Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
NATO to police Libya no-fly zone
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (4)
Slideshow
Video
Full Focus
Editor's choice
A selection of our top photos from the past 48 hours. Full Article
Follow Reuters
NATO to police Libya no-fly zone
Tweet
Share this
By Maria Golovnina and Michael Georgy
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - NATO said it would enforce a Libya no-fly zone but stopped short of taking full command of U.N.-backed military operations to protect civilians from forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar...
Email
Print
Factbox
Western military assault on Libya's Gaddafi
Thu, Mar 24 2011
Related News
France's Sarkozy: Libyans must decide Gaddafi's fate
Thu, Mar 24 2011
China reaches out to Germany on Libya
Thu, Mar 24 2011
Libya says civilians killed by Western airstrikes
Thu, Mar 24 2011
No sign Gaddafi complying with U.N. demands: Ban
Thu, Mar 24 2011
Analysis: Obama struggles on Mideast policy as crises mount
Thu, Mar 24 2011
UAE to send 12 planes to Libya mission: Sarkozy
Thu, Mar 24 2011
Analysis & Opinion
Washington Extra – Fed speak
Reuters/Ipsos poll: Obama seen as cautious commander-in-chief
Related Topics
World »
Libya »
Related Video
West strikes deep in Libya
Thu, Mar 24 2011
1 / 23
Rebel fighters walk holding weapons along the Benghazi -Ajdabiyah road near Ajdabiyah March 24, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic
By Maria Golovnina and Michael Georgy
TRIPOLI |
Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:13am EDT
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - NATO said it would enforce a Libya no-fly zone but stopped short of taking full command of U.N.-backed military operations to protect civilians from forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Western jets pounded targets in southern Libya on Thursday but failed to prevent government tanks re-entering the western city of Misrata, whose main hospital was besieged by armor and government snipers.
Western commanders hope rebel forces in eastern Libya will overthrow Gaddafi, but the return of tanks to Misrata under cover of darkness highlighted the difficulties they face in trying to force the Libyan leader to cease fire.
Rebels, who have set up an alternative government in their eastern stronghold in Benghazi, say they needed more ammunition and anti-tank weapons if they are to end Gaddafi's 41-year rule.
"We need arms and ammunition. This is our only problem," rebel military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Bani told a briefing.
France, Britain and the United States have led enforcement of the Libya no-fly zone imposed last week by the U.N. Security Council, which authorized "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians against Gaddafi's forces.
British Tornado aircraft launched missiles overnight at Libyan military vehicles which were threatening civilians in the eastern frontline town of Ajdabiyah, 150 km (90 miles) west of Benghazi, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday.
Differences over the scope the U.N. resolution gave for military action against Gaddafi's army led to days of heated arguments within NATO about its role in the operation.
Turkey has wanted to be able to use its NATO veto to limit allied operations against Libyan infrastructure and avoid casualties among Muslim civilians from coalition air raids.
France argued NATO's command structure should run day-to-day military operations, leaving political control with an ad hoc steering group of coalition members, including the Arab League.
Paris argued having NATO in full charge would erode Arab support because of U.S. unpopularity in the Arab world. After four days of argument NATO ambassadors in Brussels reached a deal of sorts.
"At this moment, there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters. The alliance's mandate did not go beyond enforcing the U.N. arms embargo and no-fly zone, he said.
A UK government spokesman said NATO's decision "to assume command and control of the no-fly zone, in addition to the arms embargo already being enforced, is a significant step forward."
The UAE's decision to contribute 12 planes to the operation was evidence of the "real and tangible" Arab role, he added.
NATO officials said a decision was expected on Sunday on whether to broaden the mandate to allow it to take command of all military operations and attack ground targets in the oil-producing country, in order to protect civilian areas threatened by Gaddafi's forces.
1
2
Next
World
Libya
Tweet this
Share this
Link this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
Comments (4)
davegrooms wrote:
Does Obama and NATO plan to protect the civilians that are being attacked by the alQaeda rebels. Photos of the alQaeda rebels indicate they have some pretty sophisticated offensive weapons. What organization is supplying the weapons? Israel or Turkey or Saudi Arabia!
Mar 24, 2011 8:56pm EDT -- Report as abuse
JamVee wrote:
It sounds more and more like the management of the coalition’s military action in Libya is a classic example of a “SNAFU”. Each of the players seems to have a different version of what the are supposed to be doing. So far, at least, it bares only a scant resemblance to the “no fly zone” which was originally intended.
Mar 24, 2011 9:18pm EDT -- Report as abuse
Mark825P wrote:
Cant say that I am upset about NATO being indecisive about who should be in command. I am not happy that so many countries are taking part in this civil.war. It really is their war and not our business, regardless of who they are trying to oust. If you support one rebel faction in one civil.war, doesnt that create an obligation to.support.rebels in other civil.wars? Answers not necessary, I am just pointing to the logic I am applying over all of this. Now they need advanced weapons. Who rushes them in to these civilians/defectors/rebels? That one you can answer.
Thanks.
Mark
Mar 24, 2011 10:23pm EDT -- Report as abuse
See All Comments »
Add Your Comment
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Friday, 25 March 2011 Turkey sees NATO deal on Libya but talks go on
|
PKK militants attack Turkish police as truce over
|
U.S. still sees Libyan handover in days
|
Morocco teachers say beaten by police during rally
|
Analysis: AT&T mega merger bad sign for spectrum reform
|
RIM issues weaker-than-expected outlook, shares down
|
GameStop sees better 2011 for games business
|
Dell says no material supply disruption from Japan
|
Media vets Brill and Crovitz sell Journalism Online
|
Best Buy shoppers shun pricey TVs; outlook dim
|
Chris Brown sorry for outburst, album heads to No.1
|
Jury selection starts in Michael Jackson doctor trial
|
Kate Winslet authors celebrity book for autism
|
Warhol's Elizabeth Taylor portrait to be auctioned
|
NATO to police Libya no-fly zone
|
Workers exposed to 10,000 times safe radiation: Japan
|
Thousands in Syria chant freedom despite reform offer
|
Brazil's housing carnival stokes bubble worries
|
Australia's ruling Labor headed for state election bloodbath
|
Chinese dissident gets 10 years for subversion
|
Quake kills 50 in Myanmar, aftershock rattles Thai north
|
Gaddafi's entourage sends out secret peace feelers
|
Apple's iPad 2 hits overseas stores after U.S. sellout
|
Google delays open access to new Android software
|
RIM's outlook disappoints, shares tumble
|
Elizabeth Taylor laid to rest at private service
|
Madonna-backed group ends plans for Malawi school
|
Sutherland refutes claim of sex in Don't Look Now
|
Jackie Chan, Hong Kong stars, set Japan benefit
|
Broadway to dim lights for Elizabeth Taylor on Friday
|
Book of Mormon fresh, funny and sweet
|
Catherine Deneuve; timid wife to tigress in Potiche
|
Johnny Depp to appear on Ricky Gervais sitcom
|
Jackson trial off to slow start with jury selection
|
Yemen's Saleh says willing to quit under conditions
|
Hundreds of Saudi Shi'ites protest in east
|
Bahrain forces quash small protests in Day of Rage
|
Iran to host new year ceremony despite dissent
|
Nearly one million Ivorians uprooted by conflict: UNHCR
|
Soaring prices stoke discontent in Sudan
|
Gates first U.S. defense chief to visit Palestinians
|
Exclusive: Stores must reach out and touch more mobile users
|
RIM shares dive as outlook signals tough road ahead
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights