Gaddafi Says He Will Fight Back

skyNEWS:

Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi has threatened attacks on allied targets in the Mediterranean in a phone call to state television.

The Libyan leader called the broadcaster to warn of retaliation for Western strikes on his country.

He declared the attacks “an assault against a sovereign state, an assault against Libya” and claimed the Mediterranean had been turned into a “real battlefield”.

The leader went on to inform civilians that “arms depots” had been opened so they could defend Libya.

He also called upon “nations of the Arabic world” to support the “victorious Libyan people” in stopping what he called “lunatic aggression that has no justification whatsoever”.

It had been rumoured that Col Gaddafi was to make a television address, but an appearance in person could reveal his location to UN allies.

The country has said it considers a UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire by its forces no longer valid following the launch of air and sea strikes, and demanded an urgent meeting of the council.

The statement followed a television address by Libyan congress leader Abul Qasim Al-Zwai, during which he claimed UN forces had attacked civilian targets.

He said: “I am very sorry and saddened that my country tonight is facing a barbaric and armed attack from Western countries.”

He said a rocket attack had been launched on “several locations” including Tripoli and Misratah, and described it as “an attack that has caused some real harm against civilians and buildings”.

“The claim that this aggression is for the protection of civilians is contradicted by what has really happened on the ground.

“The number of civilians who have been hurt or harmed by this aggression tonight – the number is filling up our hospitals and ambulances are doing their best to save as many lives of civilians as possible.”

Al Jazeera:

n a roughly 15-minute address on Sunday, his second since the air raids began and during which he never appeared on screen, Gaddafi promised a “long war” that his forces would win. The promise to fight comes after Libyan foreign minister Musa Kousa responded to a United Nations resolution authorising force to protect civilians by promising to institute a cease fire.

“We will fight for every square in our land,” Gaddafi said. “We will die as martyrs.”

Promising that the Libyan “people are behind him and ready for all-our war,” Gaddafi repeated his claim that his regime had “opened the depots” and distributed weapons among the populace.

He drew allusions to other US-led wars, including Vietnam, as well as the Crusades, saying that air attacks by French, US and British forces amounted to a “cold war” on Islam.

He also promised retribution against Libyans who sided with the foreign intervention.

“We will fight and we will target any traitor who is cooperating with the Americans or with the Christian Crusade,” he said.

Gaddafi mentioned the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, as well as the bloody US intervention in Somalia and the ongoing campaign to capture or kill al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

All, he said, were examples of the kind of defeat the US was about to endure in Libya.

“You don’t learn,” he said. “You”re always going to be destroyed.”

Related Links:

Operation Odyssey Dawn aka Beginning of a Long and Adventurous Journey

Libya No-Fly Zone = Humanitarian Imperialism

Operation Odyssey Dawn aka Beginning of Long Adventurous Journey

Operation Odyssey Dawn is the code name for the United States military’s participation in enforcement of the current Libyan no-fly zone.^[1] The United Kingdom counterpart to this is Operation Ellamy, the Canadian is Operation MOBILE and the French is Opération Harmattan.

The strategic direction of Operation Odyssey Dawn is under the authority of General Carter Ham, the commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The tactical direction of the operation is under the command of Admiral Sam Locklear, the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe onboard the command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) in the Mediterranean Sea.^[1][3]

Deployed Forces

• United States Navy^[27]
  • USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), the command ship of the United States Sixth Fleet
    • The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of:
      • USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
      • USS Ponce (LPD-15), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock
      • embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
    • USS Barry (DDG-52), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
    • USS Stout (DDG-55), another Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer
    • USS Providence (SSN-719), a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine
    • USS Scranton (SSN-756), a second Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine
    • USS Florida (SSGN-728), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine^[28]
    • USNS Kanawha a Henry J. Kaiser-class oiler^[29]
    • USNS Lewis and Clark a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship^[30]
    • USNS Robert E. Peary a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship
    • The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of USS Bataan, USS Mesa Verde, and USS Whidbey Island, left their home port of Naval Station Norfolk on 23 March, bound for Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to pick up the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. They planned to sail east around March 30th to relieve the 26th MEU in the Mediterranean Sea two months before the projected deployment date.^[31]
  • Five EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft operating out of NAS Sigonella and Aviano Air Base^[32][33]
  • One EP-3E ELINT aircraft ^[30]
  • Two P3-C UII maritime surveillance aircraft
  • Two P3-C AIP maritime surveillance aircraft

