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BREAKING: When Did US Decide to Bomb Libya?? [Updated: Live Blog Link Added]

By: lineholder (Diary)  |  March 17th, 2011 at 09:01 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

From the Daily Mail (posted 1 hour ago and why isn’t our OWN media reporting this???) Facts stand for themselves, so just direct quotes on this:

“The U.N. Security Council voted this evening on a resolution that would open the way for that, establishing a no-fly zone but also authorising member states to take ‘all necessary measures’ to protect civilians from attacks by Gaddafi’s forces”

“UK and French ‘would lead first airstrike’

U.S., UK and French diplomats have forced the UN to impose a no-fly zone over Libya tonight, with reports allied bombs could ‘drop within hours’.”

“Gaddafi threatens attacks on Mediterranean targets if no fly zone enforced

The dramatic intervention comes as Colonel Gaddafi this evening warned rebels in Benghazi to lay down their arms or expect ‘no mercy’ as his forces push towards their stronghold.”

“Rebels use three jets and a helicopter to attack Gaddafi forces

The news follows a reversal in rebel fortunes, with reports anti-Gaddafi militias had used up to three ‘stolen’ fighter jets and a helicopter in a desperate bid to halt the advancing army”

“Warnings from America ‘a massacre is about to happen’

After weeks of hesitancy over imposing a no-fly zone in Libya, the United States made a dramatic about-face, calling for even more expanded action, including strikes on Gaddafi’s ground forces besieging rebel-held cities.”

Any further information welcome!!!

Updates posted as events unfold….

UPDATED:  LIVE BLOG LINK THROUGH FRANCE24 WEBSITE

This link is to UN News Centre post for “all necessary measures”.

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  • renny

    what we will do isn’t clear. The French say they will take at least air action against the tyrant in favor of the rebels, want the Arab League to join them, and Egypt next door has a ton of military doo-dads we’ve sold them for years of hopeful Western support, but whether anyone will commit ground troops isn’t clear.

    When the UN does something, it usually means WE are going to do something, but our fearless leader is packing to run away to S. America where he prob. thinks the trade winds won’t be wafting any Japanese nuclear meltdown radioactivity. And he’ll take his iodine pills with him.

    • lineholder

      there seems to be more to it than that

      “French and US sources indicate that there is intensive military planning on how the first strikes against the Ghaddafi regime will be implemented. It is widely expected that a first strike will seek to eradicate the Libyan air force altogether”

      http://www.afrol.com/articles/37594

  • lineholder

    UPDATE 5:45 pm: I guess when you go to war against someone, you have to demonize them, and it was so today with Secretary of State Clinton, who called Muammar Qaddafi a ?creature,? while admitting that an NFZ over Libya would mean bombing the country. Said Clinton:

    ?A no-fly zone requires certain actions taken to protect the planes and the pilots, including bombing targets like the Libyan defense systems.? Qaddafi must go. [He is] a ruthless dictator that has no conscience and will destroy anyone or anything in his way. If Qaddafi does not go, he will just make trouble. That is just his nature. There are some creatures that are like that.

    http://www.thenation.com/blog/159295/clinton-promises-bomb-libya-calls-qaddafi-creature

  • renny

    but at least for now evidently the British and French are going to take the lead. And, surely, the Arab countries we have armed for decades ought to be able to contribute, since they are already on the ground there, and the Arab League has condemned Quaddafi’s virulence. If nothing is done, surely the dictator will annihilate anyone who opposed him, and their second cousins.

    I read that Libya only has four major air fields, so they can possibly be taken out relatively easily. After all, under Reagan, we bombed the Chinese embassy and Mummar’s summer home “by accident” in 1986, so we had the images of the country in detail then.

    My instinct is to want to support people who are fighting and dying to get out from under lives of terror and oppression, but I also remember Hungary in 1956 when Eisenhower refused to become involved. Hungary got its revolution, but it took another generation.

    • lineholder

      Agree with you that much. Gaddaffi’s forces are already in Benghazi. But Saudia Arabia has pro-Gaddaffi forces in place in Libya at the moment. We’re getting a lot of our oil from SA right now.

      I guess I’m just uneasy…hope this doesn’t go badly.

  • donnybrooke

    Since Obama has decided to institute his “crisis” 24 hours ago, it necessarily follows that we will have to go into Libya.

    http://www.redstate.com/streiff/2011/03/15/answers-from-a-non-interventionist/#comment-7503

    Wonder what domestic problem for the White House is about to hit the fan?

    • Doc Holliday

      Obama did not want to do this, as usual he had no clue what to do, the job is just too big for him. Hillary and the allies pushed him into this.

      There is nothing surprising about increasing the allowed targets, that is standard American military procedure; if you are going to go hot, you have to do it right. You can’t enforce a no-fly zone without taking out air defenses, communication lines etc. And make no mistake, this is not a “no fly zone”, this is intervention on the side of the rebels, or more precisely, an attempt to finish off the Colonel.

      I laid out my reasons for supporting the attack and how I would do it right here. http://www.redstate.com/streiff/2011/03/15/answers-from-a-non-interventionist/#comment-7526

      No one responded, but who knows who read it? No I am joking, some people say things like that, but I don’t. I did kind of figure out what would happen, but that is just because I have been around a long time. I hope they fully implement my proposals though. I know Obama hates victory, but since he is not leading this one he may have no choice.

      I pray for those pilots going into harms way. Their biggest risk is a friendly fire accident. It is a shame the West fiddled for so long. And to the rebels, my advice would be to ground any aircraft you have.

      • Flagstaff

        I think President O has only a single Plan A–do nothing but make grand statements until the action stops. Then claim that something you said was helpful. There is no Plan B.

        He slipped up a couple of weeks ago when he got ahead of the plan and said “Gadhaffi has to go.” That signaled to me that he was convinced Gadhaffi would lose; O wanted so much to get in front of the parade.

        When things turned south for the rebels, The Won was not prepared to do anything about it. Plan A. Talk. That’s it.

        Ambassador Rice was probably surprised today when half the Security Council (including Brazil, where President O heads tomorrow) abstained and the motion to provide a no-fly zone passed. When Fox first reported it, they also said plans were already in place and planes could be in the air very quickly (no source was attributed). Now we are said to be providing only logistic support. If I were one of the rebels, I’d be looking for a way out.

        This is pathetic. Gadhaffi quit when we invaded Iraq. He would lose his breakfast if we invaded Libya. But it won’t happen with The Won in charge.

        • Doc Holliday

          Obama wanted to get credit for his teleprompter when the rebels were winning and we were doing nothing. Gadhaffi judged his man well, but the French and others threw in a monkey wrench. Of course nothing has happened yet, I don’t doubt the UN and EU are still trying to find a way out of this. Maybe Ghadaffi will be living in Bordeaux next month.

  • Menlo

    For those who haven’t figured it out, those involved in military decisions, whether domestically or globally, care about nothing more than their own wealth, power, and prestige.

    They obviously couldn’t care less about people living under murderous dictatorships.