For the second straight night Tripoli has been attacked by the international alliance that aims to curb abuses of Muammar Gaddafi on its population. Just after eight p.m. local (an hour in mainland Spain) began explosions could be heard accompanied by a blaze.
then bursts of gunfire followed by a red light flew into the sky. This time there were human shields. No one expected. The young men that were placed in front of some military objectives in the Saturday night to protect them ran as it was known that some bases were being attacked Tripoli.
Shortly after a column of smoke started coming out of Bab al Azizia, the palace complex where he lives Qaddafi outside the capital. Rate immediately grabbed a handful of journalists and took him to see the wreckage. A four-story administration building, 50 meters from the tent in la que el coronel recibe a sus invitados, había quedado reducido a polvo, aparentemente por un misil crucero.
El golpe no solo tiene un fuerte valor emotivo (el complejo de Bab al Azizia es uno de los símbolos del régimen desde que Reagan lo bombardeó en 1986), sino que conjuga mal con lo que había asegurado poco antes un responsable del Pentágono, el vicealmirante William Gortney, que insistió en que el objetivo de la coalición no es en ningún caso abatir al dictador.
En unas conversaciones con la prensa a bordo del avión que le lleva a Rusia para una gira de tres días, Robert Gates, el secretario del Departamento de Defensa de EE UU, abundó en la idea de que "sería insensato" kill Gaddafi, as would be foolish to do anything that is out of the initial plan to create a no-fly zone. "If we begin to think adding additional targets will create a problem," he said, referring implicitly to try to dismount Qaddafi could create rifts within the allied coalition.
Gates's insistence on this point has an explanation: hours before the British foreign secretary, Liam Fox, had hinted that Gaddafi could become a target for Allied missiles depending on how events develop. U.S. denies categorically that purpose, which does not mean that Britain will end Advanced recognizing the early morning was one of its submarines that attacked the presidential residence because it was a "control center" from which the colonel led his troops movements.
A ceasefire doubtful The beginning of the second day of attacks on allies in Libya was confusing because of a series of ceasefires and accusations of rape or lying about the sincerity of the truce. Specifically, a few minutes after they began the latest attacks, a spokesman for the Libyan armed forces had announced that the regime had ordered all its units a ceasefire immediately.
This measure would, he explained, in response to "civilian casualties" and "destruction of civilian and military buildings." However, practically speaking while the spokesman, the Gaddafi's air defenses began to shoot from Tripoli. United States pleaded not too shocked by the announcement of Colonel and called it a "lie" while returning to launch their planes on Libyan military targets. National security adviser to Obama, Tom Donilon, defined Qaddafi's words as a string of falsehoods. Hope
between rebels Libyan rebels yesterday gave its first casualty toll. In their forces, consisting of some military forces deserted Gaddafi but, mostly, by volunteers with little military training include some 8,000 casualties since clashes began last month. That is, at least, the calculation gave to Al Jazeera spokesman Libyan rebel National Council, Abdel Hafiz Ghoga.
By late last night there was heavy fighting in the Benghazi area for one hour. The day before the dictator's soldiers fired rockets on residential areas, and gunmen in civilian clothes Gaddafi emptied their magazines from their vans at the houses and people who watched the fall of the projectiles.
, the agency said tonight Libyan rebels tried to remove his forces (not sure if successful) nearly Ajdabiya after Allied bombing severely beaten Saturday the forces of the Libyan leader. The rebel forces continue to expect the attacks to weaken the forces of Gaddafi before attempting to re-enter Ajdabiya, a city in which they were expelled a few days after heavy fighting.
Despite international support, the situation of the rebels is still not easy. Forces loyal to Qaddafi seized yesterday, early afternoon, the center of Misrata, city under the control of rebels and one of the objectives of air strikes by allied forces. As he told Al Jazeera Abu Merzouk Abdelbasset appointed spokesperson for the youth of the revolution of 17 February gadafistas forces have been firing large caliber shells to cover the raid armor. They have also destroyed fuel tanks and a power plant.
The success of the first bombings allies launched attacks on Libya on Saturday has achieved its first objective: to impose an air exclusion zone in just 24 hours. According to Vice Admiral William Gortney, the Pentagon, the operation of the first day was "very effective" and decreased "significantly" air capacity and radar Gaddafi regime.
is only the first phase of an operation, called Dawn of the Odyssey, which proves to be more complex than the initial success may imply. First, because it is not clear how much you can take or what is to happen to the finish. And second, because the political unity has begun to crumble after the Arab League, which supports the UN resolution which protects military intervention, complained yesterday that the bombing beyond the mandate of the allies.
Tripoli was lifted on Sunday with the memory of the attacks in the morning. In all conversation was described by bums, ZUMS, onomatopoeia trrrr and other more sophisticated sounds were heard that night. The colonel, who in recent days has preferred not appear in person, by phone call back to the Libyan television after eleven in the morning.
dictator's words reflected the anger of his followers: "The Libyan people will take the guns, bombs and arsenals. We're going to arm women, come to fight them, bunch of cowards. We are prepared for long war ". Were 12 minutes of speech with the single image of the monument that is in his residential palace, a fist that crushes a U.S. plane.
The city is shelling resignation and relative calm although there are moments of tension when a supporter of Gaddafi breaks into the street and fires his gun. Most shops remained closed, although there was heavy traffic at times, the streets were little hectic. Citizens remain divided between supporters and opponents of the Colonel. The first are green flags and speak out loud. The latter are less visible, preferring to whisper.
An uncertain future operation The US-led alliance, France and Britain began attacks on Libya on Saturday to keep Gaddafi's troops could take the main rebel stronghold, Benghazi, in what could have been bloodshed. This precipitation has made remains unclear command structure of the transaction, which rests, however, on the shoulders of U.S. military power and political momentum in Europe.
respect to future operating ally, Secretary of U.S. Defense, Robert Gates, has said the U.S. does not have a "leading role" in the international coalition that will keep the air exclusion zone. Participate in military operations, but does not direct them. The favorite to take over from Washington would be the United Kingdom and France, or NATO. The latter possibility would only accept the body if the Arab League, in principle reluctant to act Western mandated.
For now, NATO ambassadors agreed early Sunday to support operations But on Friday the UN weapons to Libya. But that NATO stands. As a spokesman for the Alliance to news agencies, will require a deeper discussion for NATO otherwise engage in the conflict, largely because Turkey has so far vetoed any agreement to go further. It is no surprise because Ankara and winced the other day when it was announced that Allied intervention.
United States wants to have guaranteed the safety of the airspace of Libya before giving the address to a joint command of the coalition, but there's no time limit for doing so. U.S. military commanders believe that the exclusion zone is actually already in place, but still not guaranteed the protection of civilians, the main purpose for which the Security Council permitted the use of all means necessary.
That success should prevent air Gaddafi attacked the rebels. But that U.S. commanders acknowledge, it completely prevents the repressive actions of their forces. "It still has the capacity to attack its own people and therefore we're focusing on that and trying to keep its military forces continue to act," said Admiral Mike Mullen, Chief of Staff of the U.S. military.
How and for how long? A major uncertainty is por ahora, la única respuesta. Los militares norteamericanos no tienen aún claro cómo pueden desarrollarse las operaciones y a qué reacciones se pueden enfrentar. En realidad, como reconoció Mullen, el futuro inmediato de la operación en Libia "es incierto".
El mando de la operación -en la que actualmente participan Francia, Reino Unido, Canadá, Italia, Bélgica, Dinamarca y Catar, además de EE UU- lo tiene, por el momento, el general Carter Ham, que dirige el comando norteamericano en África (Africom), y las acciones sobre el terreno las dirige el almirante Sam Locklear desde el buque Mont Wintley.
El general Ham conversó ayer con el presidente Barack Obama, que is visiting Brazil to inform the development of the fighting. Ham is forecast to yield his responsibility to a joint command that is not yet known which countries will be part and who will direct. Mullen has said only that it will happen "in the coming days." The first phase, aimed at complete elimination of Libyan air defense systems and forced to withdraw troops from Qaddafi, could lead to a stalemate in which Gaddafi was cornered but in power.
The UN resolution does not authorize the overthrow, so that the coalition would not have a clear role in such circumstances. "What ends this from the point politically? We just do not know, "Mullen has confessed.
The doubts of the" Arab partners " One of the keys to the political face of the operation is the support of the Arab League. However, the general secretary of that organization, Amro Musa, complained yesterday that attacks by understanding the goal of Security Council resolution "is the protection of civilians and no more bombing of civilians." Russia, too, did not support the resolution but not vetoed, said the coalition has exceeded the mandate of the UN.
The Pentagon denied that there was evidence of civilian casualties in London The Foreign Office replied in an equally forceful. "Unlike Gaddafi, the coalition is not attacking civilians. The UN resolution authorizes all necessary measures to protect the Libyan people.
So you can safely imposed an air exclusion zone is necessary to carry out operations carefully directed against air defense capabilities of Libya, "says a note of British diplomacy. "We will continue working with our Arab partners to implement the resolution for the sake of the Libyan people."
But the "Arab partners" when it has gone past the rhetoric to arms. The head of the Foreign Office, William Hague, complained yesterday that seemed to urge them to contribute militarily to the operation and not just in political and financial. "We have been led to believe that Arab nations were to take part. Hope so," he said. But declined to say what Arab countries expect to see involved.
Currently, only Qatar militarily involved sending four planes. This was stated yesterday in Paris the Defense Ministry spokesman Frenchman, Laurent Teisseire. France has taken a leadership role in the intervention in Libya to counterbalance its passivity in the riots in Tunisia and Egypt. And he wants that leadership should also have a military image. Aircraft were French speak first in Libya, but after the bombing came mainly from U.S. ships.
The French General Staff said yesterday 15 fighter Gauls made surveillance, reporting from Paris Antonio Jiménez Barca. Found no opposition or fired at any time, "The pressure has been relaxed Benghazi," said Teisserie. "On the territory patrolled There were no threats to the population."
Six Danish F-16 fighters took off Thursday afternoon bound for Libya from the base of Sigonella, Sicily, and six Italian Tornado aircraft did the same from Trapani, on the western side of the island, reports from Rome Miguel Mora . Other fighters Italians were ready for action at any time, "said Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa.
The Italian Air Force stepped up surveillance of its airspace, moving dozens of air units to the south of the country in anticipation of a hypothetical Libyan counterattack. The Air Force has mobilized 5,000 people, military and civilian, to provide logistical support. Rome was concerned last night with Italian tug movements Asso 22, which was held on Saturday at the port of Tripoli by an armed group.
Confusion and Hope in Benghazi The fear has been installed in Benghazi, Libya's second city, for the outrages committed by henchmen of the colonel, who sow uncertainty installed in the Libyan capital of the rebellion. The city is among the revelry for attacks Gaddafi and sorrow for the dozens of victims. A sample endless arms, and a shortage of bread. All trade, closed, and workers at home, while hospitals and morgues are used by the piece.
The suspect, men wielding Kalashnikovs, grenade launchers hang their shoulder and run into any building where they believe they are hiding tyrant thugs. Nobody trusts anyone who does not know.
"made a mistake. In Al Baida, Darna and Tobruk affects expelled in Qaddafi one day. But Benghazi is a city more tolerant, and here we take anyone. We do not fear because we know that the army is weak, but members of the committees of Gaddafi's revolution [the entities created by the tyrant to suppress any hint of opposition] are bloodthirsty. And there are few. They are well paid people struggling for survival because they know they have no outlet and that, sooner or later pay for their crimes, "says Salah Wahaishi, a construction engineer who watched the collapse of a roof in suburban Haildolar.
Source: El Pais - Spain
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