Taking the lead in Libya, good job!

Has the US decided what role to play if any?

Dont know about the UK but my opinion is France went in 1st for two reasons

Total & Areva

Now comes the interesting part. Deciding who is in charge and who to blame when the PR turns bad.

______________________________________________________

International alliance divided over Libya command

By Laura Rozen

President Barack Obama, speaking in Santiago, Chile on Monday, defended his decision to order U.S. strikes against Libyan military targets, and insisted that the mission is clear.

And like a parade of Pentagon officials the past few days, Obama insisted that the United States' lead military role will be turned over—"in days, not weeks"—to an international command of which the United States will be just one part.

The only problem: None of the countries in the international coalition can yet agree on to whom or how the United States should hand off responsibilities.

The sense of urgency among White House officials to resolve the command dispute is profound: with each hour the U.S. remains in charge of yet another Middle East military intervention, Congress steps up criticism that Obama went to war in Libya without first getting its blessing, nor defining precisely what the end-game will be. (On Monday, Obama sent Congress official notification that he had ordered the U.S. military two days earlier to commence operations "to prevent humanitarian catastrophe" in Libya and support the international coalition implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1973.)

Below, an explainer on the military mission in Libya, the dispute over who should command it after its initial phase, and whether the military is concerned about mission creep.

Read more here... http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theenvoy/20110321/ts_yblog_theenvoy/international-alliance-divided-over-libya-command;_ylt=ApRqX2jC.P5htXkFGj8irqxvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNwOWVtMnUyBGFzc2V0A3libG9nX3RoZWVudm95LzIwMTEwMzIxL2ludGVybmF0aW9uYWwtYWxsaWFuY2UtZGl2aWRlZC1vdmVyLWxpYnlhLWNvbW1hbmQEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX3N1YmNhdF9saXN0BHNsawNpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmE-

Now comes the interesting part. Deciding who is in charge and who to blame when the PR turns bad.

PR Schmee-R

The same people laying on any criticism about action will be the same people who complain the UN is impotent when they don't take action.

Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

Now comes the interesting part. Deciding who is in charge and who to blame when the PR turns bad.

PR Schmee-R

The same people laying on any criticism about action will be the same people who complain the UN is impotent when they don't take action.

Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

I must agree 100%

I see that the French are enforcing the no-fly zone by shooting down American planes.

(Then saying 'mechanical fault').

I see that the French are enforcing the no-fly zone by shooting down American planes.

(Then saying 'mechanical fault').

That would be the first time in history the Frnech shot anything down.

I see that the French are enforcing the no-fly zone by shooting down American planes.

(Then saying 'mechanical fault').

That would be the first time in history the Frnech shot anything down.

At least this time it wasn't, as per usual, US friendly fire hitting allies.

Usually when the US military gets hit by friendly fire it is their own.

I see that the French are enforcing the no-fly zone by shooting down American planes.

(Then saying 'mechanical fault').

That would be the first time in history the Frnech shot anything down.

At least this time it wasn't, as per usual, US friendly fire hitting allies.

Usually when the US military gets hit by friendly fire it is their own.

When you're doing 98.5% of the heavy lifting that is what happens.

That's why I'm happy to see Europe finally getting more involved in these things. Especially when it is so close to their own borders. They can show the world if they have improved since the whole Bosnia-Serbia mess.

Edited March 23, 201115 yr by koheesti

I see that the French are enforcing the no-fly zone by shooting down American planes.

(Then saying 'mechanical fault').

That would be the first time in history the Frnech shot anything down.

At least this time it wasn't, as per usual, US friendly fire hitting allies.

Usually when the US military gets hit by friendly fire it is their own.

When you're doing 98.5% of the heavy lifting that is what happens.

That's why I'm happy to see Europe finally getting more involved in these things. Especially when it is so close to their own borders. They can show the world if they have improved since the whole Bosnia-Serbia mess.

I wrote too soon.....the US helicopter that went to pick up the downed crew shot up the friendlies that were assisting the crew to safety! 5 pro-US, anti-Gadaffi Libyans, helping the Americans are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!

Maybe they were shouting "Allah akbar!" at their joy at seeing the downed crew alive.....so they were shot.

That would be the first time in history the Frnech shot anything down.

