Qaddafi's Libya: "The People Are the Master"

 

March 3, 2011. Muammar al Qaddafi, said recently, "The People are the master" To some degree this must be the truth as he has many supporters and still the support of the Army. In fact he seems to have more supporters then there are Rebels'. The Government forces moved east and word is that the oil fields in Garza are in Government hands again.

Either way, Qaddafi could last a long time if the UN does not send in forces to aid the rebellion, a prospect that is not likely to take place soon. Some NATO, countries are talking about setting up a no fly zone over Libya, This is a very fine idea. However, a no fly zone is not as easy as it looks, and would involve several difficult issues, not the least of which is, who will pay for it?

Russia, for one has asked the UN Security Council to do exactly that, the problem is that the UN will need Air forces in the area and a lot of them. Who? Therefore, will the UN send to supply the airpower needed to do the job? You know it, the United States. The United States does not have sufficient forces in the area to complete such a task. To make things more complex Libya still has all its anti aircraft elements still intact.

More than that, to set up a no fly zone would be an act of war against a Middle Eastern country. If such an attack is undertaken by the UN who will most likely send American forces to do the job, then the Arab world may see this from a different point of view. Why, because in order to set up a no fly zone somebody has to destroy the Libyan Air force, and still again we have Americans killing Arabs. The very idea of having one more place where Americans kill Arabs will not be a good for Obama's foreign affairs.

Besides: US. Forces are heavily engaged in Afghanistan, and still mopping up in Iraq. To make things really complex, we are still watching the unstable Persian Gulf area. Starting a new military salient in Libya will give rise to the possibility of a new Afghanistan kind of war in Libya. To stack that along side of existing military commitments in the area may be unthinkable.

Mr. Robert Michael Gates, who is the 22nd and current United States Secretary of Defense, told a congressional panel on Wednesday "A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya" to destroy its air defenses." Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State; Clinton said, she feared the prospect of Libya becoming infested with al-Qaida or affiliated terrorist groups on the scale of Somalia. Clinton further stated, "We are taking no option off the table so long as the Libyan government continues to turn its guns on its own people,"

Earlier this week Mr. Gates ordered to us warships into the region namely: the amphibious assault ships USS Kearsarge and the USS Ponce. These hold about 45 Helicopters of various types each, and a cadre of marines. These ships are said to be in place to help with the evacuation of Americans from the fighting region.

The outcome of the conflict is unclear at this point. If the world really wants Qaddafi out of power then it could be some time before a military intervention will be possible and Qaddafi seems to have the support and the equipment needed to stay for some time.