Libya: Stalemate looms, warns Admiral Mike Mullen

[Bosonic]

Source: BBC

The most senior US soldier, Adm Mike Mullen, has said the war in Libya is "moving towards stalemate", even though US and Nato air strikes have destroyed 30-40% of Libya's ground forces.

The US has authorised the use of armed, unmanned Predator drones over Libya to give "precision capabilities".

Libyan rebels have been battling Col Gaddafi's troops since February but have recently made little headway.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13168678

[xchrom]

1. $$$$$$$$$$. And that's agood thing to DoD.

One wonders where all this 'we're broke'talk comes from.

[EFerrari]

2. He also said that Gaddafi's forces have peeled away by 40%.

I guess that's supposed to be encouraging.

[trud]

6. raise your hand

if you remember the term "body count."

[EFerrari]

9. Oh, yeah. n/t

[frylock]

3. well gosh, there must be something that we can do to tip the balance

[KurtNYC]

4. both Gaddafi and the rebels have oil revenue

that they can use to continue buying weapons and mercs indefinitely.

It's a MIC wet dream; the like of which have not been seen since the 1980-1988 Iran vs. Iraq war. Oil comes out, weapons go in.

[Kurska]

11. Actually Gadaffi doesn't hold many major oil fields and hasn't been able to export much oil at all.

He seems to be paying mercenaries out of his private massive stash of gold.

[daleo]

5. Better escalate the war then

Because that always works.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Chessmaster?

[ReggieVeggie]

8. stalemate? how could that be?

It was only supposed to take a few weeks!

[eridani]

10. Well, no shit Sherlock

Pro and anti-Gaddafi forces are pro or anti because of blood relationships. It's east (not linked to Gaddafi by blood), vs west (relatives and allies). According to info posted a month ago, both sides have enough oil and weapons to fight each other indefinitely.