Libya: On Ground Updates
Opposition Fighters Retake Ajdabiya After Entering Suburbs Overnight
- Operation Odyssey Dawn -
Saturday, March 26, 2011
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SOUDA BAY, Greece- Taken March 25, 2011: A Qatar Emiri Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet takes off as part of a Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn mission. Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973. UNSCR 1973 authorizes all necessary measures to protect civilians in Libya under threat of attack by Qadhafi regime forces.
U.S. Navy Photo by Paul Farley
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Obama: Coalition Mission Succeeding in Libya
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WASHINGTON, March 26, 2011 - The military mission in Libya is succeeding and preventing further atrocities against the Libyan people by Moammar Gadhafi and his forces, President Barack Obama said today in his weekly radio address.
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The commander in chief credited the part played by U.S. troops in “Operation Odyssey Dawn,” which was launched March 19 by coalition forces to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution to protect the Libyan people from Gadhafi’s forces.
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"Thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, we’ve made important progress," Obama said, noting that he faces “no greater decision” than sending U.S. forces into harm’s way. He also said the U.S. “should not -- and cannot -- intervene every time there’s a crisis somewhere in the world."
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Gadhafi’s brutality against innocent Libyan people, however, made the military action necessary, he said.
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"When someone like Gadhafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region, and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives, then it’s in our national interest to act. It’s our responsibility,” he said. “This is one of those times."
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Over the past week, Obama said that U.S. and coalition forces took out Gadhafi’s air defenses and stopped his forces’ advancement across the country. Libyan forces also were pushed back in Benghazi, a city of about 700,000 people, where Gadhafi threatened to show “no mercy” to the country's opposition.
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"Our message is clear and unwavering," he said. "Gadhafi’s attacks against civilians must stop. His forces must pull back. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach those in need. Those responsible for violence must be held accountable.”
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The president said that "Moammar Gadhafi has lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to rule, and the aspirations of the Libyan people must be realized."
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Obama explained that the role of American forces has been limited... and the U.S. is acting in concert with a multinational coalition.
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“We are not putting any ground forces into Libya. Our military has provided unique capabilities at the beginning, but this is now a broad, international effort,” he said. “Our allies and partners are enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya and the arms embargo at sea."
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The president noted that "key Arab partners," such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have contributed aircraft to the effort.
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Obama said this is "how the international community should work, with more nations, not just the United States, bearing the responsibility and cost of upholding peace and security.
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"This military effort is part of our larger strategy to support the Libyan people and hold the Gadhafi regime accountable," he said. "Together with the international community, we’re delivering urgent humanitarian assistance. We’re offering support to the Libyan opposition."
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By freezing tens of billions of dollars of Gadhafi’s assets, the needs and aspirations of the Libyan people can be better met, he said, "and every day, the pressure on Gadhafi and his regime is increasing."
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Obama said that Libyans have begun expressing their gratitude for the mission.
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"Every American can be proud of the lives we’ve saved in Libya and of the service of our men and women in uniform who once again have stood up for our interests and our ideals," he said. "And people in Libya and around the world are seeing that the United States of America stands with those who hope for a future where they can determine their own destiny."
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Written by Terri Moon Cronk - American Forces Press Service
White House photo by Samantha Appleton
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Also from DoD Today: Special Report: Operation Odyssey Dawn
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* Bloomberg brings us the following report and their report starts off like this... Libyan rebels moved into the central city of Ajdabiya, near the strategic oil port of Ras Lanuf, and recaptured Brega in the east after U.S. and allied warplanes stepped up their bombardment of Muammar Qaddafi’s tanks, artillery and soldiers... Opposition fighters, who have struggled to move west from their eastern stronghold of Benghazi in the past week, retook Ajdabiya today after entering the suburbs overnight, Al Jazeera television and the Benghazi-based Breniq newspaper reported. The advance came after the U.S. military yesterday said coalition warplanes nearly doubled the number of strike sorties against Qaddafi’s forces in a seventh day of bombing...
Read this report in full at link below...
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* BBC.co.uk has the following report for us today and it starts off like this... Tripoli is hit by coalition bombs and missiles every night, yet there is little reliable evidence of any casualties. The coalition countries know that killing civilians would be disastrous in this war, and they are plainly making big efforts to avoid it... Libyan television often shows news pictures which purport to be those of civilian victims, but they are impossible to verify. The authorities here are anxious to persuade the outside world that large numbers of civilians are dying...
Read the full report at link below...
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* CNN.com had this report posted up on their website Friday afternoon and it starts off like this... NATO is set to take command of the U.N.-backed no-fly zone over Libya, seizing control from the U.S., which was keen to hand over the reigns... Under an agreement reached Thursday NATO forces will be able to close Libyan air space to all flights except humanitarian ones and will be able to use force in self-defense... The agreement follows days of political infighting among the coalition, with Turkey and the Arab League expressing strong reservations about a NATO-led force...
Read the full report at link below...
Lots of News Videos and more at above link...
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* The Telegraph had this take on the news Friday... Britain has launched a concerted attack for the first time on pro-Gaddafi loyalists besieging the key Libyan city of Ajdabiya, using laser guided weapons to destroy tanks on the ground... The attack which destroyed four tanks on the outskirts of Ajdabiya came as rebel fighting intensified inside the city and reports came in of fighting in a second city, Misurata...
Read the rest at link below...
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* Today’s Photos *
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* LOTS of Images/Photos can be found on the Pakistan Defense website...
Click them out HERE
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* Rediff.com...
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* Today’s Videos *
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Libyan rebels recapture Ajdabiya
About this short News Video: Anti-Gaddafi forces enter the strategic oil town after an all-night battle.
This News Video posted on YouTube by itnnews
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Libyan rebels retake Ajdabiya
About this short News Video: Libyan rebels said on Saturday that they have retaken the eastern town of Ajdabiya. The town is strategically important as it is in one of Libya's key oil-producing areas... It has been held by Colonel Gaddafi's forces but was subjected to heavy bombardments by coalition forces overnight. There are also reports of allied strikes on the capital of Tripoli, which remains a Gaddafi stronghold...
This News Video posted on YouTube by Euronews
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Safe Flying to all our Coalition Pilot Friends
AubreyJ.........
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