• United States Air Force^[34]
  • Three B-2 Spirit stealth bombers operating from Whiteman AFB. ^[35]
  • Ten F-15E Strike Eagle strike fighters operating out of RAF Lakenheath^[36][32][37]
  • Eight F-16C Fighting Falcon multirole fighters from Spangdahlem Air Base started leaving for Aviano on 20 March^[32][36]
  • Two HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters from RAF Lakenheath operating from USS Ponce (LPD-15). ^[38]
  • EC-130H electronic warfare (communications jamming) aircraft
  • EC-130J psychological operations aircraft
  • Lockheed AC-130 Aerial Gunship
  • Global Hawk unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle
  • Lockheed U-2 Reconnaissance aircraft ^[39][40]

• United States Marine Corps
  • Four AV-8B Harrier II ground attack fighters from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, operating off of USS Kearsarge^[32][41]
  • Two MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft from the 26th MEU participated in the pilot rescue.^[42]
  • Two CH-53E Super Stallions from the 26th MEU participated in the pilot rescue.^[42]
  • One KC-130J Hercules from the 26th MEU participated in the pilot rescue.^[42]
  • The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit awaits the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, who left their home port of Naval Station Norfolk early to sail east around March 30th in order to relieve the 26th MEU in the Mediterranean Sea two months before the projected deployment date.^[31]

Coalition Forces Placed Under US Command

Coalition forces based and operating in the theater of operations are under command of the Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn.

• Belgian Armed Forces^[36]
  • Belgian Air Component
    • Six F-16AM 15MLU Falcon fighter jets operating from Araxos Air Base, Greece
• Danish Armed Forces^[43]
  • Royal Danish Air Force
    • Six F-16AM 15MLU Falcon fighter jets operating from Sigonella Air Base, Italy
    • One C-130J-30 military transport aircraft
• Netherlands Armed Forces
  • Royal Netherlands Air Force
    • Six F-16AM 15MLU Falcon fighter jets operating from Decimomannu Air Base, Italy
    • One KDC10 Tanker Aircraft
• Norwegian Armed Forces^[44][45]
  • Royal Norwegian Air Force
    • Six F-16AM 15MLU Falcon fighter jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete^[46]
    • Two C-130J-30 military transport aircrafts supporting the Norwegian forces.
• Italian Armed Forces
  • Italian Air Force^[47]
    • Four Tornado ECR SEAD planes operating from Trapani Air Base
    • Four F-16A 15ADF Falcon fighter as escort operating from Trapani Air Base
    • Two Tornado IDS in the air-to-air refueling role operating from Trapani Air Base (supporting the Italian contribution, but not under direct US Command)
• : Qatar Armed Forces
  • Qatar Emiri Air Force ^[48]
    • Six Mirage 2000-5EDA fighters jets operating from Souda Air Base, Crete
    • One C-130J-30 military transport aircraft
• Spanish Armed Forces^[49]
  • Spanish Air Force
    • Four EF-18AM Hornet fighters jets operating from Decimomannu Air Base, Italy
    • One Boeing 707-331B(KC) tanker aircraft

Odyssey (long an adventurous journey) Dawn (beginning)

Operation Odyssey Dawn is the largest military intervention in the Middle East since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The No-Fly Zone imposed on Libya is Humanitarian Imperialism. It took less than 24 hours for the U.S. to show up and start showing it’s military might, with the U.K. and France right beside them.

It is already becoming clear that the motives behind the no-fly zone are not humanitarian or to protect the Libyan people, it is to get rid of Gaddafi, and further gain control of the Middle-East’s oil. The U.N. resolution is worded in a way that allows the possibility of foreign troops on the ground inside Libya, don’t be surprised if it happens.

