US 'to tone down role in Libya'

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News 21 March 2011 Last updated at 21:29

President Barack Obama has said the US will transfer its leading role on Libya "within days" to ensure the burden of enforcing a UN resolution against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is shared.

He said Nato would play a co-ordinating role but differences remain within the organisation, with France and Turkey opposed to Nato taking the lead.



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12813757

[David__77]

1. So that's a formal thing? I don't think it will work.

No one seems to want to own this thing. Maybe Britain and France, who were frothing at the mouth for weeks, will own it. They should.

[Abq_Sarah]

3. Everyone who signed on to it owns it

You don't get to suddenly step back and pretend it's not yours after you fire over 100 tomahawk missiles.

[David__77]

5. Oh I do agree.

But I do think that no country is eager to be identified as the leading center for this thing. I would think France would, but it seems not. I just hope "pulling back" means militarily and not profile-wise.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. From the NYT: Confusion Over Who Leads Libya Strikes, and for How Long

PARIS — As the military operation continued over Libya on Monday, there was some confusion about which country or organization is actually leading it, and for how long. France, Britain and the United States are in charge of their own operations, which each have different code names.

The participants are being “coordinated” by the United States, but not commanded by it, according to the French Defense Ministry. The Americans, with the most assets, seem to be the lead coordinator, but Washington has said it wants to step back after the initial phase and have NATO take charge of maintaining a no-fly zone and arms embargo.

Britain wants NATO to take over but France does not, and Italy is threatening to rethink its participation unless NATO takes command.

In London, Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament that the intention is to turn over command for the international force implementing a no-fly zone to NATO. “Let me explain how the coalition will work — it’s operating under U.S. command with the intention that this will transfer to NATO,” Mr. Cameron said. That would allow all NATO allies who wanted to participate to do so. “Clearly the mission would benefit from that and from using NATO’s tried-and-tested machinery in command and control,” he said.

But France objects to turning Libya into a NATO operation, arguing from the start that Arab countries do not want a NATO label on the mission. Foreign Minister Alain Juppé said in Brussels on Monday that “the Arab League does not wish the operation to be entirely placed under NATO responsibility. It isn’t NATO which has taken the initiative up to now.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/world/africa/22nato.html?src=twrhp

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Have you read the description of the extent of support by the rest of this group?

It's pretty god damn thin. Looks like Uncle Sam has got himself in a terrible jam again.

[Baclava]

6. UAE and Qatar still sending their fighter jets?

Arab League needs to get their hands dirty.

What are they saying?