How easy is is for the Arabs to sit back, call for action and then criticize the action. So far they have no skin in the game. Admiral Mullen said this morning that he expected aircraft from some of the Arab states to be in position in a few days. A few days?? They are already in position. Coaltion? What coalition?
Seriously was the West had? At least the coalition of the willing ( Iraq) held together longer than 48 hours.
This just proves that Bush was right. You have to go with whomever you can get to go with you because the UN will never, can never, act due to the China/Russian veto.(or French veto if Chirac is in charge)
What kind of news source is this? Debkafile? It doesn't look like there has been any change in the coalition. The United States never claimed to have full support of the Arab nations, only some of them, whose number has not changed. Moussa also resigned as Arab League Secretary-General in February, so I don't see how his indecisiveness is relevant.
Washington Post laid out the dynamics of the story better, but it's still unclear exactly which countries have shifted support and who Moussa speaks for. I guess he is still the Arab League Secretrary-General, even though he's announced his resignation, so that's significant.
I thought the Arab League only asked for a "no fly zone" to be enforced... Now it has morphed into UN sanctioned air strikes of strategic sites. So, it again appears the US is participating in another action that appears to have no support among Arabs. Fantastic. How long before we start hitting moving tanks or Libyan forces? Only matter of time before it then changes to "we must take Quadaffi out." One could argue seeing it escalate to UN troops on the ground to support rebels, although, i don't think it will come to that. Or at least i hope not. When is the last time the US dipped it's toe in the pool and didn't eventually do a full gainer into the deep end? Our government borrowing more money to fight a battle that has no impact on American lives. ****, if we are going to spend like drunken sailors can we at least spend it on ourselves?
yo "I thought the Arab League only asked for a "no fly zone" to be enforced" this is not meant as a snark but how do you create and then enforce a no fly zone? in an area with Libyan integrated air an defense systems?
2000 thank you but if we and the rest are to be believed all we have targeted so far are air defenses. We only have Gaddhi's word that 60 civilians were killed.Could it have happened? Of course but how did the Arab World think a no fly zone is created? I remember how quick the media was to believe Iraqi claims that the coalition had killed innocent civilians and we see Pakistan and Afghanistan accuse us of this nearly everyday. Clearly Libya learned how to wage a public relations fight and the Arab League has bought into it.
yo asi understand a No Fly zone it means the enemy can't fly in a protected area( No fly zone) while the friendlies can Since Lobya has air defense and missile capability which would have been able to take out coalition aircraft the 'coalition" would have had to make the area safe of its' own planes hence the missile and other strikes A real military person can explain it better and correct me if I am wrong Edit to ask Yo If I read your post correctly you think w should wait until Libyan planes flew near the rebels and then have our planes attack them? That wouldn't be very smart. to have our planes fly into areas with Libyan missile defenses. Isn't the object to prevent Libyan planes from being ab le to fly over rebel held areas?
Apparently the UN res calls for a no fly zone AND to protect the rebels and civilians from the Gaddafi military.
just to keep the OP and other concerned posters who were very worried about the cracks in the coalition updated: The Link <---Arab League Backs U.N. Action in Libya, Assured on Civilian Protections - March 22, 2011