Liberal free for all coming to an end

[randolph]

Ila

I disagree that the US should have retained command. Other countries are more than capable of taking command of military operations.

Are they really? NATO planes bombed insurgent tanks because they didn't "know" that they had tanks.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

Ila

Are they really? NATO planes bombed insurgent tanks because they didn't "know" that they had tanks.

Would you like me to produce a list of times and places that US planes bombed and strafed their allies? I could start with recent events in Iraq and Afghanistan and then start working back in time.

And BTW the only planes that NATO owns are AWACS. All other countries participating in the Libyan conflict are owned by their respective countries and that includes countries that don't belong to NATO.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

Would you like me to produce a list of times and places that US planes bombed and strafed their allies? I could start with recent events in Iraq and Afghanistan and then start working back in time.

And BTW the only planes that NATO owns are AWACS. All other countries participating in the Libyan conflict are owned by their respective countries and that includes countries that don't belong to NATO.

I am not arguing with you on the errors US planes have made in the past.

The accidental attacks on insurgent tanks were apparently by planes flying under the NATO flag. I don't know who the planes belong to.
The point I was making is that there seems to be a serious lack of communication among the NATO participants.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

I am not arguing with you on the errors US planes have made in the past.

The accidental attacks on insurgent tanks were apparently by planes flying under the NATO flag. I don't know who the planes belong to.
The point I was making is that there seems to be a serious lack of communication among the NATO participants.

How did you reach the conclusion that there is a serious lack of communication among NATO participants? I will also remind you that there are more countries than NATO participating in enforcing the no-fly zone in Libya.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

How did you reach the conclusion that there is a serious lack of communication among NATO participants? I will also remind you that there are more countries than NATO participating in enforcing the no-fly zone in Libya.

Well, the pilot didn't know that the insurgents had tanks! So he attacked them assuming they were Quaddafi tanks. Also, NATO expressed "regret" about the incident.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

Well, the pilot didn't know that the insurgents had tanks! So he attacked them assuming they were Quaddafi tanks. Also, NATO expressed "regret" about the incident.

None of this indicates a lack of communication among the coalition.

NATO is in charge of running the no-fly zone. Therefore any statements coming from the coalition will be statements originating from NATO.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

None of this indicates a lack of communication among the coalition.

NATO is in charge of running the no-fly zone. Therefore any statements coming from the coalition will be statements originating from NATO.

Some latest news on the Libya situation. Pink tanks!

TRIPOLI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- NATO Friday confirmed its aircraft bombed a rebel tank column in Libya, while the U.N. Human Rights Council appointed three experts to investigate alleged rights abuses in the conflict-torn country.
Rear Admiral Russell Harding, a NATO military commander, said in Italy's Naples that the alliance's aircraft bombed a rebel tank column near the oil town of Brega on Thursday.
"Two of our strikes yesterday may have resulted in deaths of a number of TNC (the Transitional National Council) forces, who were operating in battle tanks. The incident took place northeast of Brega."
"The situation in this area is still very fluid, with tanks and other vehicles moving in different directions, making it very difficult to distinguish who maybe operating them. In addition, until this time, we have not seen the TNC operating tanks," he said.
The bombing appeared to be the second friendly fire strike by NATO aircraft in less than a week. Last Saturday, a NATO air strike killed 13 rebel fighters near Brega, who were firing into the air to celebrate.
Meantime, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said there was "no purely military solution" for the Libyan crisis.
"It is important to find a political solution ... There is no stalemate, just on the contrary, there is a clear drive from the international community to urgently find a political solution to this conflict," she said.
After the latest NATO mistake, Libyan rebels have painted the roofs of their vehicles bright pink to avoid more friendly fire casualties.