Guess USA will have to contribute some planes. China, Russia, Brazil, India and Germany abstained. 10 in favor, 0 opposed. Resolution passed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP now quotes Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, as saying that military strikes could quickly follow after a UN security council resolution on Libya. "From the moment the resolution is adopted, military actions could begin in the hours that follow," a diplomatic source said. France says they will take the lead in conducting air strikes.
Hmmm, I guess Sarkozy wants to be a hero now, flagging ratings at home. Think it might largely be a British-French effort. Obama dosent seem to be too keen, and China can't be bothered abt all this nonsense. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said France and Britain are ready to launch âtargeted air strikesâ on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafiâs forces More at : France, Britain ready to hit Libya, says Sarkozy
"The U.S. military does not view a no-fly zone as sufficient to stopping Gadhafi. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday that establishing such a zone "would not be sufficient" to stop the gains made by Gadhafi."
Ghadaffy has radar-directed anti-aircraft guns. He knows they are coming. Neither the French, the British or the Italians have stealth aircraft. Do they think they're just going to fly into downtown Tripoli and drop their bombs? Libya also has an Air Force. They used to regularly engage USN F-14 Tomcats in the Gulf of Sidra so its likely they require wheelbarrows to carry their balls. There are more Libyan pilots with combat experience than there are French and Italian pilots combined with combat experience. The Brits have good recent combat experience and can handle themselves but have lousy aircraft at the moment. So who is gonna do the heavy lifting?
Dosen't look like it. CNN right now reporting that only French planes are all over Benghazi and scoping out targets. Sarkozy said airstrikes on Gadaffi's tanks will be within the next few hours to break the siege. # 1700: The Defence Ministry in Paris says a French warplane has fired the first shot in Libya as part of the enforcement of the no fly zone imposed by the United Nations. The target was a Libyan military vehicle. 20 French fighter planes are flying over benghazi now.
US officials: US prepares to for sea-based missile launch against Libyan air defenses. Time Stamp: By Associated Press, Saturday, March 19, 1:01 PM cruise missiles from USA?
No stealth as such but the US would be using non-stealth aircraft in the role that the French aircraft are currently deployed. French ECM is by all accounts very capable.