US ending its air combat role in Libya

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hYvZVKQ3pX1rW738tx-6ux9wSBNQ?docId=f006ae9728d946baafc577046014db76

(AP) – 38 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is about to pull its attack planes out of the international air campaign in Libya, hoping NATO partners can take up the slack. Obama's poll numbers would exit freefall. (Fixed that!)

The announcement Thursday drew incredulous reactions from some in Congress who wondered aloud why the Obama administration would bow out of a key element of the strategy for protecting Libyan civilians and crippling Moammar Gadhafi's army.

"Odd," ''troubling" and "unnerving" were among critical comments by senators pressing for an explanation of the announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen that American combat missions will end Saturday.

"Your timing is exquisite," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said sarcastically, alluding to Gadhafi's military advances this week.

Gates and Mullen, in back-to-back appearances before the House and Senate armed services committees, also forcefully argued against putting the U.S. in the role of arming or training Libyan rebel forces, while suggesting it might be a job for Arab or other countries.
...

[DXDoug]

Unless some one gives the rebels a couple of F-n nukes there is 0(ZERO) chance that they will win. They are out gunned out Numbered and NEVER gonna win with out a Foriegn country invading to take out gadifa or watever his name is.

So with that being so WTF was obama thinking with a no-fly zone and all that bs.

his advisers must be more dumb then dick cheney, an all the pre-iraq war intel.

looks like we f-d relations with another country and another and another, soon we will be all alone, besides the un. which isnt much without us

agree?

[nobody's_hero]

Well, if true, this sucks for the credibility of people who said Libya would be the start of another long conflict.

I was worried this might happen, in a way. Now Obama will say that limited conflicts can happen and it'll be an even greater excuse to get involved around the world.

[Humanae Libertas]

April Fool's?

[tangent4ronpaul]

April Fool's?

Fortunately, no.

Well, sort of. The article continues:

Mullen and Gates stressed that even though powerful combat aircraft like the side-firing AC-130 gunship and the A-10 Thunderbolt, used for close air support of friendly ground forces, will stop flying after Saturday, they will be on standby. Mullen said this means that if the rebels' situation become "dire enough," NATO's top commander could request help from the U.S. aircraft. The U.S. also has used Marine AV-8B Harrier attack jets as well as Air Force F-15 fighters and B-2 and B-1 long-range bombers.

As of Sunday, France, Britain and other NATO countries will handle the task of conducting airstrikes on Libyan military targets, Mullen said. The remaining U.S. role will be support missions such as aerial refueling, search and rescue, and aerial reconnaissance. It was not immediately clear whether the U.S. would continue attacks with Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have been fired regularly from Navy ships and submarines in the Mediterranean from the opening moments of the campaign on March 19.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., suggested the pullback might jeopardize congressional support for the Libya mission.

"The idea that the AC-130s and the A-10s and American air power is grounded unless the place goes to hell is just so unnerving that I can't express it adequately," Graham said. "The only thing I would ask is, please reconsider that."

Asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., whether he was confident that NATO could sustain airstrikes alone, Gates replied, "They certainly have made that commitment, and we will see."

====

So it's kind of like Obama's claim that we are no longer in Iraq.

Basically, we are officially not doing air strikes in Libya, but unofficially the planes are on alert and will go anytime NATO calls and says they need them.

Typical political double talk.

This also probably has something to do with Gaddafi's troops ditching their uniforms and mil transport so they look like civilians and can't be targeted.

-t

[nayjevin]

Basically, we are officially not doing air strikes in Libya, but unofficially the planes are on alert and will go anytime NATO calls and says they need them.

Typical political double talk.

That makes sense, looks like a headline to sway some folks who aren't paying much attention. Hey, for that matter maybe change this thread title to 'allegedly'?

[vita3]

& I'm supposed to believe Headlines??

April Fools Sheeps

[dean.engelhardt]

You can put a NATO patch on a US soldier and spray paint NATO on a F-18, but they are still paid for US taxpayer.

[awake]

Ya, OK. This tactic is simply a jersey change; take off the one that says USA and put on the one that says NATO. The same people will be running the show with the U.S. military as the primary executor. Obama Lies.

