WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is trying to give the White House the broadest range of possible actions as it steps up pressure on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, defense officials said.
Two amphibious assault ships will arrive shortly in the Mediterranean, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, and 400 Marines are being sent, poised to take part in evacuation and humanitarian operations if needed. "We are looking at a lot of options and contingencies. No decisions have been made on any other actions," Gates said, noting that the United Nations had not authorized use of force in Libya and that NATO countries had not reached an agreement about whether military might should be used.
"Our job is to give the president the broadest possible decision space," Gates said.
The repositioning of U.S. ships and aircraft closer to Libya is widely seen as a symbolic show of force since neither the United States nor its NATO allies have shown any appetite for direct military intervention in the turmoil that has seen Gaddafi lose control of large swaths of his country.
The United States and its NATO allies, however, are considering imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said setting up a no-fly zone would be a highly complex operation.
"If we were to set it up ... we'd have to work our way through doing it in a safe manner and not put ourselves in jeopardy" from Libyan air defense, he said. Mullen also said there was no indication that Iran had a role in stirring up the popular unrest that has brought sweeping political change across the Middle East.
(Reporting by Missy Ryan; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
MAC.TV is an independent network television broadcasting company that owns and operates the largest African broadcast television station group in the U.S. MAC.TV and Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency (ERTA) currently broadcasts to over 6 global satellites worldwide reach major cities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. VISIT US ON THE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.MYAFRICACHANNEL.TV
Pages
Popular Posts
-
* Government forces intensify campaign to crush revolt * Aircraft strike behind rebel lines * Tripoli denies offering to negotiate Gaddafi...
-
U.S. President Barack Obama celebrates his 50th birthday with a star-studded fundraiser in Chicago , featuring performers Jennifer Hudson ...
-
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer – 2 mins ago NEW YORK – MSNBC host Keith Olbermann announc...
-
========================================================= UN declares famine in two regions of southern Somalia [A Somali woman and h...
-
The U.S. Department of State has warned U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Niger, and urges extreme caution due to increased kidnap...
-
* Africans accused of being mercenaries * Evacuees robbed of phones and belongings * Libya a stepping stone on migrants' route to Eu...
-
=============================================================== By Craig Whitlock, Ernesto Londono and Leila Fadel Washington Post Foreign ...
-
As reported by Reuters: * Violence flares in desert province, breaking relative calm * U.S., Germany call for end to emergency rule * Al...
-
BREAKING NEWS August 1, 2011 12:48:11 AM USA-DEBT/OBAMA-AGREEMENT (URGENT) WASHINGTON , July 31 (Reuters) - President Barack ...
-
14 March 2011 – A United Nations disaster team has arrived in Japan and local officials have asked the world body to dispatch a team of ...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment