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Africa North
US pulls out warplanes from Libya
2011-04-05
The US military on Monday withdrew its fighter jets from the international air campaign in Libya, officials said, after NATO asked Washington to keep up bombing raids for another 48 hours.

The United States had planned to halt combat missions and Tomahawk cruise missile launches at the weekend but accepted a NATO request to continue the operations for another 48 hours until Monday.

US combat sorties ended at 2200 GMT, with American warplanes on standby as NATO takes the lead, Pentagon spokesman Captain Darryn James said. After that, "US aviation assets are expected to cease strike sorties and will remain on an alert status if NATO requests their support," James said in an email.
So we're on alert status but we won't honor NATO requests to perform missions. Are we fooling anyone other than the New York Times?
Between 2200 GMT on Tuesday and 1000 GMT on Monday, US aircraft carried out at least two raids but launched no Tomahawk cruise missiles, James said. A US Harrier jet "engaged military vehicles near" Sirte and a US A-10 Thunderbolt "engaged military vehicles near Brega," he said.

US lawmakers have criticized President Barack Obama for scaling back the US military's role, saying NATO allies have no equivalent ground-attack aircraft to the A-10 "warthog."
Perhaps the Euros should consider designing and building such an aircraft. That way they wouldn't be beholden to the U.S. in situations like this. And while you're at it...
As other NATO countries plan to step up combat flights to replace the American aircraft, the US contribution will be confined mainly to electronic jamming, mid-air refueling, surveillance and search and rescue efforts.
Posted by:Steve White

#3  The Libyuhn Rebels are mostly dissatisfied wid the UN NFZ, IMO essens complaining that the Coalition Flyboyz haven't bombed Gaddafi enough.

The Rebs are warning they will demand that the NFZ AirOps cease unless the the UNO can "do its job properly".

Read, BOMB UNCLE MUAMMAR INTO CAMEL-REENIES WHILE PRETENDING THAT THEY DIDN'T.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-04-05 23:46  

#2  The question now is whether the Euros can replace the US sorties and for how long they can keep the raids going. The rebels apparently cannot take the western part of Libya, even with air support. A Yahoo article today said the rebels were being pushed back again. I notice that the media is avoiding the "Q" word they so quickly used against Bush. And yes, it would not surprise me to hear, after the fact, of new air raids by US planes.
One side note, the A-10, the US Air Force did not want it in the first place, they tried to retire it, and it keeps showing up as a vital warplane when the bullets fly. One of the great warplanes of history!
Rifle 308
Posted by: rifle308   2011-04-05 13:06  

#1  US lawmakers have criticized President Barack Obama for scaling back the US military's role, saying NATO allies have no equivalent ground-attack aircraft to the A-10 "warthog."

Neither have they equivalent pilots!
Posted by: Willy   2011-04-05 09:04  

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