Summary of Action

• Day 1: 19 March 2011

21h: The first main strike involved the launch of 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles from US and UK ships against shoreline air defenses of the Gaddafi regime.^{[54][55][10][56]} The U.S. Department of Defense reports that the dismantling of Libya’s ability to hinder the enforcement of the United Nations no-fly zone was only the first of multiple stages in the operation.^[57] USMC Harriers participated in an air strike against a large military convoy outside Benghazi.^[34]

• Day 2: 20 March 2011

Sustained anti-aircraft fire erupted in Tripoli at around 2:33 a.m. Libyan time.^[58] Three B-2 Spirit bombers targeted 45 hardened aircraft shelters at an Libyan airfield near Sirt.^[34] At the same time, US Air Force fighter jets conducted missions searching for Libyan ground forces to attack. US Navy EA-18G Growlers werer diverted from operations over Iraq and jammed Libyan radar and communications.^[59][60] No US aircraft were lost during the missions. ^[61] The warplanes included Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier IIs (attacking pro-Gaddafi’s ground forces),^[62] Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, and F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter jets.^[63] Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that there would be continuous allied air cover over Benghazi, and that the no-fly zone “is effectively in place”.^[64] An EC-130J was recorded warning Libyan shipping “If you attempt to leave port, you will be attacked and destroyed immediately” in Arabic, French and English.^[65]

• Day 3: 21 March 2011

All fixed SA-2 Guideline, SA-3 Goa and SA-5 Gammon sites were taken out. Only SA-6 Gainful, hand held SA-7 Grail and SA-8 Gecko mobile SAMs are still a possible threat to aircraft.^[66] In the early hours of the day a building from Moammar Gadhafi’s compound in Tripoli was completely destroyed by a cruise missile. ^[67] Twelve more cruise missiles were fired at command and air defense sites.^[68]

• Day 4: 22 March 2011

At approximately 22:30 CET (evening of March 21), a US F-15E 91-0304 operating out of Aviano Air Base crashed about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Benghazi. Both crew members ejected at high altitude and were subsequently separated. A MV-22 Osprey, supported by two AV-8Bs, two CH-53E Super Stallions, and a KC-130J Hercules from the 26th MEU initially recovered the pilot,^[44] while the weapons officer was recovered later after being rescued by rebel forces in the area.^[69][44] Two Marine Harriers accompanying the rescue force dropped two 500lb bombs at the request of the ejected pilot, prior to the MV-22 landing in an attempt to deter an unidentified group of people heading towards the area.^[70][44] The UK had a “peripheral involvement” in the rescue of the US pilots.^{[71][72][73][74][71][75]}

Six local villagers, including a young boy, were reported to have been injured by gunfire from the rescuing U.S. forces, ^[76][77] Although a Marine spokesperson aboard USS Kearsarge denied that shots were fired: “The Osprey is not armed, and the Marines barely got off the aircraft. I was in the landing center the whole time, where we were monitoring what was going on, and firing was never reported”,^[70] Pentagon sources were later reported to have confirmed that shots were fired.^[78][44]

The source of the civilian casualties is still being investigated.^[70] Overnight, the US bombed the wreckage of the downed F-15E “to prevent materials from getting into the wrong hands.” ^[79]

In a 24-hours period; 175 air sorties were conducted (113 US, 62 coalition).^[80] Around this time, the US changed its target priorities from air defenses to Libyan ground forces.^[81]

• Day 6: 24 March 2011

Royal Norwegian Airforce F-16s were assigned to the US African command and Operation Odyssey Dawn. A number of Norwegian F-16s took off from the Souda Bay Air Base on the island of Crete, Greece for their first mission over Libya. ^{[82] [83]}

• Day 7 25 March 2011

Three laser guided bombs were launched from 2 F-16s of the Royal Norwegian Airforce against Libyan tanks. ^[84] F-16s from the Royal Norwegian Airforce bombed an airfield in Libya during the night.^[85] Coalition planes flew 164 sorties and coalition leaders reported damage to Gadhafi’s ground forces.^[86]

• Days 8 and 9 26 and 27 March 2011

Lockheed AC-130 gunships and Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft began operations, attacking ground forces.^[87] These were the first aircraft used against troops; previous strikes had targeted command and anti-aircraft infrastructure.^[87]

