Arab countries on the sidelines in Libya campaign

[Lasher]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON — As America's NATO allies shoulder a greater share of the air war in Libya, the Arab countries that urged the U.N. Security Council to impose a no-fly zone are missing from the action.

Except for the small Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, which is expected to start flying air patrols over Libya by this weekend, no other members of the 22-member Arab League have so far publicly committed to taking an active role. The U.S. has sold many of these countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, billions of dollars in sophisticated military gear over the past decade to help counter Iran's power in the region.

Nearly a week into the campaign to prevent Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces from attacking civilians, the United States increased the pressure on its NATO allies to take command of the campaign, suggesting the U.S. might even step away from its leadership role in a few days, even with the conflict's outcome in doubt.

Despite the threat, officials said there was no absolute deadline to hand over frontline control to other countries, or for an end to all U.S. participation. Still, with the costs of the campaign growing by the day and members of Congress raising complaints over the goals in Libya, the Obama administration wants its allies to take the lead role soon.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42237925/ns/politics

[iwishiwas]

1. How about they at least pay for the jet fuel??/

[Lasher]

2. My guess is, some of them will soon un-approve of this action, now that we're committed.

To deflect criticism from themselves in their own countries.

[cstanleytech]

3. Well hopefully we arent fully commited then and if

they do that we could hopefully get out fast enough and tell them to do it themselves.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. K&R

"You can't make deals with terra-ists." Not even the ones with Rs in front of their names.

[Lasher]

6. Our good buddies the Saudis are too busy to help out in Libya.

They're helping crush an uprising in Bahrain - one that's similar to the one we're supporting in Libya. Can't expect them to get involved in more than one conflict at a time, that would be crazy.

[Overseas]

5. Sad K&R.

I wanted them to be in the lead, with no US military action.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Kick...

We can always afford guns, but not butter.

[Lasher]

8. I see where Turkey is sending 1 submarine, 4 frigates & 1 auxiliary ship

But Turkey is not a member of the Arab League who voted for everybody else (and not them with one exception) to get involved in this mess.

[displacedvermoter]

9. No planes, though.

[Lasher]

10. Nope, none of that front-line air combat stuff

Most other nations think it's a great idea for us to handle most of this for them.

US pressures allies to command Libya mission

WASHINGTON – Anxious to reduce its front-line air combat role in Libya, the Obama administration pressed Thursday for the allies who first pushed for the campaign to come up with a workable alternative.

In Ankara, Turkey, state-run TV quoted Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying Turkey's objections concerning NATO's role had been met and NATO would indeed take command. No official action on such a switch was immediately announced.

<snip>

Up to now the U.S has played the dominant role.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, there were 175 air missions — including noncombat flights — in the Libya operation, according to Pentagon figures. Of that total, 65 percent were flown by U.S. planes and 35 percent were flown by allied aircraft. Three days earlier, the U.S. made 87 percent of the flights compared with 13 percent by allied aircraft.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_re_us/us_us_libya