'Operation: Odyssey Dawn'

[KEK]

UK, US, France, Italy & Canada begin military operations over Libya.

Thoughts?

[Ben 'Teal'c would WIN!!' Noble]

About bloody time.

I don't get opposition to the No fly zone I mean its UN backed what more do people want.

Heres a good link to BBC with live feed and tweets.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

[Womble]

About bloody time

+1

[SF_and_Coffee]

Seriously, something had to be done.

[KEK]

Fighter jets destroyed a number of tanks in Benghazi Saturday, March 19, in the first shots of the Western-Arab operation authorized by the UN Security Council 1973 against Muammar Qaddafi, soon joined by British jet fighters. After the US stated it would not take part in the first action or send troops, a US submarine and UK warships fired 112 Tomahawk missiles at 20 Libyan targets east of Tripoli, among them the Libyan army's supreme command center near the town of Sirte and air defenses. Casualties have not been reported.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US would provide the coalition operation with support by its "unique assets."

This is the first time in 25 years, that the US had attacked the Qaddafi regime.

The mission is under the operational control of the US Africa command. Libya State TV says coalition attacks have killed civilians.

debkafile's military sources report that during the last 24 hours, Qaddafi has dispersed thousands of his soldiers and diehard loyalists at military sites liable to be struck from the air or sea. Thousands of men, women and children waving green flags are gathered at his compound in Tripoli; the Khamis 32 Brigade entered Benghazi in the morning and lined up along its main thoroughfare, the Gemal Abdul Nasser street. The elite brigade was positioned at the heart of the rebel stronghold so that coalition jet bombers and warships could not strike them without substantial collateral civilian casualties.
Trucks and buses scattered more civilians along the country's main highways and intersections and the runways of Libyan Air force air bases.
A seaborne missile attack on the Libyan coast was indicated by the arrival in the Mediterranean of the nuclear assault submarine USS Providence last Monday, March 14. This sub has played a part in every important US missile offensive in the last decade, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq as well as important missions in Afghanistan. The score of coalition ranged opposite Libyan shores at present include the USS Kearsage marine helicopter carrier, the Amphibious Transport Docks and the USS Ponce, USS Barry and USS Mason guided missile destroyers.
Earlier Saturday, March 19, debkafile reported:

debkafile's special sources report that French warplanes went into attack formation over Libya Saturday afternoon, March 19, without waiting for 22 world powers meeting in Paris to issue a communiqué confirming a military operation against Muammar Qaddafi in line with the UN Security Council resolution. It was agreed that France, Britain, Norway, Qatar and Canada would take part in the offensive with 31 targets planned for first stage, 2 military airfields and Qaddafi's palace in the second and Libyan forces in the third. Britain and France have imposed a sea blockade on Libyan shores. French defense officials says French fighter jet has fired on a Libyan military vehicle. Twenty planes taking part in mission.
As the operation began, Washington issued a special statement say that the US is not involved in the first action but plans sea-launched missile attackswithout offering a timeline. It was initially assumed thatan American sea attack on Col. Qaddafi will take place at a later stage of the military operation, but another comment by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after attending the Paris conference further reduced that option too. She said that American would support its allies wit its exclusive resources in enforcing UN Resolution 1973, making no mention of sea-launched missiles.

The coalition of powers plans to expand its operations in the next 24 hours and then wait to see how Qaddafi responds.

The Libyan ruler last week threatened retaliation against the military and civilian targets of any nations attacking him in Europe and the Middle East. Saturday, he warned the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British premier David Cameron they would regret leading the group attacking his country.

Western intelligence experts calculate that he may he decide to strike back at French and British Middle East targets by air might, missiles and special forces, as well possibly as hitting civilian locations inside France. If this happens, the Americans are expected to join the anti-Qaddafi operation using their naval and air forces.
debkafile's military sources report that the Libyan ruler extensively prepared himself for attack in recent weeks, scattering his warplanes and ground forces in desert hideouts to minimize their vulnerability.
He, his family and elite officials have most likely gone to ground in secret hideouts.

http://www.debka.com/article/20784/

Not sure how reliable this is.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

About bloody time.

I don't get opposition to the No fly zone I mean its UN backed what more do people want.

Heres a good link to BBC with live feed and tweets.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

You will find that some anti war types would much rather sit around ignoring some of the crap in the world, than rather dealing it. I don’t think that air strikes will help the rebels win, but I think it will prevent Gaddafi seizing control of the east, which will at least ensure that there will be no massacre of dissidents.

