France admits to violating UN resolutions, arming rebels in Libya

French military spokesman, Colonel Thierry Burkhard, admits France is violating the UN resolutions by arming Libyan rebels.  He says they’ve been airdropping weapons to the rebels.

In 2009 Nicolas Sarkozy made France a member of the U.S. led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).  Four decades ago Charles de Gaulle pulled France out of NATO, citing sovereignty issues.

UN resolution 1973 allows NATO “to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.” Paragraph 9 of UN resolution 1970 imposed an arms embargo on the Libya.  Therefore France has violated both UN resolutions.

There are also reports that France supplied rebels with tanks.