With air strikes directly targeting Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi’s residence, the notion that the US-led attacks are not “targeting” Gadhafi himself rings false. But many officials still insist he isn’t a target.
Pentagon Vice-Admiral William Gortney gave his personal guarantee today that Gadhafi is “not on the target list,” and Defense Secretary Robert Gates added that killing Gadhafi wasn’t part of the UN mandate. British Prime Minister David Cameron likewise conceded that the UN resolution “explicitly does not provide the legal authority for action to bring about Gadhafi’s removal of power by military means.”
At the same time, British Defense Secretary Liam Fox insisted that Gadhafi was a “legitimate target,” leaving many to wonder if officials are even at any sort of internal agreement on what the goals of the massive air campaign are.
President Obama defended the goals, in his own speech, saying that the US attack is “in support of a international mandate” but that official US policy goes beyond this mandate, and into regime change. Exactly where the goal ends — with Gadhafi’s assassination or with a full-on Iraq-style occupation — Obama wouldn’t clarify, so exactly what the war’s goals are remain nebulous, at best.
Either way, the comments appear to be extremely political. The assurances that they aren’t going beyond the UN mandate are aimed at reassuring the Arab League and others who bailed on the conflict as soon as it turned into a massive bombing campaign. The assurances that officials are going to “get” Gadhafi are aimed at keeping the hawks from complaining the campaign isn’t going far enough. The reality is entirely obscured by the rhetoric, and it seems the missile-based campaign is mostly an end unto itself at the moment.
Just like dumping chemical weapons into a populated city and then claiming, "No we were just contaminating the buildings to deny them to the enemy- we weren't targeting the people inside those buildings. Clearly that's against the rules of war and we don't do that sort of thing."
If Gadhafi isn't a target, then why target his house(s)? One would think that the rest of his family would be there, and staying away from military targets, right?
I wish- for once- the American public would get a straight answer from ANYONE in either the military or the government related to foreign policy. When a government has to resort to lies and subterfuge in order to pursue the agendas of its politicians, you can rest assured of two things: A) it's not acting in the American public's best interest, and B) somebody is making an awful lot of money. Obama, don't piss down our backs and tell us it's raining- we know better.
As an interested observer of world events I have to say the whole operation with Libya consists of a mish-mash of conflicting ideas, opinions and agendas. It is a whole lot of talking head jibber-jabber with very little truth coming out. From Obama down, people are contradictory, talking past each other, they have the best idea, this is what's happening, this has already happened, no it hasn't, etc, etc. Is Gadhafi a target, is he not? Of course the idea is to get rid of or kill Gadhafi but just say what you want your target audience to hear. Keeps them quiet and allows you to carry on.
Most frightening is the way many people in the west have bought this whole thing as a good idea. George Bush has really smoothed the way for this one. Also a compliant media painting a picture of Gadhafi as a lone armed maniac atrociously killing all. Of course, those rebels, they are such nice guys, useful idiots for the Western powers takeover as all descends into chaos. It is fueled by a revenge mentality against Gadhafi. There is no real plan here, but no worries, we can change it and make it up as we go.
Who are these rebels? What Government will be formed? Libya has many tribal groups and Gadhafi will have real support from within Libya even if he goes. They are not all running scared of him like we are led to believe. When we look back at this all the finger pointing and recriminations will start. It was your idea, no it wasn't. It was his fault, I didn't say that. Confusion, confusion.
. This is definitely the inmates running the asylum.
The so-called "international mandate" is nothing of the sort. The last paragraph of Chapter I of the UN Charter was put there precisely to make resolutions like 1973 impossible/invalid.
Pentagon Vice-Admiral William Gortney gave his personal guarantee today that Gadhafi is “not on the target list." Blah blah blah and horse-wash! Mooey is the ONLY target and that's a for certain. Let us not be disingenuous here.
As a Canadian I am embarrassed by our government's actions against the civil war in Libya. I guess Harper wants to present himself internationally as a world leader. Give me a break. If Harper had been around during the American Civil War with his current fire power he probably would have bombed the Union side to support the insurgents. Why must the American warmongers always advocate war in the UN Security Council stop vetoing resolutions about the rights of self determination for the Palestinians? They just love to go to war.
Can anybody believe these liars and forked tongue Americans?
America – Land of the free!!!!?
America – Land of the fork tongue and greed.
When you don't prosecute your war criminals you get more of them.
Before Resolution 1973 No Fly Resolution, wasnt there another one?
It virtuallly demanded the Arrest and presentation to the International Court of Justice for his Crimes of Murdering Libyan Civilians.
So yes there is in fact regime change in the air as someone will have to run the country of Libya whilst Col Gadhaffi and his trusted men are in fact brought before the Courts.
It's simple. Libya is another muslim country and Israel is once again using the US military to destroy it's enemy.
LIAR, LIAR, pants on fire – the way one can tell when an American official is lying is that their lips are moving. Thomas Jefferson said it long ago to the effect – that he knew that God was just, and he feared for his country – there will come a day when God's justice will be upon America.
As an American – I find it so sad that the American cowardly sheep do NOT rise up against our Zionsist Neocon warmongers.
Hey Obama, how do you like being lumped in with that other warmongering scumbag George W Bush? Bet bombing a small 3rd world country makes you fee like a big shot, like runty little Sarkozy.
See, I'm not in your personal fan club where war is bad ONLY if Republicans are prosecuting them, and somehow your bombing and killing is…humane…this must be the hope and change you were blabbing about in 2008…kindler, gentler atrocities.