Libya: On Ground Updates
- Operation Odyssey Dawn -
“We will continue to support the coalition, be a member of the coalition, we will have a military role in the coalition but we will not have a preeminent role,” says Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
Monday, March 21, 2011.
PREFLIGHT CHECKS - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Sean Moberly runs preflight checks on an AV-8B Harrier on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge to prepare for Operation Odyssey Dawn missions in the Mediterranean Sea, March 19, 2011. Moberly is assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Pittman
..........
Coalition Continue Libya Attacks
‘Operation Odyssey Dawn’
Watch LIVE Video Coverage at...
- LOTS of videos/photos and more can be found at above link -
............................
.
Above Link Automatically Updates Every 90 Seconds
- LOTS of videos/photos and more at above link too -...
...........................................
...
* U.S. Department of Defense
- Special Section -
- Lots of videos/photos/info and more can be found at above DoD link -
......................................
.
* MSNBC Brings Us the Following Slides HERE
..........................................................
.
Gates: Military Effort in Libya One Part of Solution.
ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, March 20, 2011 - As the United States and its coalition partners establish the no-fly zone they hope we’ll keep Moammar Gadhafi from “slaughtering his own people,” military forces are just one way to bring stability to Libya, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.
“The tool box we bring with us to this [military action] has things in it in addition to hammers,” Gates told reporters traveling with him en route to Russia. “There’s a whole range of political and economic sanctions and a variety of other actions that have been taken.”
.
The first objective is to accomplish the mandate set forth in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973, he said. “I think we’ve made good progress in doing that,” he added.
Gates said what’s important to President Barack Obama in the ongoing military effort is “a meaningful coalition, meaning other countries making serious military contributions so the United States isn’t carrying the pre-eminent responsibility for an indefinite period of time.”
.
Obama limited the U.S. contribution to “no boots on the ground,” the secretary said, but “we agreed to use our unique capabilities … at the front end of this process [and] expected in a matter of days to be able to turn over the primary responsibility to others.”
.
“We will continue to support the coalition, be a member of the coalition, we will have a military role in the coalition but we will not have a preeminent role,” the secretary said.
.
U.S. Africa Command has taken the military lead in the initial fighting, Gates cited possibilities for a transition to leadership by the international coalition.
.
“One is British and French leadership, another is the use of the NATO machinery, he said. “We just have to work out the command and control that is most accommodating to all coalition members.”
.
Gates said the Arab League reaffirmed its support today of the military effort in Libya and that this action was “very important, because the initiative first came from those in the region.”
.
The coalition is not operating as a NATO mission, Gates said, because of sensitivity on the part of the Arab League to being seen to be operating under a NATO umbrella. He added it may be possible to “work out NATO’s command and control machinery without it being a NATO mission and without a NATO flag.”
.
The United States received strong indications from several Arab states that they would participate in the coalition, the secretary said, though so far only Qatar has planes in the fight.
.
“This is a new endeavor for them,” he said, “and the notion that it takes them a while to get it organized shouldn’t be a surprise.”
.
The longer-term process of creating a stable Libya will have to be resolved by the Libyans themselves, Gates said.
.
“This is something that we’ve talked about with respect to other countries in the region,” he said, including Tunisia and Egypt. Whether Gadhafi’s opponents in Libya will get additional outside help remains to be seen, he added.
.
Written by Cheryl Pellerin - DoD - American Forces Press Service
.
*******************************
.
* Today’s Videos *
.
Gaddafi compound hit by missile...
as dozens die in coalition strikes
The U.S., Britain and France claim they have succeeded in scattering and isolating Muammar Gaddafi's forces after a weekend of air strikes. The coalition says they have no information to confirm if 64 people were killed during the bombardment. On Sunday night, Colonel Gaddafi's command centre in Tripoli was destroyed during a targeted attack.
This video posted on YouTube by RussiaToday
.........................................................
.
Impact of Libya Strikes on Unrest Across Middle East
This video courtesy of Fox News
........................................
.
Allied forces strike Gadhafi compound...
leader's whereabouts unknown
This News Video courtesy of CNN
...................................................
.
Target Libya: Third Day of Airstrikes
This News Video courtesy of ABC News
..............................
Safe Flying to all our Coalition Pilot Friends
AubreyJ.........
.
No comments:
Post a Comment