At least this time it wasn't, as per usual, US friendly fire hitting allies.

Usually when the US military gets hit by friendly fire it is their own.

When you're doing 98.5% of the heavy lifting that is what happens.

That's why I'm happy to see Europe finally getting more involved in these things. Especially when it is so close to their own borders. They can show the world if they have improved since the whole Bosnia-Serbia mess.

I wrote too soon.....the US helicopter that went to pick up the downed crew shot up the friendlies that were assisting the crew to safety! 5 pro-US, anti-Gadaffi Libyans, helping the Americans are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!

Maybe they were shouting "Allah akbar!" at their joy at seeing the downed crew alive.....so they were shot.

I doubt that they were "Pro-US". Anti-Gaddafi, probably, but it isn't the same thing. BTW - you were right about one thing, they "are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!" instead of bleeding to death at the scene.

I doubt that they were "Pro-US". Anti-Gaddafi, probably, but it isn't the same thing. BTW - you were right about one thing, they "are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!" instead of bleeding to death at the scene.

And what good would that do?

When I was there the East European and Filipina nurses wouldn't let the local staff clean bedpans, let alone get near the patients. Absolutely no idea of care for others - just not in their culture.

(And don't start on about the eighth-century philosopher-medics, that was a totally different culture to present-day Libya)

I doubt that they were "Pro-US". Anti-Gaddafi, probably, but it isn't the same thing. BTW - you were right about one thing, they "are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!" instead of bleeding to death at the scene.

So....if you shoot innocent people but then take them to hospital, you're a good guy?

I venture to say that it would have been a whole lot better had they not shot them in the first place.

Maybe not totally pro-US...but certainly helping the US aircrew. I watched an interview with one of the guys in hospital.....no resentment from him, just resignation and forgiveness.

I expect that if the US steps carefully in this Libyan matter, they could actually win hearts and minds, unlike their dismal failure to achieve that in Iraq.

Unfortunately, helicopter crews shooting innocents, albeit they then ferry them to hospital (DID they ferry them to hospital??) will not help.

Seems as the Chinese have joined the fun of extended warm and fuzzy "humanitarian" efforts.

I doubt that they were "Pro-US". Anti-Gaddafi, probably, but it isn't the same thing. BTW - you were right about one thing, they "are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!" instead of bleeding to death at the scene.

So....if you shoot innocent people but then take them to hospital, you're a good guy?

I venture to say that it would have been a whole lot better had they not shot them in the first place.

Maybe not totally pro-US...but certainly helping the US aircrew. I watched an interview with one of the guys in hospital.....no resentment from him, just resignation and forgiveness.

I expect that if the US steps carefully in this Libyan matter, they could actually win hearts and minds, unlike their dismal failure to achieve that in Iraq.

Unfortunately, helicopter crews shooting innocents, albeit they then ferry them to hospital (DID they ferry them to hospital??) will not help.

Of course they showed forgiveness. In case you missed it, the rebels are known to shoot down their own planes as well. Just another day at the office for them.

I doubt that they were "Pro-US". Anti-Gaddafi, probably, but it isn't the same thing. BTW - you were right about one thing, they "are now in hospital thanks to the American helicopter crew!" instead of bleeding to death at the scene.

So....if you shoot innocent people but then take them to hospital, you're a good guy?

I venture to say that it would have been a whole lot better had they not shot them in the first place.

Maybe not totally pro-US...but certainly helping the US aircrew. I watched an interview with one of the guys in hospital.....no resentment from him, just resignation and forgiveness.

I expect that if the US steps carefully in this Libyan matter, they could actually win hearts and minds, unlike their dismal failure to achieve that in Iraq.

Unfortunately, helicopter crews shooting innocents, albeit they then ferry them to hospital (DID they ferry them to hospital??) will not help.

Of course they showed forgiveness. In case you missed it, the rebels are known to shoot down their own planes as well. Just another day at the office for them.

I somehow can't imagine the forgiveness of a US soldier if he was shot by friendly Ayrab raghead fire.

I somehow can't imagine the forgiveness of a US soldier if he was shot by friendly Ayrab raghead fire.

Chances are they really haven't a clue who the enemy might be. If they would just look over their shoulder towards Washington, they'll find the answer.