US launches military action in Libya

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

How did you come to this conclusion? It sounds like Obama entered only after Cameron and Sarkozy. Its a bit refreshing to see France taking the lead on this actually. I don't see an issue with this if it remains an air war only for the US. Things get expensive when your on the ground.

Obama has expanded every war so far. Now he gets us into more wars. Great. I wish the war protesters would come back every day at the top of Church Street, they disappeared in November 2008. When is it going to stop?

[Zero Sum 305]

Feel free to join the anti-war protests.

[Zero Sum 305]

Glance of assets massing for Libya military action

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Obama has expanded every war so far. Now he gets us into more wars. Great. I wish the war protesters would come back every day at the top of Church Street, they disappeared in November 2008. When is it going to stop?

Actually troop on the ground numbers in Iraq have been reduced by 2/3rds since 2008 so how do you figure? Roughly 150,000 in 2008 to about 50,000 now. New math?

[Amby 490]

the news is already back to focusing on japan

[Ban Hammer 13,485]

Actually troop on the ground numbers in Iraq have been reduced by 2/3rds since 2008 so how do you figure? Roughly 150,000 in 2008 to about 50,000 now. New math?

they were sent to afghanistan.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I am watching NBC nightly news, and this is getting sickening. What a bunch of sycophants!

[peejay 327]

the news is already back to focusing on japan

Until the first American gets shot out of the sky and is paraded by Qaddafi for the cameras.

[Amby 490]

Watching CNN. Uk ministry of defense just released a statement saying royal air force jets are firing on strategic targets in Libya

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Actually troop on the ground numbers in Iraq have been reduced by 2/3rds since 2008 so how do you figure? Roughly 150,000 in 2008 to about 50,000 now. New math?

No. I count all the troops. How many in Afghanistan?

Until the first American gets shot out of the sky and is paraded by Qaddafi for the cameras.

They stopped counting the bodies after Obama was elected.

[Pooky 3,825]

Glance of assets massing for Libya military action

Note the absence of any Arab League nation's assets from the AP list.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

they were sent to afghanistan.

Incorrect. There were roughly 30,000 troops in Afghanistan in 2008 with 65,00 or so there now, so roughly 65,000 are no longer in Iraq but were not moved to Afghanistan either. I don't know how many of the 35,000 surge troops were moved from Iraq though, doubtful it would be 100% though.

[Ban Hammer 13,485]

Incorrect. There were roughly 30,000 troops in Afghanistan in 2008 with 65,00 or so there now, so roughly 65,000 are no longer in Iraq but were not moved to Afghanistan either. I don't know how many of the 35,000 surge troops were moved from Iraq though, doubtful it would be 100% though.

some were brought back to the states, some were shifted to afghanistan. those brought back to the states - guess where their next rotation is?

African Union demands 'immediate' halt to Libya attacks

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) – The African Union's panel on Libya Sunday called for an "immediate stop" to all attacks after the United States, France and Britain launched military action against Moamer Kadhafi's forces.

After a more than four-hour meeting in the Mauritanian capital, the body also asked Libyan authorities to ensure "humanitarian aid to those in need," as well as the "protection of foreigners, including African expatriates living in Libya."

It underscored the need for "necessary political reforms to eliminate the causes of the present crisis" but at the same time called for "restraint" from the international community to avoid "serious humanitarian consequences."

The panel also announced a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on March 25, along with representatives from the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the European Union and the United Nations to "put in place a mechanism for consultation and concerted action" to resolve the Libyan crisis.

The AU committee on Libya is composed of five African heads of state. But the Nouakchott meeting was only attended by the presidents of Mauritania, Mali and Congo. South Africa and Uganda were represented by ministers.

The committee said it had been unable to get international permission to visit Tripoli on Sunday but did not elaborate.

Libyan generosity and Moamer Kadhafi's role in the creation of the African Union could explain the continental cautious stand, experts said.

The AU was born in the 1999 Sirte Declaration, named after a summit hosted by Kadhafi in his hometown on the Libyan coast.

The declaration said its authors felt inspired by Kadhafi's "vision for a strong and united Africa."

"The AU as an organisation has benefited significantly from Kadhafi's wealth," said Fred Golooba Mutebi of the Institute of Social Research at Kampala's Makerere University.

The pan-African body has taken a firmer stance on three west African crises: most recently Ivory Coast and previously Guinea and Niger.

Handouts aside, Libya has invested billions of dollars in sub-Saharan Africa.

It has interests in more than two dozen African countries, while its petroleum refining and distribution unit Oil Libya has interests in at least as many.

Libyan telecommunications unit LAP Green is present in five countries in the region and expanding rapidly.

link

[ready4ONE 5,400]

No. I count all the troops. How many in Afghanistan?

....

They stopped counting the bodies after Obama was elected.

See response to good Sir Charles to answer your question directed to me. There has been a net reduction of 60-65 thousand troops on the ground in total between the two Bush wars, Afghanistan troop levels doubled but the total is down due to significant reductions in Iraq.

Bodies continue to be counted under Obama, and Afghanistan has seen a 25% reduction in coalition caused casualties recently, despite stepped up surge troop numbers and operations.

Edited March 20, 2011 by ready4ONE

[spookyturtle 9,466]

What's really surprising is that France flew the first missions. I wonder when they'll surrender?? :devil: