Posted on 03/09/2011 11:03:37 AM PST by mandaladon
Calls for a U.S. or NATO-imposed no-fly zone over Libya to aid the fledgling rebellion against dictator Muammar Qadhafi have been met with protests by Obama administration officials that it is a logistical nightmare requiring careful planning and forethought.
While that's something to that argument, fears of Libya's air force are way overblown, some retired Air Force officers argue, according to Aviation Week's David Fulghum, in his March 8 blog post, "Libyan Air Defenses Would Fade Fast" (emphases mine):
Dominating Libyan airspace would not be a tough or geographically overwhelming task for the U.S. and its allies, say airpower advocates.
Objections to the U.S. establishing a no-fly zone over Libya are based on erroneous suppositions made by leaders in the Pentagon – such as U.S. Central Command chief, Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis – who do not have the aviation experience needed to make such a decision, say two senior, retired U.S. Air Force officers.
There also have been mutterings among aviation advocates that the no-fly zone idea is being downplayed so that budget support for Army and Marine Corps ground forces will not be minimized by some sort of aerial coup. Those opposing the hands-off approach of the U.S. Pentagon are promoting a congressional call-in campaign in support of allied domination of Libyan airspace.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
I’m no expert, but nothing is as difficult as something that you don’t want to do.
The expensive part is predicated on what you do when the no fly zone sortees are fired upon. And let’s face it folks, Obozo does not send out concise, powerful messages on international policy...............He will be tested hourly, as that coincides with his policy shifts.
It would be “kind-of” diffcult today with this Military “Leadership” and with today’s level of US Military resources. In 1989(before Bush ‘41 started the decimation of the US Military) it would have been NO PROBLEM!
The middle east-ers already hate us so what’s the big deal.
Reagan had no problem dropping bombs on Libya.
Unfortunately, this pres-ent is too busy partying to think about it. He’s scarlet o-hara herself!!!!
They’ll probably settle for a “You Better Not Fly Zone”................
And we should care about which team of thugs controls the Libyan government because...?
Unless you can show that the rebals aren’t a bigger buch of thugs than Quadaffi is, then why stick in our nose at all? I just don’t see that we have a dog in this fight.
OIL
It may be easy to do but should we do it? And when do you stop?
I do not think we need to do a no-fly or anything for that matter in Libya.
Let the two groups of mooselibs kill each other, both sides are against the US.
Bomb Libyan airfields.
Enforcing a no fly zone becomes soooo much easier if they don’t have aircraft and runways.
I refuse to believe there isn’t a plan in a file cabinet somewhere in AFRICOM or in the Pentigon that already has this worked out. Dust it off and implement.
“Unless you can show that the rebals aren’t a bigger buch of thugs than Quadaffi is, then why stick in our nose at all? I just don’t see that we have a dog in this fight.”
Agreed. Until we know what the rebels stand for why should we do anything?
I thought Bummer and Mummer were buddies anyway.
What gives?
Maybe actually enforcing a NFZ isn’t as hard as some make it out to be, though I imagine it’s still difficult. You would have to establish airspace dominance over a pretty large country, which means neutralizing (or at least intimidating) the Libyan Air Force through shooting them down or bombing them. You’d have to neutralize known SAM and AAA sites as well.
Once you do that, you have to set an ROE. Is this Kosovo, where planes were kept above 15,000 feet due to the (credible) threat from man-portable IR SAM and AAA? If so (and I would guess so, because you know Obama will be incredibly averse to casualties), how do you stop helicopters down on the deck, hard to see in the ground clutter? What do you do if the “good guys” take a potshot at you, like they allegedly did with a RAF Hercules evacuating oil workers last week? How long will the NFZ stay in place? How many squadrons are needed? From what countries? What bases?
Suppose the rebels still can’t unseat Daffy Duck, what then? You’ve bombed his country, which in any other time would be an act of war. Do you escalate on the side of the rebels and start bombing the government for them? Do you attempt to base in neighboring countries with ground and support troops?
And none of that even considers outside political blowback. How will the rest of the Muslim world see it? Do you really think they’d give us one second’s credit even if we tipped the balance in favor of the rebels? If the rebels win, will they install an Islamist government that still hates us? How do we handle Libyan oil? Will Daffy’s supporters make it the 1980s all over again and engage in terrorism against US/NATO interests?
Right now I agree that we shouldn’t get involved. It may be possible to put a NFZ in place, but that way lies a military and political tar pit that can’t end well for us IMO.
}:-)4
Aw hell, no-fly zones aren’t what they’re cracked up to be anyway.
We have one around the White House. Has that protected us?
I’m partial to making Libyan airspace a “none of our business” zone.
The video of the Libyan jet shot down supposedly includes confirmation that one of the pilots killed was Syrian military.
Implementing a No FLy zone over Libya could see NATO jets firing on Syrian jets, or Arab League jets firing on Arab League jets.
Turkey becomes a wild card.
Italy is (as usual) in the middle of a coalition government collapsing, Silvio might not be able to maintain support if he allows Aviano to be used by NATO jets for the No Fly CAP.
This is the reason Rota Air Base should never have been handed back to Spain.=, the Socialists there are not going to allow Moron Air Base to be used.
Italy, Corsica, France and Spain will delay any No Fly zone until they get guarantees of funding and coast guard assets to stop the waves of immigrant boats landing ashore.
France has dual loyalties as Gaddafi has powerful allies in the French sphere of influence in West Africa.
Turkey has great economic interests in Libya, and will do what possible to maintain status quo for Gaddafi.
I can forsee a US, UK, Dutch, Scandinavian, Polish, and Baltics contingent performing CAP duties.
Will come down to Moron Air Base in Spain, or Italy opening Pratica di Mare Air Force Base to NATO, which is doubtful.
http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=IT49301&sch=LIRE
13L/31R 8138 x 98 feet
2480 x 30 meters ASPHALT 062FCXT NO
It’s the wrong question. Why would we feel compelled to impose a no fly zone in Libya? Are we taking the sides of the rebels in this? Who are they and why would be help them out?
Either way, it will still be a country whose leadership hates us.
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