With a vote of 10-0, the United Nations has given its open-ended endorsement to the United States and its allies to launch military action on Libya as its leader Moammar Gadhafi is moving to eliminate his enemies.

The UN endorsement came days after the United States government proceeded with caution about its action against Libya. With the Security Council’s approval of military action, the US can now conduct airstrikes, implement a no-fly zone, and other measures in order to remove Gadhafi from power. Although it was not clear if the United Kingdom and France would lead the military action, it is expected that the US would have a significant role in the mission.

The United States support for international action comes after several government leaders have showed their disapproval for launching an airstrike, with the Pentagon being the most vocal. It said that implementing a “no-fly” zone is synonymous to declaring a war. Aside from that, involving themselves in military action against Libya could further strain their military and drag the US into a costly conflict with an Arab country.

The details of the military action is still not clear, but Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz informed Congress that it would need around a week to implement the “no-fly’ zone in Libya. Informing the Senate Armed Services Committee, Schwartz said that they would need some reinforcements in Europe as well as domestic forces.

After the UN endorsement, President Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and other Allied leaders reached an agreement that Libya must give in to the provisions of the resolution and violence against the people must stop. The Allied leaders agreed to work hand in hand on the next steps and will coordinate with Arab and other foreign partners to ensure that the resolution on Libya is imposed.

Even before the endorsement, President Obama has already made plans to impose the no-fly zone. In a closed-door briefing with Congressional officials, the administration said the imposition of the “no-fly” zone will commence either Sunday or Monday. Aside from the United States, Arab countries such as Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will be part of the military action.

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