NATO 2011 military intervention in Libya

Rafale downs Libyan plane, French air strikes destroys Juffra air base


French fighter jets struck an air base deep inside Libya and shot down one of Muammar Qaddafi’s planes, officials said Thursday, and NATO ships patrolled the coast to block the flow of arms and mercenaries. Other coalition bombers struck artillery, arms depots, and parked helicopters, officials said Thursday.

The French Rafale fighter helping enforce a no-fly zone over Libya destroyed what was identified as a Libyan G-2/Galeb, which is a ground attack aircraft, according to a U.S. official. It happened near the coastal city of Misrata.

In Tripoli, Libyan deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim said that the “military compound at Juffra” was among the targets hit before dawn. Juffra is one of at least two air bases deep in Libya’s interior, on main routes that lead from neighboring countries in the Sahara region that have been suppliers of arms and fighters for the Qaddafi.

http://online.worldmag.com/2011/03/24/french-jet-downs-libyan-plane-targets-arms-flow/

France destroyed a dozen Libyan armoured vehicles in last 72 hours

Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said French air strikes had destroyed a dozen Libyan armoured vehicles in three days, in an interview Thursday.

"The air exclusion zone has become a reality," Longuet said in the interview with Le Figaro newspaper. "But Resolution 1973 also stipulates that the coalition has all means at its disposal to protect the civilian population."

Coalition forces -- led by France, the United States, and Britain and including other European states along with Qatar -- have launched air strikes in Libya since Saturday, acting under the UN resolution authorising "all necessary means" to protect civilians in Libya.

Longuet said that the real threat to the population "today are the tanks, the artillery.

"The French side has taken out a dozen armoured vehicles in three days," he said. "This is decisive as we have practically not seen any tank concentrations since the strikes."


© 2011 AFP

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/france-destroyed-a-dozen-libyan-armoured-vehicles-minister_137798.html

Those strikes have been centred on Misurata.

So the no fly zone has become a no drive zone...

Wonder how long it will be before it is a no gadaffi zone...

9H. Libya: An artillery battery was destroyed by a Rafale

A French fighter jet destroyed an artillery battery of the Libyan army last night near the city of Ajdabiya, according to Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Chief of Defence Staff, speaking on France- info .

GarryB wrote:So the no fly zone has become a no drive zone...

Wonder how long it will be before it is a no gadaffi zone...

No drive zone... did you come up with that yourself? Thats a good one. I think it became a no-Gaddafi zone when the British bombed his Palace Compound.

Ground operation in Libya could start in April - Russian intelligence


The international coalition force is planning a ground operation in Libya that could start in late April, a high-ranking Russian intelligence service source said on Friday.

"Information coming via different channels shows that NATO countries, with the active participation of Britain and the United States, are developing a plan for a ground operation on Libyan territory," he said.

"From all indications, a ground operation will be launched if the alliance fails to force the Gaddafi regime to capitulate with air strikes and missile attacks."

If the events in Libya follow this scenario, the ground operation could start "in late April-early May," he added.

The UN Security Council imposed a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, allowing "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from Muammar Gaddafi's attacks on rebel-held towns.

The operation to enforce the no-fly zone, codenamed Odyssey Dawn, is being conducted jointly by 13 states, including the United States, Britain and France.

Western warplanes have flown more than 300 sorties over the North African country and fired 162 Tomahawk missiles in the UN mission.

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110325/163206848.html

No drive zone... did you come up with that yourself?

Yup

Thats a good one.

Glad you appreciate my sense of humour as much as I do

I think it became a no-Gaddafi zone when the British bombed his Palace
Compound.

I believe the excuse was that they were not targeting Gaddafi himself... they are just targeting comms...

Of course just thinking a little about the situation and what that means... they think we are idiots... it is the equivelent of saying you are not targeting the president of the united states... and then bombing Air Force One and the white house and the pentagon because of the comms traffic. Wherever Gaddafi or the US president is there will be a high concentration of comms traffic... you can't target one and claim you are not after the other...

