Canada on Tuesday ordered Libya's diplomats to leave the country within five days and cut off their access to the embassy's bank accounts, Foreign Minister John Baird said."These people now have five business days to vacate the embassy and leave the country," Baird said in a statement, explaining the steps were taken to further isolate the regime of Libyan strongman Moamer Qadaffy.
...a proud Arab institution for 42 years...
Canada is one of the lead nations in a NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions...
-led alliance that has conducted an aerial bombing campaign against the Qadaffy regime since March, when the United Nations
...a formerly good idea gone bad...
approved action to protect civilians.
Ottawa has contributed six F-18 fighter planes and a frigate, and the NATO mission is led by a Canadian.
Baird, on his first trip as foreign minister in June, met with Libyan rebel leaders during an unannounced visit to Benghazi.
He had commented in a conference call with Canadian journalists that the National Transitional Council (NTC) represented "the best hope for the future of Libya."
Canada had already recognized Libya's NTC before Baird's visit, which came as NATO allies marked the 100th day of their bombing campaign in the country.