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-01/libyan-rebels-seek-cease-fire-after-u-s-vows-to-withdraw-jets.html

Libyan Rebels Seek Cease-Fire After U.S. Vows to Withdraw Jets

April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Libya’s opposition called for a cease-fire after the U.S. said it’s withdrawing aircraft used to attack Muammar Qaddafi’s forces following adverse weather that prevented strikes allowing Libyan loyalists to push back rebels.

Libya’s rebels would accept a cease-fire if their demands for freedoms are met, said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council, during a news conference televised today from their stronghold of Benghazi. Any agreement would have to involve Qaddafi’s fighters withdrawing from cities and their surrounding areas, he said.

...

[IDefendThePlatform]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-01/libyan-rebels-seek-cease-fire-after-u-s-vows-to-withdraw-jets.html

Libyan Rebels Seek Cease-Fire After U.S. Vows to Withdraw Jets

April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Libya’s opposition called for a cease-fire after the U.S. said it’s withdrawing aircraft used to attack Muammar Qaddafi’s forces following adverse weather that prevented strikes allowing Libyan loyalists to push back rebels.

Libya’s rebels would accept a cease-fire if their demands for freedoms are met, said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council, during a news conference televised today from their stronghold of Benghazi. Any agreement would have to involve Qaddafi’s fighters withdrawing from cities and their surrounding areas, he said.

...

Holy S***! We withdrew and it lead to peace? So that's how that works.....


I'm jumping the gun a little, but it looks like a better possibility than it did 24 hrs ago.

[acptulsa]

So, now we know why Da Prez didn't go up The Hill like the Constitiution says. He was trying to give them cover. He wants them to come up with plausible denial.

So, he had to act like an evil dictator so we won't hate the people in Congress who never get the chance to represent us. Not that the Congressional leadership isn't complicit--sure, we can talk about the war just as long as we shut those Pauls up and prevent anything like, say, substantive debate on the subject.

And, hey, we said it was all over, so relax. Nothing in harm's way but AWACS, tankers, gunships--you know, the stuff Europe is no longer imperialistic enough to keep around.

Well, just as long as they still hate us because we're free, then I guess we're still free. Right..?

[DXDoug]

and if the regime doesnt want a cease fire and wants to squash and kill the rebels?? then wat? i guess its a waiting game now..

[specsaregood]

Well, if true, this sucks for the credibility of people who said Libya would be the start of another long conflict.


Not necessarily. Remember that little event called the desert storm? What happened at the end of that to the "rebels"? How long did our military stay there after that event enforcing a "noflyzone"?

[acptulsa]

Hint: No one flew over Iraq without U.S. permission throughout the eight years of the Clinton presidency.

[specsaregood]

Hint: No one flew over Iraq without U.S. permission throughout the eight years of the Clinton presidency.

What about the second part? What happened to the rebels who were assured of a quick end to saddam by our CIA?

[acptulsa]

What about the second part? What happened to the rebels who were assured of a quick end to saddam by our CIA?

When? If they were assured of that lately, they got patronage jobs according to their ability to 'play ball'. If they were told that back in the 'Nineties, Saddam's sons tortured them to death.

[specsaregood]

When? If they were assured of that lately, they got patronage jobs according to their ability to 'play ball'. If they were told that back in the 'Nineties, Saddam's sons tortured them to death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War#The_end_of_active_hostilities



The end of active hostilities
Civilians and coalition military forces wave Kuwaiti and Saudi Arabian flags as they celebrate the retreat of Iraqi forces from Kuwait as a result of Operation Desert StormIn Iraqi territory that was occupied by the coalition, a peace conference was held where a ceasefire agreement was negotiated and signed by both sides. At the conference, Iraq was approved to fly armed helicopters on their side of the temporary border, ostensibly for government transit due to the damage done to civilian infrastructure. Soon after, these helicopters and much of the Iraqi armed forces were used to fight a Shi'ite uprising in the south. The rebellions were encouraged by an airing of "The Voice of Free Iraq" on 2 February 1991, which was broadcast from a CIA run radio station out of Saudi Arabia. The Arabic service of the Voice of America supported the uprising by stating that the rebellion was large, and that they soon would be liberated from Saddam.


