Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Britain rules out ground attack on Libya




British Prime Minister David Cameron has said England will not deploy any ground troops in Libya as tension remains high in the North African country.



"What we've said is there is no question of an invasion or an occupation, this is not about Britain putting boots on the ground, this is not what we are about here," Reuters quoted Cameron as saying on Sunday.
The UN Security Council resolution 1973 authorized a no-fly zone over Libya to protect people against air attacks carried out by forces loyal to Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi but ruled out any foreign invasion of the country. The US, Britain, France, and later NATO fighter jets, have since launched airstrikes targeting Libya's military bases and equipment but have caused civilian casualties in several cases, thus contradicting the purpose they were tasked with.
Last week, leaders of Britain, France and the US urged in a joint letter that Gaddafi should quit power and voiced deep concern about the humanitarian crisis that is taking place especially in the western city of Misratah. This is while many analysts believe the main motive behind the West's military action in Libya is the country's rich oil reserves. Clashes between revolutionary forces and Gaddafi loyalists continued on Sunday. Reports said that the Gaddafi's troops killed seven people and injured 27 others in the opposition-held town of Ajdabiyah.
Meanwhile, revolutionary forces said they had successfully carried out attacks on regime troops in the strategic town of Misratah. (MA/AGB/MGH)

Editor: It seems that the NATO air based assault on Libya has evened out the odds on the ground, ensuring a prolonged civil war. For what?

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