Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 12:02:00 PM CET
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 5)
The news of Day 5 is that the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force “no longer exists as a fighting force”, a statement that impressed both media and public opinion and that was frantically retweeted on Twitter from around 16.00GMT (I’m still getting the “breaking news” around 23.50GMT). Actually, we already knew that Libyans had a largely obsolete fleet flown by scarcely trained crews and that they were equipped with a variety of old Soviet surface-to-air weaponry meaning that I didn’t expect LARAF to be as effective as it could be in the ’70s or ’80s to pose a real threat to the coalition planes. So, when I read the words the commander of Royal Air Force Operation Bellamy had said in Gioia del Colle during a visit to the RAF detachment, I didn’t find them particularly interesting. What I really found noteworthy were his next words (widely underrated and omitted): “….his integrated air defense system and command and control networks are severely degraded to the point that we can operate with near impunity across Libya”.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 12:00:00 PM CET
Nato command disagreement as French minister says Libya operation not long-term
Britain and France will display a united front in their offensive against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime when EU leaders meet later today.
However, their latest summit in Brussels comes after three fraught days of talks at Nato headquarters, which have failed to resolve deep rifts over operational and political strategy for running the no-fly zone.
Late last night, Nato ambassadors gave up a third attempt to agree who should lead on-going military operations.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 10:45:00 AM CET
NATO have just begun their fourth-straight day of negotiations to determine whether and how NATO can assume command of the military intervention against Gaddafi.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 10:12:00 AM CET
No agreement over Nato command: Britain and France will display a united front in their...
Britain and France will display a united front in their offensive against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime when EU leaders meet later today.
However, their latest summit in Brussels comes after three fraught days of talks at Nato headquarters, which have failed to resolve deep rifts over operational and political strategy for running the no-fly zone.
Late last night, Nato ambassadors gave up a third attempt to agree who should lead on-going military operations.
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Topic: nuclear power - on March 24, 2011 at 8:26:00 AM CET
helicopter video #3 deshaked & slow motion
Brennstäbe sind dünner als die weißen Stäbe, die man da rumliegen sieht.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 8:21:00 AM CET
Libya rebels coordinating with West on air assault
Leaders of the opposition national council, in Benghazi and in Europe, are helping allied commanders identify targets for strikes. Allied officials walk a fine line as the U.N. mandate bars them from actively helping the rebels in their goal to oust Moammar Kadafi.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 7:44:00 AM CET
Libya is NOT in a civil war. #Gaddafi troops are foreign mercenaries.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 7:41:00 AM CET
Sanctions in 72 hours: How the U.S. pulled off a major freeze of Libyan assets
The Treasury Department team had been working nonstop on a plan to freeze Libyan assets in U.S. banks, hoping they might snare $100 million or more and prevent Moammar Gaddafi from tapping it as he unleashed deadly attacks against protesters who wanted him gone.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 7:38:00 AM CET
Allied air strikes secure Misrata for rebels
Nearly 12 hours of allied air strikes have broken the Libyan regime's five-day bloody assault on the key rebel-held town of Misrata.
Residents said the aerial bombardment destroyed tanks and artillery and sent many of Muammar Gaddafi's forces fleeing from Misrata, ending a siege and attack by the regime that cost nearly 100 lives from random shelling, snipers and bitter street fighting.
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Topic: War and Peace News - on March 24, 2011 at 7:33:00 AM CET
Libya's biggest tribe joins march of reconciliation to Benghazi
Bani Walid looks like any Libyan town with its breezeblock houses, unpaved streets and giant posters of Muammar Gaddafi. But it is famous for resisting Italian colonialism and as the centre of the country's biggest tribe, which is now anxious to be seen as a loyal pillar of the regime.
With more than a million members, Warfalla live all over Libya, including in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. The tribe's geographical distribution means it is well-placed to help heal bitter divisions by joining a peaceful "green march" to the eastern city to promote reconciliation and avoid the Korea-style partition of the country many fear.
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