NATO Leaflets Libya

In between bombings.

"Libyan rebels crack siege, move toward Tripoli; Clinton urges African leaders to abandon Khadafy" June 14, 2011|By Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Maggie Michael, Associated Press

MISURATA, Libya — Libyan rebels yesterday broke out toward Tripoli from the opposition-held port of Misurata 140 miles to the east, cracking a government siege as fighters across the country mounted a resurgence in their four-month-old revolt against Moammar Khadafy....

I was told "we" have been winning the whole time, but.... (sigh).

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke out against the Libyan regime yesterday, urging African nations to sever links with Khadafy despite his long support and patronage for leaders on the continent.  

Yeah, bite the hand that feeds you so the U.S. can invade you when it is your turn.

In a speech to diplomats at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Clinton said Africa should join most of the rest of the world in abandoning Khadafy. She said the Libyan leader has lost all legitimacy to rule because of attacks on his own citizens.

She urged African leaders to demand that Khadafy accept a cease-fire and then leave Libya.  

You hear an annoying, insect-like buzzing sound, readers?

What started as a peaceful uprising against Khadafy has become a civil war, with poorly equipped and trained rebel fighters taking control of the eastern third of Libya and pockets of the west. 

I thought they controlled half. At least, that is what I was led to believe.  

Related: Libya: Addition by Subtraction

Oh, okay.

But the fighting had reached a stalemate until last week when NATO began the heaviest bombardment of Khadafy forces since the alliance took control of the skies over Libya.... 

Wow, finally winning a ground war from the air for the first time in history!

The rebels are again on the move....

Khadafy may be losing his grip on power....

As the fighting raged, Khadafy was shown on Libyan television playing chess with the visiting Russian head of the World Chess Federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.   

Yeah, so?  What's your point?  He's an out-of-touch leader? 

Then he can join any leader from a western government or ally judging by the protests around the world.

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"NATO resumes air assaults on Tripoli with late-night strikes; Coalition leaders concerned about operation’s length" by Adam Schreck and Hadeel Al-Shalchi, Associated Press / June 15, 2011

TRIPOLI, Libya — NATO resumed its airstrikes on the Libyan capital of Tripoli late yesterday, blasting at least two targets just before midnight, after military leaders voiced concerns about sustaining the operations if the alliance mission drags on.  

Please KEEP THAT IN MIND for LATER!

The targets of the late-night airstrikes were not immediately clear, and there was no word about casualties.

East of the capital, alliance aircraft have begun dropping leaflets warning government troops to abandon their posts outside Zlitan, which is west of the rebel-held port city of Misurata.  

Translation: NATO is suing for peace.

Rebel forces have been advancing along the Mediterranean coast toward Zlitan but say they have been instructed by NATO to withdraw ahead of expected bombing runs. 

The leaflets intended for forces loyal to Khadafy carry the NATO symbol and a picture of an Apache attack helicopter and burning tanks on one side. Arabic writing warns: “There’s no place to hide. It’s not too late to stop fighting. If you continue to threaten civilians, you will face destruction.’’ The message on the reverse urges soldiers to “stop and stay away from fighting now.’’

A reporter near the front line said NATO fighter jets could be heard overhead.

If the rebels take Zlitan, they would be within 85 miles of the eastern outskirts of Tripoli. A rebel official said opposition leaders in Zlitan have been meeting with their counterparts in Misurata, but he acknowledged they face challenges in advancing on the city.

“We need the people of Zlitan to push more courageously forward. They are dependent on our movements, but the problem is only a third of that city is with the rebels,’’ said Ibrahim Beatelmal, a rebel military spokesman in Misurata.

On Monday, NATO said attack helicopters struck two of Khadafy’s military boats off Misurata, as well as military vehicles and equipment concealed beneath trees in Zlitan.

NATO’s nearly three-month air campaign has grounded Khadafy’s air forces and weakened his military capabilities. But there are signs the pace of operations has strained the trans-Atlantic alliance.

In London, the head of the Royal Navy warned that the British fleet — a key contributor to the Libya mission — will be unable to maintain the pace of operations if the mission drags on until the end of the year.  

Don't worry; my government keeps telling me Khadafy will be gone any day now.  

Related: British Blip

Admiral Mark Stanhope told reporters Monday he was comfortable with NATO’s decision to extend the Libya operation to the end of September but said beyond that the government would need to make “challenging decisions.’’

“If we do it longer than six months we will have to reprioritize forces,’’ he said.

Elsewhere, a senior NATO official said coalition resources would become “critical’’ if intervention in Libya continues.

“If additional resources are needed, this of course will need a political decision,’’ said the official, General Stephane Abrial, supreme allied commander transformation.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week publicly rebuked the United States’ European allies and said NATO’s operations in Libya have exposed the alliance’s shortcomings. France and Britain have carried most of the load since NATO began the Libya mission March 31.

