http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/nato-takes-sole-control-libya-air-operat
NATO Takes Sole Control of Libya Air Operations Thursday, March 31, 2011 By Slobodan Lekic, Associated Press <http://www.cnsnews.com/image/libya-turmoil> libya turmoil Anti-Gaddafi gunmen celebrate the freedom of the Libyan city of Benghazi, Libya, on Sunday Feb. 27, 2011. President Barack Obama has called on Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi to leave power immediately, saying he has lost the legitimacy to rule with his violent crackdown on his own people. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) Brussels (AP) - NATO assumed command of all air operations over Libya early Thursday, taking over from the U.S., which had been eager to be rid of that responsibility. Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the transition was completed at 0600GMT (2 a.m. EDT) Thursday, giving NATO sole responsibility for all aerial and naval operations in the region. NATO now commands the international force that has been bombarding forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. A rebellion against Gadhafi's 42-year rule erupted last month, and international forces including the U.S., France and Britain stepped in March 19, just as it appeared Gadhafi was on the verge of crushing the revolt. Gadhafi's forces were heavily bombarded, effectively turning the U.S.-led air assaults into an unacknowledged aerial arm of the ragtag rebel force fighting the government's army. The NATO operation -- code-named Unified Protector -- includes enforcement of a U.N. Security Council resolution mandating an arms embargo on Libya, enforcement of a no-fly zone and the protection of civilians from Gadhafi's troops. "In line with the mandate ... NATO's focus is on protecting civilians and civilian-populated areas against the threat of attack," Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement. The takeover comes at a sensitive moment in the war between the rebels and loyalist forces. On Wednesday, Gadhafi's ground troops recaptured a strategic oil town and moved within striking distance of another major eastern city, nearly reversing the gains rebels made since the international airstrikes began. The battlefield setbacks will likely increase calls for the international community to supply weapons to the lightly armed rebels, something NATO officials have said would run counter to the U.N. arms embargo. The operation will be commanded by Canadian Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard from NATO's operational center in Naples, Italy. There was no word on how many airplanes and military staff would be involved, but officials say dozens of fighters, fighter-bombers, air refueling tankers, AWACS surveillance planes, maritime patrol aircraft and search-and-rescue helicopters will likely be required for the operation. They will be based at a string of NATO bases along the Mediterranean, including Italy, France, Greece and Turkey. "The transfer of authority on air assets is now complete," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said. "Everything that has been offered to us has been handed over. "NATO is the only one issuing operational orders for the international effort," she added. NATO's governing body, the North Atlantic Council, has approved the alliance's operations for up to three months. That period could be extended if necessary, officials said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [email protected]. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [email protected] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
