Turkish TV: NATO to command Libya operation

[Electric Monk]

Source: MSNBC

ANKARA, Turkey — NATO appeared on Thursday to move closer to assuming command of the military operation in Libya when Turkey's foreign minister was quoted as saying an agreement has been reached.

The alliance needs the approval of all 28 of its members in order to coordinate the operation, and Turkey had set conditions on that role for NATO.

"The coalition that was formed following the Paris meeting will abandon the mission and hand it over entirely to a single command system under NATO," Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying by Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency.

"All of Turkey's concerns, demands on the issue have been met," he said, and NATO has promised to complete the work needed to take over the Libya mission "within one or two days."

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42245475/ns/world_news-europe

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This is wrong. NATO is for defense, not policing the globe.

[msongs]

1. no need for NATO in Europe. It can defend itself against ...who exactly? nt

[dipsydoodle]

2. Nato takes over Libya no-fly zone

Source: BBC News 25 March 2011

Nato says it has agreed to take over responsibility from the US for enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya.

Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said talks would continue on giving Nato a "broader responsibility", with a decision possible in the coming days.

There have been differences of opinion about whether attacks on ground troops should form part of the action.

British jets have launched missiles at Libyan armoured vehicles near Ajdabiya during a sixth night of allied raids.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12856665

[dipsydoodle]

3. Libya: UK jets bomb vehicles 'threatening civilians'

British jets launched missiles at Libyan armoured vehicles as coalition raids continued for a sixth night, Defence Secretary Liam Fox has said.

He said Tornado aircraft targeted vehicles which were "threatening the civilian population of Ajdabiya".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12857970

[tcaudilllg]

4. "NATO"

[PufPuf23]

5. Who is the supreme NATO commander and

what role is the USA committed?

[tcaudilllg]

6. Suffice to say, things didn't go as planned. :( n/t

[Baclava]

7. "US Likely to Keep Combat Role After Libya Shift"

Pentagon says US combat role likely to continue after allies take command of Libya mission

U.S. warplanes will keep flying strike missions over Libya even after the U.S. relinquishes the lead command role to NATO as early as this weekend in the fight against Moammar Gadhafi's forces, the Pentagon indicated Thursday.

At the Pentagon, Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney, staff director for the military Joint Chiefs, told reporters that the American role will mainly be in support missions such as refueling allied planes and providing aerial surveillance of Libya. But the U.S. will still fly combat missions as needed, Gortney said.

"And I would anticipate that we would continue to provide some of the interdiction strike packages as well, should that be needed by the coalition," he added, referring to combat missions such as attacks on Libyan mobile air defenses, ammunition depots, air fields and other assets that support Libyan ground forces.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13208807

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So I guess we get the dirty 'no-drive zone' end of the stick afterall.

Thanks NATO.