Bomb Libya’s air force rather than maintain a no-fly zone

By Ted Belman

The US administration is debating whether or not to apply a no-fly zone over Libya. It should take JINSA‘s advice issued on Feb 24

Flatten the Libyan Air Force

    President Obama finally stirred himself to address the carnage in Libya, saying the “suffering and bloodshed is outrageous and it is unacceptable.” Without calling on Muammar Gaddafi to step down – as he did to Mubarak for far less – he announced no sanctions or punishment. He left it to Gaddafi. “The Libyan government has a responsibility to refrain from violence, to allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need and to respect the rights of its people,” he said. “It must be held accountable for its failure to meet those responsibilities and face the cost of continued violations of human rights.”

    That is far, far from sufficient. But the United States and its allies in Europe and the Middle East can dramatically help themselves and help the Libyan people at the same time. The operation is relatively simple, it will spare many lives and it will set the stage for stability in the future.

    The idea is simple – destroy the Libyan Air Force.

    Without the air force, Gaddafi loses a key tool against his people. By acting to protect the population, getting on the right side of the Libyan revolution and definitively punishing Gaddafi, the United States would demonstrate the limits of Western tolerance for reckless, maniacal, murdering dictators. [..]

If you destroy the airforce you save the time and trouble and cost of imposing a no-fly zone.

Of course, we must be sure that the devil we know is worse than the devil that may take over.

March 12, 2011 | 6 Comments »

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6 Comments / 6 Comments

  1. Gaddafi will bomb Italy and France if attacked. He has plenty of capable aircrafts. US should be interested in keeping him in power as a strong leader who controls the situation. Bonehead Obama, with his kindergarten mentality doesn’t get it.

  4. So what is our casus belli?

    In Afghanistan it was clear- the Taliban were harboring those responsible for 9/11.

    In Iraq, it was the fact that they had WMD’s and they were financing terrorist attacks in Israel.

    Even our own American Civil War had Fort Sumter.

  5. If Gaddafi survives he will be a dangerous enemy towards the west and the US, more so than at any time in the past.

    Anyone who flattens Gaddafi’s present vintage airforce and armour, will create a considerable market for replacement with whoever rules those oil wells in the future. There will be nothing to prevent him or his next-in-line to buy any number of JSF squadrons and the best available US, Russian, European or Chinese aircraft and other weaponry. Neither will Gaddafi II feel any inhibition from acquiring nukes. There will be plenty of time and money for him to prepare for the revenge, and the West will be just too happy to play along. The worst one can do to Gaddafi is to leave him in place along with his aviation museum.

  6. Gaddafi seems to have crushed the rebel forces and reestablished his authority at least for the time being. Gaddafi has been a force for isolating Al Qaeda in North Africa. A Gaddafi victory might block the current revolutionary tide in the Arab world.

    By repeatedly threatening Gaddafi, Obama has lost any chance for cooperation with that influential dictator and ensured his support for anti-American movements worldwide.

    Gaddafi stopped oil supply to Switzerland over sons arrest.

    Arrest of Gaddafi’s son in Switzerland

    Relations between the states began to sour in July 2008 when Switzerland arrested the Libyan leader’s son, Hannibal Gaddafi, and daughter-in-law for allegedly beating their servants at a hotel. The two were detained for two days and released.

    Muammar al-Gaddafi retaliated against Switzerland “by shutting down local subsidiaries of Swiss companies Nestlé and ABB in Libya, arresting two Swiss businessmen for supposed visa irregularities, canceling most commercial flights between the two countries and withdrawing about $5 billion from his Swiss bank accounts”.

    To attempt to ease the tension between the countries and get the release of the two Swiss businessmen, Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz went to Tripoli in August 2009 to apologize for the arrests. This was criticized by the Swiss press and public, with numerous calls for his resignation.
    Read More

    If Gaddafi survives he will be a dangerous enemy towards the west and the US, more so than at any time in the past.