Airstrikes by U.S. in Libya continue despite announced shift to support role

[tekisui]

Source: LA Times

U.S. warplanes have bombed three ground targets in Libya since the Obama administration announced early this month that America was shifting to a support role in the NATO-led air campaign, the Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday.

Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, said that U.S. fighter jets have attacked Libyan air defense sites as part of the no-fly zone imposed last month under a United Nations mandate to deter attacks against civilians by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi.

Administration officials have said previously that the U.S. had halted strike sorties on April 4, several days after turning over command of the air campaign to the NATO alliance, and that attacks on Libyan tanks and other ground units would be handled by aircraft from Britain, France and other allies.

But the limited U.S. role has grown increasingly controversial in recent days.

more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/sc-dc-0414-libya-airstrikes-20110413,0,6095912.story

[Jamastiene]

1. Well, that is how they craftily maneuver and tell the truth...

in a way that most people do not catch. So, the US is not "leading" any more. That doesn't mean we aren't mired down in another fucking war. We are still there, just not leading. Tricky language, isn't it? It's amazing the numbers of people who will fall for it too.

[thereismore]

2. Support role? Define support. nt

[tiny elvis]

5. air support

a no fly zone in battle is called air supremacy
destroying air defense sites is needed to maintain air supremacy
unopposed air power in battle is more decisive than superior ground forces
if the few rebels are driven into hiding or scattered, we can continue to bomb and at least claim a stalemate

[Marblehead]

3. Our pilots love what they do...

kill people

[JoePhilly]

4. They always said that, at times, the US would help if needed.

It was stated as part of the hand over.

[PurityOfEssence]

6. It's war. Nobody seems to mind: it's all a comfy, far-removed, casual kind of thing

That's one of my deepest fears: the cheapening of intervention to the point of it being so commonplace that it doesn't even bear mentioning.

What an addle-headed disaster-in-waiting.