They wouldn't have gotten away with this 30 years ago when there was such a thing as integrity within the media. Of course there was still bias, but nowdays reporters do as they are told or they will not get a data sheet with the stuff they should print on it...

20h50: France destroyed at least five aircraft and two helicopters

The French fighter planes were destroyed on Saturday Misrata "at least" five Galeb combat planes and two combat helicopters MI-35 of the pro-Qaddafi, announced the General Staff of Armed on its website.

In the last 24 hours, "the French aircraft have carried out several strikes in the regions of Zintan and Misrata," said Staff. According to "the first observations," he adds, these strikes have destroyed "in Misrata at least five Galeb combat planes and at least two combat helicopters MI-35 preparing to conduct operations in the region."

14:30: The birthplace of Gaddafi soon in the hands of insurgents?

Libyan insurgents were advancing quickly Sunday to the west, towards Sirte, the hometown of Muammar Gaddafi, enjoying the rout of his forces weakened by strikes of the international coalition. "There was some resistance at dawn but they withdrew," said a rebellious 35-year-Hamad Attia. The insurgents then took the place of Ben Jawad, 30 km west of Ras Lanuf. Pro-government forces retreated towards Gaddafi in Sirte, 200 km further west, along a flat coast and desert difficult to defend without heavy artillery or aircraft.

French aircraft destroy tanks and ammo depot near Zintan and Misrata

For the 27th March, two patrols Rafale and Mirage 2000D patrol were engaged, followed by a patrol SEM, and a navy patrol Rafale for a reconnaissance mission.

These patrols, both aircraft of the Air Force than the Navy, led strikes on armored vehicles and a large ammunition depot in the regions Misrata and Zintan.

French aircraft lead Arabs in patrols

Moreover, the Qatari and French aircraft operating from the Sude conducted a joint air interdiction and detachment Qatar has completed its rise with the arrival of 4 additional Mirage 2000-5. In total, these are positioned at the Qatari Mirage 2000-5 Sude 6 which are co-located with three French Mirage 2000-5.

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/autres-operations/operation-harmattan-libye/actualites/libye-point-de-situation-operation-harmattan-n-9

French warplanes destroy Gaddafi's command center

French military planes have destroyed the command center of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, spokesman for the French Armed forces Thierry Burkhard said on Monday. NATO took over command of the coalition military intervention in Libya from the United States on Sunday. The mission is trying to ensure a no-fly zone and arms embargo over the country.The strikes, conducted by two French Rafale fighter patrols, struck the center, located 10 kilometers from Tripoli, on Sunday.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110328/163252709.html

This is why Russia should of used the veto against the "No Fly Zone". The west thinks a NFZ is "we can now bomb the shit out this country as much as we please" zone. If Russia did this, western nations would be screaming their heads off and threatening economic sanctions.

France strikes military depot and SAM site

The evening of 29 March was marked by a strike carried out on a military depot located some thirty kilometers south of Tripoli. Two patrols Rafale Air, two patrols and patrolling M 2000D Super-Etendard modernized (SEM) participated in this mission, which was supported and sustained by two C 135 and a Hawkeye . A patrol of Rafale Navy also carried out a reconnaissance mission.

On 30 March a patrol Rafale Air patrol M 2000D, a joint patrol Rafale and Super Etendard modernized (SEM) and a patrol Super-Etendard modernized (SEM) were incurred. During one of these missions some of these devices has made ​​strikes on an antiaircraft missile site located about twenty kilometers south of Sirte. A E3F, two tankers and a C135 Hawkeye were incurred in support of these outputs. A patrol of Rafale Navy also carried out a reconnaissance mission.

From Crete, a patrol of six planes carried out an air interdiction mission. The patrol consisted of two M 2000-5 French and four M 2000-5 Qatar.

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/autres-operations/operation-harmattan-libye/actualites/libye-point-de-situation-operation-harmattan-n-12

This is why Russia should of used the veto against the "No Fly Zone".
The west thinks a NFZ is "we can now bomb the shit out this country as
much as we please" zone. If Russia did this, western nations would be
screaming their heads off and threatening economic sanctions.

