Not simply the imminence of the threat to the population of Benghazi, but also the fact that there was a United Nations Security Council Resolution, support within the region not just for the resolution but enforcement of the resolution.

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Moscow had said it would not support a second resolution in the U.N.

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The United States indicated that it does not back the resolution, though it does support a cease-fire.

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By their lights, Resolution 1441 was aimed at winning political, not legal, support.

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As debate continued into the early hours of Thursday morning the conference's chairman, Mohammed Nasser al-Ghanim asked for a "feel of the room" noting afterwards that the resolution had majority support, while stressing that this was not a formal "vote".

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Experts are already pointing to the build-up to the first Gulf War in 1991 when President Bush senior - while insisting such a resolution was not necessary - did indeed seek and obtain congressional support for the war to oust Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

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Tonight, however, Mr Cameron hinted that he would not support the Palestinian bid for recognition, saying that a UN resolution cannot be a substitute for the political will to re-start the stalled peace process.

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And passing a bill in the House that garners only Republican support and passing a bill in the Senate that garners only Democratic support does not achieve that and does not bring you any closer to a resolution.

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However, Mr Beausire said despite that support "it was not submitted to the process by the HSSD Board, consequently delaying the resolution of the funding of this key aspect of health provision for Guernsey".

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