AN extraordinary row erupted between the Government and its top generals yesterday over whether to take out Colonel Gaddafi.

Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to publicly over-rule top brass to insist he MAY go after the Libyan Mad Dog.

 

It came as the international coalition also began to wobble on what to do about Gaddafi, 67 - with the US siding with our military chiefs AGAINST assassinating him.

 

The row was sparked by Defence Secretary Liam Fox branding the tyrant "a legitimate target" on Sunday.

 

Hours later Dr Fox tasked a Royal Navy sub and RAF Tornado jets to blast Gaddafi's own compound.

[krazy4cruizen]

We are flying to Barcelona and taking a mediterannean cruise this summer. We control that. We cannot however, control every situation in the world. We also can control irrational fear of the unknown.

[gracieonthebeach]

We leave for Rome on Thursday then RCC, Mariner of the Sea, on Sunday: Italy, Greece and Turkey. Am I a little nervous? YES!!! But hoping all will be okay as this is a chance in a life time for me and I'm going..:eek:

[kriten19]

We leave for Rome on Thursday then RCC, Mariner of the Sea, on Sunday: Italy, Greece and Turkey. Am I a little nervous? YES!!! But hoping all will be okay as this is a chance in a life time for me and I'm going..:eek:

 

My husband and I are on the same cruise:) See you there!

[jigsaw101]

We leave for Rome on Thursday then RCC, Mariner of the Sea, on Sunday: Italy, Greece and Turkey. Am I a little nervous? YES!!! But hoping all will be okay as this is a chance in a life time for me and I'm going..:eek:

 

 

We are on the Mariner bound for Greece, Turkey and Israel on the 29th of April. Israel continues to heat up with the latest a significant bomb blast in Jerusalem. I'm sure the ship will be ok in Israeli ports but what about any excursions! What is the point of going to the Holy Land if you can't get off the ship?

Al and Lorraine

[Cotswold Eagle]

Dear friends:

 

The Brits definitely do want to take down Gaddafi, the other members of the coalition say it's not in the Resolution.

 

<sigh> Reprinting selected reporting that supports your distorted view of the world doesn't change the facts. The Prime Minister has made it explicitly clear that it is not British policy to target Gadaffi. Dr Fox was responding to a theoretical question and spoke poorly, as is now widely accepted. Other than by you, clearly.

 

Put Gadaffi in a command and control facility (which is what was targetted in "his" compound) or a tank that's shooting at civilians then by default he becomes a target under the resolution. That's what the Defence Secretary was trying to express.