Whoops.

[Carehn]

i'v been rooting for Gaddafi all along. Not that hes my ideal form of government but at this point war is unstoppable and its like watching a football game i don't care about. Always pick the underdog.

Besides, out of all the evil crazy dictators out there, Gaddafi is the one that make that shit look good. Gotta love the gold aviators. You know the rims are solid gold. They guy has stile.

[DXDoug]

i'v been rooting for Gaddafi all along. Not that hes my ideal form of government but at this point war is unstoppable and its like watching a football game i don't care about. Always pick the underdog.

Besides, out of all the evil crazy dictators out there, Gaddafi is the one that make that shit look good. Gotta love the gold aviators. You know the rims are solid gold. They guy has stile.

EXACTLY! i just want to see obamas face when EVEERYTHING He and nato has done is useless

[cswake]

You guys are kidding yourselves, they will eventually double-down on "regime change". If they back-off now and let the "evil dictator" solidify control, then it will mean that they have admitted that the original effort wasted money and lives.

[jmdrake]

Well, if true, this sucks for the credibility of people who said Libya would be the start of another long conflict.

I was worried this might happen, in a way. Now Obama will say that limited conflicts can happen and it'll be an even greater excuse to get involved around the world.

Don't fall into the Jonah trap. What do I mean by that? Jonah didn't want to prophesy about the destruction of Nineveh because he knew that if they repented God would decide not to destroy them and his prophecy would become false. So he got angry God didn't destroy Nineveh instead of being happy that the people repented. It's been widely reported that this is the least popular military action in modern history. If Obama is indeed backing down, that tells us that if a war becomes generally unpopular enough maybe, just maybe the PTB may relent. I see that as good news period.

[HOLLYWOOD]

After the offensive war against Libya sharply deepens Muslim hatred for the United States and its allies, Washington will be bemoan this fact as an unintended consequence and Secretary Clinton will blame it on bad public diplomacy. Nonsense. Intensifying Muslim hatred for the West — and especially for the U.S. government — was easily predictable before the first cruise missile landed near Tripoli. And this is something that “mad- dog Qaddafi” and Osama bin Laden knew with certainty, even if all the genius Ivy Leaguers who infest, confuse, and debilitate Washington did not. - Michael SheuerAll of this Federal Government nonsense and with all their advisory and consulting institutes, foundations, and wedge drivers targeting .GOV... It's the morons listening to opportunists and their hypotheticals of New World Order expansionist indoctrination.

Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review(QDDR) and Liberal Intergovernmentalism gameplans are running full speed. Operations head puppet, Hillary Clinton and the ambitious Department of State goal of global growth/control and Imperialism expansion. If we get a few more billion barrels of oil and cubic feet of NATGAS in the process, all the better. <sarcasm>

PS: Look for the DHS' Quadrennial Homeland Security Review operational plans to be instituted in your community soon.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Obama probably just got the "memo" that we are supporting terrorists so he's going to play the 2 sides like a yo-yo, letting one side wipe out the other, then intervene so other side can wipe out who was winning, then pull out support and let the genocide roll!

This "Nobel Peace Prize winner"(sic) sure knows how to carry out "humanitarian" operations /sarcasm

[nobody's_hero]

Not necessarily. Remember that little event called the desert storm? What happened at the end of that to the "rebels"? How long did our military stay there after that event enforcing a "noflyzone"?

True. It isn't over yet.

[nobody's_hero]

Don't fall into the Jonah trap. What do I mean by that? Jonah didn't want to prophesy about the destruction of Nineveh because he knew that if they repented God would decide not to destroy them and his prophecy would become false. So he got angry God didn't destroy Nineveh instead of being happy that the people repented. It's been widely reported that this is the least popular military action in modern history. If Obama is indeed backing down, that tells us that if a war becomes generally unpopular enough maybe, just maybe the PTB may relent. I see that as good news period.

