@georgeob1,
a question for georgeob---although the Libya event is UN controlled with US assist, to what extent is the US calling the shots behind the curtain?
@Cycloptichorn,
I don't think that this is a part of a pattern. This situation is farily unique (other than the invocation of the UN Charter's Chapter Seven in the case of Korea as Dys has pointed out--but that was more of an invasion than a civil war, and was predicated upon the terms of article 42, which don't apply here). I continue to assert that there is no reason to assume that American ground troops need be or will be involved.
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
a question for georgeob---although the Libya event is UN controlled with US assist, to what extent is the US calling the shots behind the curtain?
The notion that the UN is controlling anything is laughable. The Security Council "resolution" merely "authorized" willing member states to intervene on their own initiative as they wish. So far this looks to me like a US-French-UK operation. Given what has so far been made public it appears the French flights already conducted came from their Carrier (Charles DeGaulle). Given the distances from supporting airfields in Sicily and Corsica, I strongly suspect most of the no fly enforcement will come from the French & U.S. aircraft carriers, with some supplemental flights by UK and French shore based aircrafty with support from long range tankers. We'll likely also see some selected cruise missile strikes as well as some long range drone operations.
@georgeob1,
georgeob1 wrote:
In short this looks like a U.S. - French operation with some assist from the UK.
The air planes flying attacks were until recently from France, the UK (now plus additional RAF Marham Tornado jets) and Canada.
@Walter Hinteler,
Canada did send off six F18's yesterday morning, but it's still surprising that they got into action that quickly.
Operation Odyssey Dawn is what the Pentagon is calling the U.S. effort in Libya. Tomahawk missiles have been launched on Gadaffi's air defenses.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
Canada did send off six F18's yesterday morning, but it's still surprising that they got into action that quickly.
Probably flew from Argentia or Halifax to Keflavick Iceland and then on to the UK - with tanker escort.
@georgeob1,
No, they flew out of CFB Bagotville, Québec. I'll go check the Canajun newspapers.
OK, the F18s were loaded onto C130 Hecules transports and flown to Spain, accompanied by their own mid-air refueling aircraft. About 150 support crew went along for the party.
@Walter Hinteler,
That's from RFI, Radio France Internationale
The Ottawa papers said C130 Hercules, but the Globemaster makes more sense for transporting aircraft. Canada as four of them just down the road from here at CFB Trenton, which is more or less Canada's airlift command base. When they bring the bodies back from Afghanistan, they land at Trenton, and make up a big cortege which travels west on Highway 401, now designated "the Highway of Heroes." CFB Trenton has been kept busy carrying supplies to the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.
@Walter Hinteler,
Damn, that's a lot !
Crete is a long way from Libya. There is a NATO airbase on the north coast of Crete and they could at least cover Bengazi from there.
Given the distance from the airfields in Crete, Sicily and Corsica to Libya, a lot of airborne tanking and long, six hour flights (not fun in a small cockpit) will be required to patrol Libyan airspace. As a result a large # of aircraft & pilots will be required. With these numbers (and a lot of tankers) they will be able to do it. The countries Walter noted are all in NATO and they have the equipment & training to work together rather well.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
OK, the F18s were loaded onto C130 Hecules transports and flown to Spain, accompanied by their own mid-air refueling aircraft. About 150 support crew went along for the party.
I suspect the C-17 was the pathfinder & tanker and carried the maintenance crews (not the F-18s). Their route was probably via Bermuda and Lajes in the Azores. That makes a lot more sense than my first guess via the northern route.
CFB Trenton is more or less the airlift command base. I suspect the F18s flew there from CFB Bigotville, and then the whole shootin' match left from CFB Trenton. In such a case, with Trenton being just north of New York, the Bermuda route makes sense.
@Walter Hinteler,
Walter Hinteler wrote: . . . (now plus additional RAF Marham Tornado jets) . . .
Some of those will be carrying widgets I worked on.
Smile for camera, Muammar!
@George,
Quote:Some of those will be carrying widgets I worked on.
Smile for camera, Muammar!
Ahhh....Pavetac....able to hit the freckle on the arse of Qaddafi with a 500 lb explosion.....the yanks make beautiful equipment ....I am starting to get teary eyed.....
As the crabby thread starter, I'm still crabby, but now not that no one is paying attention (which was a miss-supposition on my part).
I agree with upstream. I don't buy it as genocide protection.
I might think this action is idiotic.
Alternately, I understand, or may do, the circumstances.
Where is Vonnegut when we need him?
We may win, with zillions more obliterated, and more hatred.
Uh oh. We're not doing it right...
Arab League criticizes allied airstrikes on Libya
Quote:Amr Moussa says the military operations have gone beyond what the Arab League backed.
Moussa has told reporters Sunday that "what happened differs from the no-fly zone objectives." He says "what we want is civilians' protection not shelling more civilians."