It is however a catch 22 situation.

I think Russia needs to be smarter... it basically did what the west wanted in regard to Iran with the promise of lots of contracts to rebuild the Iraq and Afghan armed forces... and possibly a big order from Saudi Arabia.
These large contracts have not been realised.

The Russians didn't block the UNSC resolution because it was about protecting innocent civilians.

Of course the western actions have been to support armed civilians against the government... which equates to picking a side in a civil war with the ultimate goal of regime change.

Russia should be repeating all the "aggression" rhetoric that came out after the Georgian forces were pushed back into Georgia especially at those countries participating in this action now.

The problem is that if they do then when the West installs a new government in Libya it will of course be hostile to Russia... but one could argue that the west will hardly install or allow a government that is not a west looking government... even if it is ten times worse than Gaddafi.

Satellite imagery in the middle of French air strikes on Misrata airbase



Those Mi-35s on the end of the tarmac were destroyed minutes later

France destroyed a dozen armoured vehicles around Sirte and Ras Lanuf

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/autres-operations/operation-harmattan-libye/actualites/libye-point-de-situation-operation-harmattan-n-16

Well as of today US is out and wont intervene without NATO request.

I doubt EU with its few fighters sent there can change tide of war witch clearly benefit Gadafy.

This is probably going to be a long and bloody civil war.

The problem is the half arsed western intervention.

If they had not intervened Gaddafi would have cleaned up the opposition in a week or two and they would be starting to get back to normal now.

If they had intervened properly and equipped the anti Gaddafi forces then it probably would be over in a month or so.

With this interference however they will be fighting for years and the real issue is can NATO continue spending money on a no fly zone... because I am sure Gaddafi will be prepared to wait as long as it takes to remain in power.

http://defencedog.blogspot.com/2011/04/moscows-careful-stance-on-libya.html

Even when the Russian veto failed to block military action, and the United States and its allies did bomb or invade, as in Yugoslavia and Iraq, at least they had to do so without a UN mandate, which made their actions illegal - a consolation prize for the Kremlin. This time, Russia decided not to stand in the way of a gathering international storm against Muammar Gheddafi’s regime, and allowed the UN to impose a no-fly zone over Libya. Why did Russia do it?

On the Libya issue, Russia has not only protected its relationships with the United States and its key European allies: it benefited from the image of the BRIC as a voting bloc at the UN, and was happy to see Germany, its closest partner in Europe, taking a similar stance. To the Arab world, it may even project an image of a protector of innocent lives in Benghazi, unstained by any responsibility for the collateral damage and any civilian lives lost in coalition bombings elsewhere in Libya.

Seen from that perspective, intervening in a civil war in an Arab country appears an act of utter folly, understandable exclusively through the prism of domestic political demands on the incumbents, above all, President Obama.

Russia says Western support for Libyan rebels 'dangerous'
The backing of Libyan rebels by Western powers could lead to further conflict in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Speaking during a visit to the Serbian capital of Belgrade, Russia's top diplomat argued that the opposition in Yemen "refuses to sit at the negotiating table because they hope that the West will help them. This is a dangerous position and one that may lead to conflict."

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, paving the way for a military operation against embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, which began two days later. The command of the operation was shifted from a U.S.-led international coalition to NATO in late March.

Lavrov also reiterated statements by Russia's NATO envoy, Dmitry Rogozin, who said on Monday that the actions of Western states in Libya were in contravention of the UN resolution on the North African state.

"The U.N. Security Council never aimed to topple the Libyan regime," Lavrov said. "All those who are currently using the U.N. resolution for that aim are violating the U.N. mandate."

"We urge the Security Council to encourage not confrontation, but the immediate start of talks," he went on.

Yemen has been in a state of conflict since February, when protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33-year rule broke out amid unrest across the Middle East. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured in a violent crackdown on protesters by security forces.