Attack submarine USS Providence (SSN-719) completed all assigned strike missions and has left the area for previous duties. The US is responsible for 80% of air refueling, 75% of aerial surveillance hours and 100% of electronic warfare missions.^[88]

• Days 10 and 11 28 and 29 March 2011

On March 28, a USAF A-10 and a USN P-3 attack one Libyan Coast Guard vessel and two smaller craft. The P-3 fired AGM-65F Maverick missiles at a Vittoria-class patrol boat, forcing the crew to beach her. The A-10 strafed the other two smaller boats with its 30mm GAU-8 Avenger cannon rounds, sinking one and forcing the crew to abandon the other. The Libyan vessels were attacked after U.S forces observed them firing into Misurata and at merchant vessels. The USS Barry (DDG-52) provided situational awareness for the aircraft by managing the airspace and maintaining the maritime picture.^[91]

• Day 13 31 March 2011

From 06:00 GMT, NATO took sole command of air operations over Libya under Operation Unified Protector, taking over from U.S. Africa Command.^[92][93][94]

Related Links:

Gaddafi Says He Will Fight Back

Libya No-Fly Zone = Humanitarian Imperialism

No-Fly Zones: Considerations for Congress

U.S. Troops on the Ground in Libya

03/18/2011 Snipers Kill Protesters In Yemen

Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, has declared a nationwide state of emergency, after a violent crackdown on anti-government protests killed at least 41 people, and left scores more wounded, in the capital Sanaa.

Al Jazeera:

At least 41 people were killed and scores wounded after the Yemeni security forces opened fire on protesters at University square, in the capital Sanaa.

Security forces opened fire in attempts to prevent protesters from marching out of the square where they were gathered, sources said. Medical sources said the death toll was likely to rise.

Pro-government “thugs” also opened fire on protesters from houses close to University square, witnesses told the AFP news agency.

Friday’s attack came as tens of thousands gathered across the country, continuing to demand that Saleh – the country’s ruler of 32 years – step down.

Al Jazeera correspondents in Sanaa reported that many protesters were shot in the head and neck; most of the injured were shot with live ammunition.

Medics at a nearby medical centre told Al Jazeera almost 200 people were injured; many were in critical condition. One medic called the attack a “massacre”.

Anti-government demonstrations were also held in other cities including Taiz, Ibb, Hodeidah, Aden, and Amran following Muslim midday prayers on Friday.

“They want to terrorise us, They want to drag us into a cycle of violence to make the revolution meaningless,” said Jamal Anaam, an anti-government protester.

“We were protesting peacefully and they shot at us. I won’t leave this place until the president goes, even if I have to die,” said another demonstrator, Ahmad, 25.

“It is a massacre,” said Mohammad al-Sabri, an opposition spokesman. “This is part of a criminal plan to kill off the protesters, and the president and his relatives are responsible for the bloodshed in Yemen today.”

Jamal al-Sharaabi, a photojournalist for the independent weekly al-Masdar was killed in the firing, becoming the first journalist confirmed to have been killed in Yemen since unrest began, the Committee to Protect Journalists said late on Friday.

The opposition says that there is no longer any possibility of talks with Saleh’s government.

“We condemn these crimes,” said Yassin Noman, rotating president of Yemen’s umbrella opposition group. “There is no longer any possibility of mutual understanding with this regime and he has no choice but to surrender authority to the people.”

Despite violence and threats, anti-government protesters refuse to cease demonstrating until Saleh’s ouster.

Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera’s Yemen correspondent, said that Saleh is now faced with a clear choice.

“He basically has two options. To say ‘dialogue’, but then the people will ask him we need guarantees and you have to implement them now; if he says ‘No, I’m holding out’, then there’s going to be bloodshed.”

Nabil Hasan al-Faqih, the country’s tourism minister, resigned from both his post and membership of the ruling party late on Friday in protest against the killings.

“I did it today. I resigned from the government and the People’s General Congress,” he told Reuters, adding that his decision was a result of “the events the country is going through”.

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