Tuesday, May 31, 2011
U.S. Killer drones for Libya
The Obama administration on Thursday authorised the use of killer drones for missile strikes against government forces in Libya, in stark contrast to a statement earlier this week that it would only provide non-lethal military equipment to rebel groups. The drone deployment also runs contrary to the United States' stand that it would tamp down its direct military involvement in Libya by handing over operational command to NATO forces.
U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday announced the induction of the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, laden with Hellfire missiles, into the NATO combat mission in Libya, describing its role as “a modest contribution”.
While the Predator was said to have already been conducting surveillance missions over Libya for a few weeks, this would mark the first time in the two-month old conflict that the drone would be deployed for air strikes against the forces of Muammar Qadhafi, the Libyan leader.
This development makes Libya the fourth country in recent history — following Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen — to become a target for Predator strikes and officials said their primary focus would be “helping rebels in the besieged city of Misrata, where a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in the last week,” reports confirmed.
In a press briefing, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the first Predator mission in Libya was due to kick off on Thursday night but was reportedly abandoned due to inclement weather. He said two patrols of drones would be deployed above Libya “at any given time,” and they would seek out Colonel Qadhafi's forces in civilian areas.
He clarified why the drones were being used now, saying, “What they will bring that is unique to the conflict is their ability to get down lower, therefore to be able to get better visibility on targets... They are uniquely suited for urban areas.”
According to sources the U.S. move reflects both the fact that there are likely to be gaps in NATO's ability to “carry out complicated, extended combat missions without continued and significant American support,” and also that the rebel forces in eastern Libya are “poorly armed, inexperienced and disorganised.”
Labels: killer drones, Libya, Muammar Qadhafi, political crisis, political turmoil, U.S.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Qadhafi needs to leave: Obama
In the strongest statement emanating from the White House United States President Barack Obama said on Friday that Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi needs to step down from power and leave.
At a joint press conference with visiting Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Mr. Obama said that given the humanitarian crisis brewing in Libya he had authorised the U.S. Aid to send humanitarian assistance teams to the Libyan border, with the intention that they would work with the United Nations and international NGOs inside Libya “to address the urgent needs of the Libyan people.”
Earlier, reports quoted António Guterres, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, saying that “the numbers of workers able to leave Tunisia were still being dwarfed by the number of those pouring in,” and describing the situation as “a logistical nightmare.”
On Thursday Mr. Obama argued that Qaddafi had lost the legitimacy to lead and he must leave, and also that in addition to halting the violence, the Libyan regime ought to ensure that those who perpetrated violence against the Libyan people were held accountable.
However Mr. Obama cautioned that there may be situations in which Qadhafi “hunkered down in his compound but the economy or food distribution systems in Tripoli, for example, [started] deteriorating.” In that case the challenge would be to figure out how the U.S. could potentially get food in there, he added.
He also warned of the danger of “a stalemate that over time could be bloody,” and said that that was something that the U.S. was considering in its assessment of the unfolding situation.
In the last week the U.S. imposed unilateral sanctions, including an assets freeze, against the Libyan government, following which the UN Security Council also imposed sanctions. Recent days have also witnessed Western military forces repositioning around Libya, primarily to assist with and humanitarian evacuations and assistance.
Additionally, following the violent crackdown by Libyan forces on protestors in Tripoli “tens of thousands of people” had had gathered at a border and to help them reach their homes the U.S. was using military and civilian aircraft, he said.
Yet the President said that his administration would reiterate the clear message that “it’s time for Qadhafi to go,” over and above a host of military and non-military actions that the U.S. would undertake along with its partners. These measures might still include the possibility of a no-fly-zone, he said, an option that U.S. officials had been discussing but thus far not committed to.
At a joint press conference with visiting Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Mr. Obama said that given the humanitarian crisis brewing in Libya he had authorised the U.S. Aid to send humanitarian assistance teams to the Libyan border, with the intention that they would work with the United Nations and international NGOs inside Libya “to address the urgent needs of the Libyan people.”
Earlier, reports quoted António Guterres, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, saying that “the numbers of workers able to leave Tunisia were still being dwarfed by the number of those pouring in,” and describing the situation as “a logistical nightmare.”
On Thursday Mr. Obama argued that Qaddafi had lost the legitimacy to lead and he must leave, and also that in addition to halting the violence, the Libyan regime ought to ensure that those who perpetrated violence against the Libyan people were held accountable.
However Mr. Obama cautioned that there may be situations in which Qadhafi “hunkered down in his compound but the economy or food distribution systems in Tripoli, for example, [started] deteriorating.” In that case the challenge would be to figure out how the U.S. could potentially get food in there, he added.
He also warned of the danger of “a stalemate that over time could be bloody,” and said that that was something that the U.S. was considering in its assessment of the unfolding situation.
In the last week the U.S. imposed unilateral sanctions, including an assets freeze, against the Libyan government, following which the UN Security Council also imposed sanctions. Recent days have also witnessed Western military forces repositioning around Libya, primarily to assist with and humanitarian evacuations and assistance.
Additionally, following the violent crackdown by Libyan forces on protestors in Tripoli “tens of thousands of people” had had gathered at a border and to help them reach their homes the U.S. was using military and civilian aircraft, he said.