Related: NATO Closing the Gates on Libya?

In western Libya, Khadafy’s troops were bombarding opposition forces controlling a key border crossing with Tunisia, according to Omar Hussein, a spokesman for rebels in the western Nafusa mountains....  

But he's losing.

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In addition to NATO leaflets we get Obama's lies:

"The United States still plays a significant support role that includes aerial refueling of warplanes and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance work.

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But it's not a war:

"Obama insists role in Libya follows law" by Scott Wilson, Washington Post / June 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration argued yesterday that its nearly three-month military involvement in Libya does not require congressional approval, due to the supporting role most US forces are playing. The position puts the White House at odds with Republican leaders and the antiwar wing of its own party.  

Just sig heil and shaddup!

It was the administration’s first detailed response to complaints from lawmakers of both parties, who say President Obama has exceeded his authority. Those complaints have grown louder and attracted more lawmakers with each passing week of the Libya operation, which the administration has said is making progress in forcing Moammar Khadafy from power.  

Related:  

"Why did it take so long for some in Congress to stand up to an administration for violating the constitutional mandate that it must be the one to declare war?  Libya is bad enough but what about Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen? An army of Obama administration lawyers make lame excuses as to why the Libyan scam is not a war because American involvement fell short of full-blown hostilities.  Perhaps we should just ask a child whose home and family has been full-blown to bits what is a war? A low ball figure of $9.5 million per day in Libya doesn't constitute a war? Just what is the dollar figure for saying, yes this is war? Not to mention the human cost." -- Some Big Questions

Good ones, too.

The demand that Obama secure congressional approval has brought together House Republicans and liberal Democrats, some of whom joined together yesterday to file suit in federal court to stop US participation in the war....  

I'm not expecting the show to result in anything.

The rising costs of US military operations and humanitarian assistance in Libya [is] about $800 million as of June 3. Officials estimate US costs in Libya will total $1.1 billion by early September....

At the heart of the administration’s argument is the nature of the US role in Libya, which has changed since Obama announced on March 19 the start of operations meant to protect Libyan civilians from forces loyal to Khadafy, who had threatened reprisals against the residents of the rebellious city of Benghazi.

After taking the lead in destroying Khadafy’s air-defense capabilities, US military commanders turned over day-to-day control of the operation to NATO. Obama declared at the start that no US forces would serve on the ground in Libya, and he has maintained that position.

The bulk of the US mission now involves providing aerial surveillance, targeting information, refueling capabilities, and other support for British, French, and other NATO war planes.

The War Powers Resolution has been ignored by past presidents. But Obama, a former constitutional law lecturer, came to office pledging strict adherence to the rule of law.  

What would be a shock is an AmeriKan president who isn't a war-criminal liar.

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"In capital, fight brewing on Libya

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner threatened to withhold money for the mission....

The administration, in a report it gave to Congress on Wednesday, said that because the United States is in a supporting role in the NATO-led mission, American forces are not facing the hostilities that would require the president to seek such congressional consent under the War Powers Resolution....

Instead of calming lawmakers, the White House report and its claims about no hostilities further inflamed the fierce balance-of-power fight.

“We have got drone attacks underway; we’re spending $10 million a day,’’ Boehner told reporters. “It doesn’t pass the straight-face test.’’

Senator Jim Webb, a combat veteran and member of the Armed Services Committee, scoffed at Obama’s argument.

“Spending a billion dollars and dropping bombs on people sounds like hostilities to me,’’ the Democrat from Virginia said in an interview.

Representative Tom Rooney, a Florida Republican, said telling Americans “that this is not a war insults our intelligence.’’  

The newspapers and government do it every day.

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And you know the AmeriKan media is really scrapping the bOttom of the demonization barrel when they make Farrakhan your friend:

"Farrakhan blasts UN, defends Khadafy" by Anita Snow, Associated Press / June 16, 2011

NEW YORK — Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan yesterday lambasted the United Nations, the United States, and the “coalition of demons’’ that he said makes up NATO, accusing them of trying to assassinate Moammar Khadafy and promote regime change in Libya....  

Think what you want of his flamboyancy; he's right.

The Security Council on March 17 voted, 10-0 with five abstentions, to approve the creation of a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize “all necessary measures,’’ a phrase commonly associated with force, “to protect civilians and civil-populated areas under threat of attack.’’  

Then why are they bombing civilians?

Swept up by political changes across the Arab world, Libya’s protesters took up arms when their chants for change were answered by government gunfire.

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Related: Minister Louis Farrakhan Exposes 9/11 and Questions Official Story  (Part 1) and  (Part 2)

Oh, the MINISTER KNOWS!! 

And remember that NATO concern?

"Europe is urged to upgrade weapons; NATO head raps reliance on US" by Ciaran Giles, Associated Press / June 17, 2011

MADRID — NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday that he was worried about the low level of defense spending among European allies....  

