Turkey agrees to NATO leading Libya NFZ

[karynnj]

Turkey had been the hold out - but now has agreed. This is good news as the US can transition out of the lead.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7489576.html

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. But everything is falling apaaaaaaart! Collapsing, I say! Collapsing!

:sarcasm:

[totodeinhere]

2. Not only that but Turkey is adding troops and equipment to the effort.

This is going to turn out to be a great foreign policy victory for President Obama.

[monmouth]

3. It really is and so many will be disappointed that it works out that way..LOL....n/t

[karynnj]

5. I would hold my breath at this point

There are so many completely uncontrollable factors that may have some calling a success or failure.

It seems clear that the coalition was able to stop what was likely to be a massacre in Benghazi. But, we only know of the massacres that actually happen. It is speculation how many would have been killed.

Even if Gadaffi leaves, the question will be what happens next - and that is true for Tunisia and Egypt too. The wave of change can end up being a start of a much better US, though I bet that the US will actually have less control - and that's a healthy thing.

The spin is horrendous - I turned on Fox briefly. Obama, they say, is weak, unengaged and the world knows this - (ignore that the rest of the world actually respects him a lot more than the strong, definitive, decisive W - and yeah, they went there.) I have been between being for it and undecided - I would love it if Obama gave a speech that laid out the risks and the reasons for getting involved - beyond the sound bites. I think their is a good policy reason likely behind this and want to hear it.

[ProSense]

4. Turkey backs NATO command of Libya operations

Al Jazeera: Turkey backs NATO command of Libya operations

Command of military operations in Libya will be transferred from the US to NATO within a day or two, Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, has announced.

Turkey had helped to implement a naval blockade of Libya, but had earlier expressed concern about the alliance taking over operational command of the UN-backed no-fly zone from the US.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Davutoglu said: "Compromise has been reached in principle in a very short time. "The operation will be handed over to NATO completely."

Davutoglu said this would happen as soon as possible, within one or two days.

<...>

[Inuca]

6. I heard Blitzer interviewing the NATO chief

Blitzer had to pull teeth to get an answer, but the bottom line is that they have agreed to be in charge of the NFZ operation, are considering the other activities allowed under the UN resolution (such as bombing tanks) and hope to reach a conclusion in a couple of days, but for the time being the "old coalition" is still in charge of what is not directly NFZ.

[former9thward]

7. People speak of NATO as if it is a separate country.

NATO is led by the U.S. and most of the time has had a U.S. commander. The "NATO" operations in both Bosnia an Kosovo in the 1990s were mainly U.S. military operations. Whether NATO takes over or not I expect U.S. military assets will be 90% of the operation.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Excellent!