Post by wheelspinner on May 10, 2011 17:33:07 GMT -5
It's now unarguable that the US, per its leadership role in NATO, is now at war with Libya. When did Congress vote on that?
Tripoli hit by heavy bombing
Alberto Arce Misrata
May 11, 2011
JETS screamed over Tripoli yesterday carrying out a series of strikes in quick succession, after witnesses reported two others near state media offices a few hours before.
Eight explosions were heard in the Libyan capital as jets carried out unusually heavy bombardment over roughly three hours.
Four explosions rocked Tripoli shortly after 2am local time yesterday (9am AEST). They were quickly followed by two more blasts.
Libyan officials would not say what that strike hit but the smoke appeared to come from the sprawling compound housing members of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's family.
Late on Monday, witnesses reported two explosions in Tripoli as jets flew overhead, adding that smoke was rising from a site near the offices of Libyan television and state news agency JANA. Journalists were not permitted to go to the actual site of the strike, which a minder said was a nearby building that used to be an intelligence headquarters but now housed the agriculture ministry.
The blasts came after NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said time was running out for Colonel Gaddafi, who ''should realise sooner rather than later that there's no future for him or his regime''.
Rebel fighters made significant gains on Monday against Gaddafi forces in the western and eastern areas of the country, in the first faint signs that NATO air strikes may be starting to strain the government forces.
In the besieged western city of Misrata, hundreds of rebels broke through one of the front lines and by Monday afternoon had consolidated their position on ground west of the city.
The breakout of what had been nearly static lines came after NATO aircraft spent days striking positions and military equipment held by Gaddafi forces, weakening them to the point that a ground attack was possible, rebels said.
In all, the United Nations have said that about 750,000 people have fled Libya since Gaddafi forces launched an offensive against anti-government demonstrators.
The Red Cross said it had delivered a shipment of humanitarian aid to Misrata amid concerns Gaddafi forces may have dropped mines into the harbour from helicopters bearing the Red Cross emblem.
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration said it had growing accounts from refugees arriving in Italy indicating an overloaded boat carrying up to 600 people capsized off the Libyan coast last week.
Mr Rasmussen said Colonel Gaddafi would ultimately lose his decades-old grip on power given the ''wind of change'' sweeping the Arab world.
AFP, NEW YORK TIMES
Read more: www.theage.com.au/world/tripoli-hit-by-heavy-bombing-20110510-1eh2l.html#ixzz1LzWB6mmS
Tripoli hit by heavy bombing
Alberto Arce Misrata
May 11, 2011
JETS screamed over Tripoli yesterday carrying out a series of strikes in quick succession, after witnesses reported two others near state media offices a few hours before.
Eight explosions were heard in the Libyan capital as jets carried out unusually heavy bombardment over roughly three hours.
Four explosions rocked Tripoli shortly after 2am local time yesterday (9am AEST). They were quickly followed by two more blasts.
Libyan officials would not say what that strike hit but the smoke appeared to come from the sprawling compound housing members of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's family.
Late on Monday, witnesses reported two explosions in Tripoli as jets flew overhead, adding that smoke was rising from a site near the offices of Libyan television and state news agency JANA. Journalists were not permitted to go to the actual site of the strike, which a minder said was a nearby building that used to be an intelligence headquarters but now housed the agriculture ministry.
The blasts came after NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said time was running out for Colonel Gaddafi, who ''should realise sooner rather than later that there's no future for him or his regime''.
Rebel fighters made significant gains on Monday against Gaddafi forces in the western and eastern areas of the country, in the first faint signs that NATO air strikes may be starting to strain the government forces.
In the besieged western city of Misrata, hundreds of rebels broke through one of the front lines and by Monday afternoon had consolidated their position on ground west of the city.
The breakout of what had been nearly static lines came after NATO aircraft spent days striking positions and military equipment held by Gaddafi forces, weakening them to the point that a ground attack was possible, rebels said.
In all, the United Nations have said that about 750,000 people have fled Libya since Gaddafi forces launched an offensive against anti-government demonstrators.
The Red Cross said it had delivered a shipment of humanitarian aid to Misrata amid concerns Gaddafi forces may have dropped mines into the harbour from helicopters bearing the Red Cross emblem.
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration said it had growing accounts from refugees arriving in Italy indicating an overloaded boat carrying up to 600 people capsized off the Libyan coast last week.
Mr Rasmussen said Colonel Gaddafi would ultimately lose his decades-old grip on power given the ''wind of change'' sweeping the Arab world.
AFP, NEW YORK TIMES
Read more: www.theage.com.au/world/tripoli-hit-by-heavy-bombing-20110510-1eh2l.html#ixzz1LzWB6mmS