BELGRADE, April 19 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110419/163596524.html

Also:


BRICS leaders condemn distortion of UN Security Council resolutions on Libya
The leaders of the BRICS nations - Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa

The leaders of the BRICS nations - Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa - believe that any arbitrary interpretations of the UN Security Council's resolutions on Libya are inadmissible, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

"We presume that the UN Security Council's resolutions must be implemented...in accordance with their spirit and to their letter, but not in accordance with arbitrary interpretations which have been made by several states," the Russian president said after Thursday's summit of BRICS member states in China.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, paving the way for a military operation against embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi which began two days later. The command of the operation was shifted from a U.S.-led international coalition to NATO in late March.

Despite dozens of sorties carried out by NATO aircraft against Gaddafi's forces, the government troops maintain their combat capability and continue to pound poorly-equipped rebels with heavy artillery and rocket fire.

Medvedev emphasized that the resolution on Libya was aimed to prevent further escalation of the conflict. "But what we finally get is a military operation which is being held not on the ground, but in the air, and in which a range of countries is involved."

The Russian president said that nothing had been mentioned about possible NATO participation in the UN Security Council resolution.

"The resolutions should be implemented in accordance with their content, in accordance with their spirit and letter, the BRICS countries unanimously believe in this."

SANYA, April 14 (RIA Novosti)


http://en.rian.ru/world/20110414/163528316.html


France's reaction:

France says Libya strikes to increase

NATO should increase military pressure on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi despite the concerns of the BRICS nations, French officials say.

NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Berlin on Thursday amid deepening divisions over the UN-mandated airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces to protect Libyan civilians.

Earlier, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the leaders of the BRICS nations - Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa - believe the situation in Libya should be resolved through diplomatic means.

Speaking after a BRICS summit in the southern China resort of Sanya, Medvedev spoke out against "arbitrary interpretations" of the UN Security Council's resolutions on Libya.

"We presume that the UN Security Council's resolutions must be implemented...in accordance with their spirit and to their letter, but not in accordance with arbitrary interpretations which have been made by several states," the Russian president said.

Dozens of rebels opposing Gaddafi have been killed by NATO-led airstrikes that began last month.

But France, which has taken the lead role in Libya, says military pressure should be stepped up.

"Precision air strikes against the military equipment that allows Gaddafi to terrorize the people should continue," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told reporters in Paris.

He said the decision was approved by the newly formed international contact group on Libya at a summit in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday. The group, which includes Western powers, their Middle Eastern allies and international organizations, demanded that Gaddafi step down and agreed to provide the rebels with "material help."

Meanwhile, heavy fighting has continued along Libya's northern coast, where Gaddafi's forces have been trying to fight off rebels with rockets and small arms.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110414/163529719.html

And finally Spain reaction:


Spanish parliament votes to extend Libya operations




The majority of Spanish parliamentary parties voted on Tuesday to extend the country's participation in NATO's Libya operation by two months.

Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said the international coalition had to continue its "legitimate intervention in the region" to resolve the conflict.

The conflict can not be resolved by purely military methods and required "political and diplomatic efforts" to secure a lasting peace in the region, she said.

Spanish troops will not become involved in air strikes or a ground operation in the North African country, the minister said.

Chacon put the cost of Spain's three-month participation in the operation at 43 million euros.

Heavy fighting has continued in the port of Misurata, the only rebel-held western city, which Gaddafi's forces have been pounding for days. Government troops are also continuing to attack the key rebel stronghold of Ajdabiya.

An international meeting in Rome next month will discuss the Libya crisis amid calls for NATO to increase pressure on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

MADRID, April 19 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110419/163598102.html

I see Russians are now driving lots of Japanese ATV's. They've been putting lots of video's on the internet of their new toys.

Are they former Soviet nations getting those ATV's from Japan Americans normally buy.....or actually Russia getting them now? Were friends bought to support the Libya Operation?

Trade is a powerful tool to get countries to join your conquering.

^^ I have no idea what you just said.

On a side note, Medvedev has delegitimatised Ghaddafi saying he has to go.