Posted on 07/11/2011 7:34:08 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
BAGHDAD, July 11 (Reuters) - New U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Monday that some NATO allies operating in Libya could see their forces "exhausted" within 90 days.
"The problem right now, frankly, in Libya is that ... within the next 90 days a lot of these other countries could be exhausted in terms of their capabilities, and so the United States, you know, is going to be looked at to help fill the gap," Panetta said, speaking to troops in Baghdad.
He did not say which countries he was referring to, or what the U.S. response would be to calls for help.
NATO warplanes have been bombing Libya under a U.N. mandate to prevent civilians from Muammar Gaddafi's forces, but the alliance is under mounting strain because of the cost of the operation and the failure, after more than three months, to produce a decisive outcome.
Panetta, on his first trip to Iraq since taking the Pentagon's top job on July 1, called on NATO members to do more the ensure the viability of the alliance.
His comments echoed those of his predecessor, Robert Gates, who stepped down at the end of June. Gates warned that NATO risked collective military irrelevance unless allies bore more of the burden for military spending.
"They're going to have to develop their defense capabilities. They're going to have to invest in that kind of partnership as well. We can't be the ones to carry the financial burden in all of these situations. Others have got to do it as well..." Panetta said.
"I'm a believer in partnerships but when you talk about partnerships, dammit you gotta be partners.
(Excerpt) Read more at af.reuters.com ...
So going up against the mighty Libyan military and its brilliant leader exhausts NATO. Thank God it did not have to go up against the USSR or Russia.
Pinky and the Brain could take over Europe.
I agree.
An engine becomes an institution. Classic Quigleyian development.
It sure belies any sense of strength NATO had up ‘til now. It’d have its hands full taking down Liechtenstein these days.
Gadhafi wins!
Why announce to your enemy that you will be unable to carry on the fight in 90 days?
Now all Ghaddaffy has to do is hole up in a cave somewhere and wait.
The world is crazy nowadays.
LOL. They only way to survive in this world is to learn to laugh at tragedy.
LOL. They only way to survive in this world is to learn to laugh at tragedy.
The British and French are not the ‘tired’ allies.
The British and French have been and still are and still can bear the brunt of the fighting. Both ourselves and the French have recently reinforced both naval and air units and the two nations still have naval units available for use (for example, we have almost all of ‘Task Force Cougar’ still available sitting in the Eastern Med).
By 'Brunt', you're saying that France and the UK are bearing the main burden in Libya. Is that really true?
This graphic is a few months old, but what's changed? The UK is using their new Typhoon air superiority fighter jet to drop anvils, after all.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/may/22/nato-libya-data-journalism-operations-country#zoomed-picture
Reuters with their thumb on the scale again, trying to give their favorite leaders another small boost under the radar.
The French lower house has just voted over 90% in favor in continuing France’s actions in Libya. The upper house is expected to also approve. Diplomatic efforts are also being pursued.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/13/world/europe/13france.html
Meanwhile, the Nafusa mountain rebels (the most promising of the 3 centers of resistance) hopes to move on a major town only 50 miles from Tripoli. This long detailed article describes their efforts to be more disciplined and planful. They complain about lack of bombing by NATO of Gaddafi artillery units bombarding them as hampering their efforts. Perhaps with the French vote, action against Gaddafi will pick up again.
Sorry, but I definitly meant Rommel.
Not Monty, no matter how gay he was then and how great that his gayness legacy is in your mind.
So Rommel got his a$$ whipped by a gay guy in Monty? Wow I didn’t know that.
Here she comes.....
Shovel ready and all.....
Here she comes.....
Shovel ready and all.....
One can always hope... This thing in Libya is about banking and money and about George Soros wanting that $5T which Libya represents. Soros and Bork Obunga are trying to use NATO to perpetrate a bank robbery in broad daylight.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MD14Ak02.html
You summed up the problem better than even Pat Buchanan could do. I don’t agree with Patsy on a lot of things (especially his horrible blind spot with anything to do with Jews and Israel), but he sure has it right here. He is just wordier than you.
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