As governments shred safety nets to shovel money at banksters.

Fogh Rasmussen said NATO’s Libya operation highlighted the dependency on US surveillance and intelligence equipment and precision weapons “simply because no other ally has them available.’’

But we have turned operations over to them and are only in a supporting role, blah, blah, blah.

 “I’m not saying that each ally should have those high-end capabilities,’’ he said, “but I would like to see more of them across our alliance.’’

His comments echoed those of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who recently slammed European allies for not spending more on their own defense.

Gates questioned the concept of Europe as a pillar of US defense strategy and said the future of the 62-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization was bleak if Europe does not begin to shoulder more responsibility....   

Let's hope it dies a quick death.

Fogh Rasmussen was addressing a seminar in the Spanish Senate titled “NATO and the Mediterranean, the change ahead.’’

Earlier yesterday, he met with Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of Spain.

He highlighted the success for the Libya operations, saying, “We have prevented a massacre.

“We have seriously degraded the ability of the Khadafy regime to attack civilians. We have opened air and sea access for humanitarian assistance, and we have closed it to arms and mercenaries,’’ said Fogh Rasmussen.

So the war must almost be over, right?

He said the alliance was determined to fulfill the UN Security Council resolution on Libya.

“Our message to the people of Libya is clear: We will protect you for as long as necessary,’’ said Fogh Rasmussen. “Our message to the Khadafy regime is clear: Your time is up; you must go.’’

Then why you guys bitching about supplies and such?

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Yeah, thank God we are winning:

"Libyan rebels coordinating attacks on three fronts; Communication improvements buoy opposition" by David D. Kirkpatrick, New York Times / June 17, 2011

TRIPOLI, Libya — Emboldened by improvements in their military communications, the rebels challenging Moammar Khadafy say they are now coordinating attacks on three fronts to stretch the loyalist forces’ defenses.

Their efforts were evident this week, rebels say, as they initiated new attacks in the east from Benghazi toward the oil port of Brega; on the central coast from Misurata toward the pivotal barracks town of Zlitan; and from their newest stronghold in the Nafusah Mountains into the town of Zawiya near the capital.

In addition, rebel spokesmen in Misurata and Benghazi said they had succeeded in smuggling weapons to cells of allies here in the capital, where residents say there are nightly clashes with Khadafy security forces in the rebellious neighborhoods of Tajura, Souq al-Juma, and Feshloom.

Two Tripoli residents said yesterday that rebel supporters in Tajura and Souq al-Juma were distributing leaflets urging Khadafy soldiers to put down their weapons and the residents to rise up. A rebel spokesman in Benghazi said the leaflets were composed in the east and e-mailed to the Tripoli residents to print and distribute.  

More PSYOP PROP!!

The existence or origin of the leaflets could not be confirmed because foreign journalists trying to visit the neighborhoods were stopped by Khadafy soldiers and returned to their hotel. Nor could the level of rebel success on other fronts be determined.... 

Sick of the lies yet?

Much of the information from the battlefield has been hard to verify and, at times, unreliable....

Like my newspaper.

In other cases the rebel communications system may have transmitted overly optimistic reports....  

And my newspaper ran with them!

Security forces seemed not to be as prevalent in the capital as they had been in previous months, perhaps reflecting the impact of the NATO airstrikes or the widening front with the rebels. On the highways entering the city, checkpoints that a few weeks ago were heavily guarded by tanks, armored personnel carriers, and well-equipped soldiers were manned by only a few irregular guards.

And security within the city appeared much less conspicuous as well, with fewer checkpoints along the streets. One rebel sympathizer said the Khadafy forces had switched to plain clothes to avoid guerrilla attacks by underground rebels operating in the city at night, although that could not be confirmed.

In the Nafusah Mountains in the west, where a few weeks ago desperate rebel fighters were struggling to survive and information was almost impossible to obtain from the outside, the rebels have consolidated their hold well enough to set up an official “Nefusa Mountain Media Group,’’ with its own website and multilingual spokesman.  

A website can be started from anywhere.

Rebels in the mountains, Misurata, and Benghazi said they had managed to smuggle in and distribute satellite telephones that have allowed them to improve their communication from disparate corners of the country, at the same time that NATO’s bombing raids have severely damaged the Khadafy forces’ communication abilities....

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And the other photo you the web version won't show you:

"ONGOING FIGHT IN LIBYA -- The owner of the Wenzrick hotel in Tripoli, Libya, blamed coalition airstrikes for damage to the facility yesterday.... (Boston Globe June 17, 2011)."

I'll give it to you, though:



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Related: PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE: NATO Bombed Libya's Nasser University

Gold, Oil, Africa and Why the West Wants Gadhafi Dead

The West does not understand Libya after Gaddafi