Yet the President said that his administration would reiterate the clear message that “it’s time for Qadhafi to go,” over and above a host of military and non-military actions that the U.S. would undertake along with its partners. These measures might still include the possibility of a no-fly-zone, he said, an option that U.S. officials had been discussing but thus far not committed to.
Labels: Libya, Muammar Qadhafi, political crisis, political turmoil, U.S President Barack Obama, USAID
Friday, March 25, 2011
U.S., Western forces near Libya
From The Hindu
In the backdrop of continuing violence inflicted by Libyan forces against protestors in Tripoli the United States military and its European allies were reported to be repositioning naval and air assets for “various contingency plans,” including a no-fly zone and humanitarian evacuations and assistance.
Quoting unnamed Pentagon officials the Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the “range of possibilities,” included moving two aircraft carriers in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf area and that that “U.S. and NATO forces had sufficient resources in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean to take a number of actions if necessary.”
It was also reported that a U.S. destroyer had crossed through the Suez Canal over the weekend Sunday and taken up a position in the south-western Mediterranean and an amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge, with helicopters aboard, was in the Red Sea and heading toward the Canal. Anonymous official sources added that the USS Ponce amphibious assault vessel was “moving toward the area.”
The strategic repositioning by Western military forces came even as top Obama administration officials refused to rule out military intervention in Libya, given the steady deterioration in the security situation in that country.
In media interviews Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We know that this violence must end. And if we can take action that would expedite its end, we have to consider that.”
In a speech at the Human Rights Council in Geneva over the weekend she further said, “Nothing is off the table so long as the Libyan Government continues to threaten and kill Libyans.”
Similarly in a read-out of the conversation between President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper the White House said that in addition to “tough unilateral sanctions against the Libyan government,” the leaders agreed to coordinate closely in consideration of “other options should they become necessary.”
Susan Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN said in a briefing that the UN Security Council’s unanimous adoption of Resolution 1970 implied that “a tough and binding set of sanctions” would be aimed at stopping the Libyan regime from killing its own people.
Not only would the resolution refer the situation in Libya directly to the International Criminal Court and include a travel ban and assets freeze on key Libyan leaders, she said, but it would also impose a complete arms embargo on Libya and take new steps against the use of mercenaries by the Libyan government to attack its own people.
Action against the Libyan regime by the U.S. and its allies has intensified following reports that the Qadhafi regime attempted to “direct certain actions from the air against targets on the land,” in the words of Ms. Clinton.
The Secretary suggested in a media interview that while such reports of the Libyan authorities’ use of helicopters to attack ground targets could strengthen the case for imposing a no-fly zone, the drawback of doing so was that “sometimes absolutely horrible regimes decide that that means it is [acceptable] to open fire on the ground.”
In the backdrop of continuing violence inflicted by Libyan forces against protestors in Tripoli the United States military and its European allies were reported to be repositioning naval and air assets for “various contingency plans,” including a no-fly zone and humanitarian evacuations and assistance.
Quoting unnamed Pentagon officials the Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the “range of possibilities,” included moving two aircraft carriers in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf area and that that “U.S. and NATO forces had sufficient resources in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean to take a number of actions if necessary.”
It was also reported that a U.S. destroyer had crossed through the Suez Canal over the weekend Sunday and taken up a position in the south-western Mediterranean and an amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge, with helicopters aboard, was in the Red Sea and heading toward the Canal. Anonymous official sources added that the USS Ponce amphibious assault vessel was “moving toward the area.”
The strategic repositioning by Western military forces came even as top Obama administration officials refused to rule out military intervention in Libya, given the steady deterioration in the security situation in that country.
In media interviews Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We know that this violence must end. And if we can take action that would expedite its end, we have to consider that.”
In a speech at the Human Rights Council in Geneva over the weekend she further said, “Nothing is off the table so long as the Libyan Government continues to threaten and kill Libyans.”
Similarly in a read-out of the conversation between President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper the White House said that in addition to “tough unilateral sanctions against the Libyan government,” the leaders agreed to coordinate closely in consideration of “other options should they become necessary.”
Susan Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN said in a briefing that the UN Security Council’s unanimous adoption of Resolution 1970 implied that “a tough and binding set of sanctions” would be aimed at stopping the Libyan regime from killing its own people.
Not only would the resolution refer the situation in Libya directly to the International Criminal Court and include a travel ban and assets freeze on key Libyan leaders, she said, but it would also impose a complete arms embargo on Libya and take new steps against the use of mercenaries by the Libyan government to attack its own people.
Action against the Libyan regime by the U.S. and its allies has intensified following reports that the Qadhafi regime attempted to “direct certain actions from the air against targets on the land,” in the words of Ms. Clinton.
The Secretary suggested in a media interview that while such reports of the Libyan authorities’ use of helicopters to attack ground targets could strengthen the case for imposing a no-fly zone, the drawback of doing so was that “sometimes absolutely horrible regimes decide that that means it is [acceptable] to open fire on the ground.”
Labels: Libya, Libyan forces, political crisis, political turmoil, Qadhafi, western forces
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