[SF_and_Coffee]

I'm anti-war in a general sense, but sometimes it's really the lesser of two evils, in which case war needs to be waged and done right so that it is successful rather than just leaving a lot of loose ends to create problems farther down the line.

[DigiFluid]

About bloody time.

Indeed.

I generally find most military actions abhorrent, but in this case the Libyan people have spoken and Gadaffi is tearing the country to shreds for his own benefit. That he's gotten away with his crimes in the 70s and 80s for 30+ years now is bad enough, but to allow him to persist in his current actions would be a grave injustice.

Put succinctly, it's time he went. And if the Libyan 'common man' needs a helping hand for that to happen, so be it.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

I'm anti-war in a general sense, but sometimes it's really the lesser of two evils, in which case war needs to be waged and done right so that it is successful rather than just leaving a lot of loose ends to create problems farther down the line.

That’s probably the opinion, of most rational, sane people, the argument often comes down more to when it becomes the lesser of two evils.

And I should have put some anti war types, don’t want to paint everyone with the same brush. But there’s a type of person who does seem to think we should stick our head in the sand.

[themeatcleaver]

What i'd like to know is where the hell were we two weeks ago when the rebels actually had the upper hand!

[Ben 'Teal'c would WIN!!' Noble]

What i'd like to know is where the hell were we two weeks ago when the rebels actually had the upper hand!

Better late than never I guess.

[Amann]

lol, and what is libya gonna do? cry and whine (the retaliation part)

we need another Comical Ali (Baghdad Bob)

[Rickington]

About bloody time.

I don't get opposition to the No fly zone I mean its UN backed what more do people want.

Heres a good link to BBC with live feed and tweets.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

Indeed. It is about time that something was done (i.e. the no fly zone)...

[DigiFluid]

Incidentally, "Odyssey Dawn" sounds like a porn star name to me.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Incidentally, "Odyssey Dawn" sounds like a porn star name to me.

You, sir, win the internet. Where would you like it delivered? I mean, it's the least I can do, since I can't green you right now.

[Starfist]

I agree that something had to be done.

It was the longest raid the Royal Air Force has mounted since the Falklands war in 1982.
The RAF Tornados flew about 3,000 miles supported by Air to Air refueling tankers.

I wonder if the UN will ask for ground forces to be deployed?

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

What i'd like to know is where the hell were we two weeks ago when the rebels actually had the upper hand!

Bloody Obama took this long to make up his mind. Cameron and Sarkozy have been pushing for a resolution for weeks. I’m don’t mind the U.S taking more of a back seat with the military action, Libya is more of a concern for Europe than the U.S, but we needed the U.S’s support at the UN to push through a resolution, and Obama dithered for weeks, all the while his administration criticised those calling for a no fly zone, yet look where we are now. Had they left it any more, there might not have been many rebels left.

I wonder if the UN will ask for ground forces to be deployed?

Depends how things go, whether the rebels have more success and Gaddafi loses his support. The resolution rules out occupying forces, but that simply means you can’t have a continued presence on the ground after Gaddafi’s gone. The resolution doesn’t rule out Special Forces (and there have been unconfirmed reports they are on the ground already, which makes sense they are probably marking targets for airstrikes), or for example a amphibious force being landed at Tripoli or Sirte to assist the rebels by destroying key Gaddafi strongholds. As long as they withdraw after Gaddafi’s regime and his forces have crumbled, then they aren’t an occupying force.

That being said I doubt the Coalition wishes to deploy large quantities of ground troops, instead they are probably hoping to rely on air strikes, naval bombardment, supplying the rebels and having Special forces assist them.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

lol, and what is libya gonna do? cry and whine (the retaliation part)

Seriously? Have you never heard of Lockerbie? If they can do it once they can do it again..

[MattSilver 3k]

While I'm glad we're doing stuff and stuff about this Libya stuff... "Odyssey Dawn"? Man, that sounds like a bad fanfiction title. How 'bout "Let's Bomb This ****"? I like the sound of that better.

EDIT:

Incidentally, "Odyssey Dawn" sounds like a porn star name to me.

Lol, didn't see you thar. Dude, you hiveminded me by a few hours and managed to come up with a joke that would've taken me another few. I guess you ate the faster psychic beetles this week. Damn it.

[Ben 'Teal'c would WIN!!' Noble]

You, sir, win the internet. Where would you like it delivered? I mean, it's the least I can do, since I can't green you right now.

I did it for you. .