US commander warns of Libya stalemate = Mike Mullen says ousting Gaddafi is not the goal

[L. Coyote]

No fly zone? Only if you are Libyan!! The French are flying.
"French air planes are over Benghazi as we speak" Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff

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US commander warns of Libya stalemate
Mike Mullen says ousting Gaddafi is not the goal of the military operation in Libya, but a no-fly zone is now in place.
20 Mar 2011 18:08 =
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/03/201132015244765379.html


Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, has said the military operation in Libya called for by the UN Security Council is not aimed at regime change - adding that a "stalemate" could well exist, leaving Muammar Gaddafi in power.

The 64-year-old admiral also said that no-fly zone had "effectively been established", as Gaddafi's planes had not taken to the skies following Saturday's overnight shelling of dozens of targets in northern Libya.

Anti-aircraft fire was also heard in the Libyan capital on Sunday night, indicating a second wave of incoming jets. Tracer rounds and machine-gun fire was also heard, though there has been no confirmation yet of further attacks.

"In the first 24 hours, operations have established the no-fly zone. French air planes are over Benghazi as we speak and will do that on a 24/7 basis. The operations have taken out some ground forces near Benghazi, taken out air defences, some of his control nodes, some of his airfields, I don’t have all damage assessments, but so far very very effective," he said.

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