Posted on 06/25/2011 7:24:23 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
NAPLES — As NATO bombs began to rain on Libya in March, President Obama and other Western leaders assured their war-weary publics that the campaign to protect civilians from Moammar Gaddafi’s crackdown would be over within weeks.
Now the coalition’s springtime incursion has stretched to summer and Gaddafi’s resilience has startled the leaders who committed to the operation. Calls are growing to end it even as NATO pleads for more time.
As the campaign enters its fourth month, NATO officials insist that it is succeeding and that Gaddafi will become the Arab Spring’s third casualty. But that will happen, they say, only in a slow and steady advance on the capital as his troops run out of supplies, not in a flash of pyrotechnics that puts him out of power in an instant.
“The noose is tightening around him, and there’s very few places for him to go,” Gen. Charles Bouchard, the Canadian head of the operations, said Saturday in an interview at his Naples headquarters. But, he added, “you don’t stay in power for 41 years and expect that he’s going to leave at the first sign of stresses.”
Indications of a fraying commitment to the mission were evident in a House vote Friday in which an unusual coalition of anti-war Democrats and tea party Republicans joined to pass a measure to reject Obama’s use of the American military in the mission, even as they declined to strip part of its funding. In Britain, a top commander said last week that if the campaign goes on past September, his forces could crack under the strain. On Wednesday, Italy’s foreign minister called for an immediate end to hostilities.
NATO has flown more than 4,700 strike sorties, pummeling bunkers, depots and vehicles and reducing much of Gaddafi’s army to ruins.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
it isn’t NATO’s campaign. it’s france’s campaign. Obama is kissing french butt; the same country that stopped us in the UN while saddam trucked his WMD out of the country.
I wouldn’t pee on the french if they were on fire.
I. Agree with you but I am sure there is some sort of an agreement for funding the Palestinians to attack the jewish people. Libya is about the size of Alaska, so 4500 Bombs are a pin prick on daffy supplies. What the bitch is, is that NATO is destroying buildings we built back in the 60’s. Now we will wind up paying to rebuild them. Call boner, if you can get the crybaby off of the golf course.
I laughed at the crack about boner. I wish paul ryan would run. that dude has skilz.
I am sadly afraid that I must have done some wicked thing.
Antisthenes
What makes him say so? Gaddafi has the same set of bunkers that he always had (in the area that he controls.) The surface buildings couldn't possibly be meant as serious military command and control centers since aviation took off about 100 years ago. Since boots on the ground are not even a theoretical possibility, and the rebels aren't likely to attack, this is a stalemate that favors the better financed party, which is Gaddafi.
I also haven't seen many reports about wholesale destruction of his aviation and armor. Quite opposite - I read reports that said that all important hardware is stored in underground hangars. Gaddafi switched from mechanized operations to low-key infantry actions pretty quickly, within days, once it became apparent that the NATO aviation will be a concern.
NATO has flown more than 4,700 strike sorties, pummeling bunkers, depots and vehicles and reducing much of Gaddafi’s army to ruins.
If Gaddafi has a brain, most of the destroyed hardware was built in one night out of plywood and a few buckets of paint. This tactic was known back in World War II. One possibility is that NATO flies missions not because they know of valuable targets there but simply because they need to do something. As result, they only bounce the rubble. Another consideration is that those 4700 missions may cost more than the value of the original army, even if it was completely destroyed in those strikes.
As I see it, Gaddafi has no reason to hurry - he waits until the rebels (and NATO) run out of public support and money. He will be there when that day comes.
“...Days, not weeks!”
And the same idiots who screamed “NOT IN MY NAME” for years cannot be found.
No Anti-War celebs being followed around by a dozen TV cameras, all eagerly awaiting sound bites for the Evening News, which will be combined with the daily totals of dead and wounded for nightly broadcast.
KINETIC HYPOCRISY ACTION
Pretty soon we’ll e reading head lines like” “Gaddaffi hits back hard! NATO reeling!”
I can’t believe that we cannot finish Gaddaffi off. At this ratet looks like by 2013 or 14, we will have given Iran hegemony over Iraq, handed Afghanistan back to the Taliban, and been run out of Lybia, but I bet that is what actually transpires.
I don’t agree that the rebels aren’t likely to attack. When I get home this evening I will post some promising items. Got to run now.
Now the French can add Libya to the long list of adversaries who have defeated them in battle.
The Rebels haven't done anything significant in the past two months or so, after successfully defending Misrata. If anything, time is on the Loyalists' side now that momentum that was in Rebels' advantage has vanquished, IMHO.
I have checked several stories today. I am linking one about the move by rebels in the Nafusa Mountains on a city only 50 miles from Tripoli. In the past two months these rebels, many of the Berber, have taken back a number of towns and, with fighting, kept possesion of the nearest border crossing into Tunisia. Women and children have been moving to Tunisia from the area, but others are coming back as conditions in their towns become safer. Libyan rebel fighters both from Europe through Tunisia, and from Tripoli are beefing up the rebel force. Defections from the national “football” (soccer) team are a significant propaganda blow. Apparently behind the scenes negotiations are taking place the Gaddafi has agreed to stay out of. Regarding the ships moving people from Banghazi to Tripoli and from Tripoli to Benghazi, which included 66 former prisoners held in Tripoli, I think this indicates something serious is in play. I think Gaddafi will step aside soon IF he can get some kind of a good deal. Perhaps retirement in the desert town of Sabah where he has supporters.
Nuts, I forgot to include the link. Need more sleep.
http://beta.news.yahoo.com/libyan-rebels-claim-advances-western-mountains-165324973.html
Please take a long break if you need rest. Please?
Chavez has been in Cuba since June 10 having major pelvic surgery (prostate cancer?), he may be in serious condition. Other family members have definitely left.
He can’t get any deal at this point. The world court I believe yesterday or the day before set up charges against him for mass murder etc.. But I don’t default your analysis based on incoming reports. Things change on a dime in those places. We saw so much similar stuff in Iraq to name one place. Been away from news for the most part for a few days, so I have not been following anything for the most part.
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