Libya updateNATO to take command over stalemated campaign
Agreement has been reached for NATO to take over command of the Libya campaign from the U.S. Africa Command; the question of command and control has been resolved, but the questions about strategy and direction of the operation have not; it is not easy to see how, short of a ground intervention by an outside force, the operation can escape the current stalemate
Downed Libyan fighter about to hit earth // Source: blogspot.com
Agreement has been reached for NATO to take over command of the Libya campaign from the U.S. Africa Command. With Turkey and France removing their objections, the alliance will begin, within a day or two, to run the operations over and around Libya.
The question of command and control has been resolved, but the questions about strategy and direction of the operation have not. It is not easy to see how, short of a ground intervention by an outside force, the operation can escape the current stalemate.
The air attacks by the coalition have limited somewhat the ability of Gaddafi to attack the rebels, but not completely so. Gaddafi forces continue to attack rebel strong holds with artillery, snipers, and small ground units. The rebels can hunker down and absorb some of these attacks, but it is clear that they do not have the wherewithal to take the attack to the Libyan military.
John Simpson. The BBC’s military analyst, says that if Col. Gaddafi recaptures Misrata, that would give him effective control over almost the whole western part of the country. Government officials here clearly feel now that regime change is becoming a little less likely.
If the coalition manages to chase the pro-Gaddafi forces out of Misrata, on the other hand, the future of Col. Gaddafi and the people loyal to him would be a lot more in doubt.
Here are the latest developments, based on reports by the BBC, Fox News, and the New York Times.
On the military front
- A sixth consecutive night of bombing was reported to be under way on Thursday, with Libyan state television reporting that areas in Tripoli and Tajoura had been hit.
- Dozens of coalition missiles have already hit military bases, with the aim of ending Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s ability to launch air attacks.
- U.K. officials said on Wednesday that Libya’s air force no longer existed as a fighting force.
- A French warplane has destroyed a Libyan aircraft that had been flying in breach of the UN no-fly zone. The smaller trainer aircraft – a G-2/Galeb — had just landed in the besieged city of Misrata when it was attacked by a French jet, a Rafale, which fired an air-to-ground missile. It is the first incident of its kind since enforcement of the zone began.
