Question about Libyan pilots who've been defecting...

[rucky]

seems like it's been an effective way to reduce Libya's air power in a nonviolent way. Not that we have much control over who and when pilots have flown planes out of the country or handed them over to the rebels, but it's been pretty heroic of them.

With a no-fly zone, this would pretty much prevent any more pilots from defecting like this.

Does anybody know how the defections have changed the balance of power in Libya? Shouldn't this be something we could encourage more of somehow - like offering a bounty to the pilots for any Libyan plane they take out of the country?

Just trying to think out of the box here...

:shrug:

[thewiseguy]

1. Should not have waited this long to defect

Life is a bitch, especially when you drop bombs on your own people.

[snappyturtle]

2. Seems reasonable to me and less stressful on our stretched

military, budget, etc.

[tabatha]

3. The people who do not defect in many cases

are petrified by what Gaddafi will do to their families if they do.

[pinboy3niner]

4. More effective to force ALL their planes to remain grounded...

...rather than count on their air force to slowly leak away, drip by drip (while loyal pilots continue flying and bombing).

[rucky]

5. Cost effective? casualty effective?

doesn't matter. France is bombing as we speak.

[pinboy3niner]

6. More effective in protecting the civilian population...

...by denying Gaddafi the ability to bomb them.