Ryne Purvis
3/25/11
4:03 PM
Coalition forces hit ground targets loyal to Gaddafi near the city of Ajdabiya overnight.So far it seems as though these loyalists are not listening to the demands by the U.S. and allies to stop fighting and are instead fortifying their positions. These bombings were bombings of opportunity and not specific targets. Many people, including a highly ranked French military official, think it will take weeks to end the conflict in Libya and that a political solution will also be needed. Meanwhile, over 150 individual missions were carried out and many tanks and other weapons of Gaddafi were destroyed before they could attack the city of Ajdabiya. Allied ships also fired Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets. Many of Gaddafi's resources are becoming weakened and scattered as a result of the coalition's attacks. Coalition forces also claim that as they bring in more surveillance aircraft they will have better images of potential targets to further weaken Gaddafi's forces. Gaddafi's government is asserting that these bombings have killed multiple Libyan civilians. Western leaders have denied these reports. “The operation is still focusing on tanks, combat vehicles, air defense targets — really whatever equipment and personnel are threatening the no-fly zone or civilians on the ground in such locations as Ajdabiya and along some other areas on the coast,” Marine Corps Capt. Clint Gebke told the Associated Press from aboard the USS Mount Whitney. As expected, many people are attempting to flee from Libya. Many people unable to leave the country have fled to smaller coastal towns. 1500-2000 people are crossing the Libya-Egypt border daily. An estimated 352,000 people have fled Libya with most of them going to Tunisia or Egypt.
The coalition should continue doing what it needs to do to ensure the safety of the Libyan people. However, great care should be taken to ensure that civilian casualties are kept to a minimum. Gaddafi should heed the warning of the coalition's warning and surrender himself because it certainly sounds as if things are going badly for him and his loyalists.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/french-official-libya-campaign-will-likely-last-weeks/2011/03/25/AFNTJyVB_story.html
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