That's true. And I would be happy that the military action has stopped, believe me.

But I also see the possibility of a battered-voter (like battered-wives, you know?) syndrome emerging. 'Voters so disappointed in Obama for starting this violent action suddenly fall at his feet in worship over his undoing it.' I'm not talking about RPF, I'm talking about the general public. I'll wait until I see his approval rating go back up, but I won't be surprised if a situation like this happens.

It's like me punching you with my right hand 5 times in a row, and then using my left hand to reach over and 'stop' my right hand from landing a 6th time. Then, there's a honeymoon phase.

[acptulsa]

But I also see the possibility of a battered-voter (like battered-wives, you know?) syndrome emerging.

Only if we let up on the propaganda front. They're bitten; we can keep them twice shy.

Besides, no way we're out of there before the election. We have a nation to mold and make servile.

[ds21089]

The Pentagon will soon stop firing Tomahawk cruise missiles against Libya, in addition to pulling its attack planes out of the international air campaign, two U.S. defense officials said Friday.


They made no mention of putting the Tomahawk-firing ships and subs on standby as well. But the U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military planning, said the Pentagon won't fire the powerful long-range missiles unless the situation changes.

All they said is they are stopping a few specific forms of attacks. I hear no numbers on ground troops? Just because we are decreasing certain things doesn't mean we aren't increasing others. I'm not going to be happy until all of our troops are home (from all of these useless wars)


Mullen and Gates stressed that even though powerful combat aircraft like the side-firing AC-130 gunship and the A-10 Thunderbolt, used for close air support of friendly ground forces, will stop flying after Saturday, they will be on standby. Mullen said this means that if the rebels' situation become "dire enough," NATO's top commander could request help from the U.S. aircraft.

So we had aircrafts there all along in support of ground troops when Obama "had no intentions of using ground troops." This is definitely FAR from over. When they add lines like "if it becomes dire enough", you know they will either create that dire situation themselves or fake it via the MSM.

[JCLibertarian]

Is the CIA ending it's role in Libya? We are already in a ground war. This move is for show, but we are really more intimately involved than any other country at this point. France and England have not stopped their air campaign, and we are leading the way on the ground in a undeclared war run by the CIA.

[JCLibertarian]

bump

[Carehn]

Gaddafi / Sheen 2012 baby!!!

[acptulsa]

Air combat in Libya is over, now that their air force is scrap titanium. At least, we hope they don't find a way to shoot down one of our AWACS...

[angelatc]

[ Any agreement would have to involve Qaddafi’s fighters withdrawing from cities and their surrounding areas, he said.

...

Not convinced that Qadaffi is going to agree to withdraw from his own cities.....

[acptulsa]

Not convinced that Qadaffi is going to agree to withdraw from his own cities.....

...and until he does or we stomp him out our AWACS will be in Libyan airspace. The Europeans seem to be deficient in the category. But this isn't air combat because (we hope) no one can shoot at them.

[MelissaWV]

Well, if true, this sucks for the credibility of people who said Libya would be the start of another long conflict.

I was worried this might happen, in a way. Now Obama will say that limited conflicts can happen and it'll be an even greater excuse to get involved around the world.

Yes, and combat troops are out of Iraq.

You're right, though, that there's going to be a superficial impression that we went in, helped liberate Libya, and then got out all in the blink of an eye.

*sighs*

[tangent4ronpaul]

...and until he does or we stomp him out our AWACS will be in Libyan airspace. The Europeans seem to be deficient in the category. But this isn't air combat because (we hope) no one can shoot at them.

You forgot aerial tankers and EW aircraft. Those are not grounded.

-t

[acptulsa]

You forgot aerial tankers and EW aircraft. Those are not grounded.

-t

But, of course, this isn't air combat because no Sidewinders, AMRAAM or 20mm ammo is in use. No air-to-air ordnance, no air combat, right? So, all those dead people down there on the ground didn't die in air combat. So, did they die in ground combat? No, because when we killed them we weren't on the ground.

Maybe this isn't combat at all. Maybe it's just Urban Renewal with collateral damage.