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U.S. Air Power Plays Expansive Role in Libya

(New York Times) Eric Schmitt - As President Obama on Monday described a narrower role for the U.S. in a NATO-led operation in Libya, the American military has been carrying out an expansive and increasingly potent air campaign to compel the Libyan Army to turn against Col. Gaddafi with an all-out assault on Libya's military. American involvement is far deeper than discussed in public and more instrumental to the fight than was previously known. The U.S. is supplying much more firepower than any other country, including all but 7 of the nearly 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles fired by the allies since March 19. The Americans have dropped 455 precision-guided munitions compared with 147 from other coalition members. America is taking the lead role in gathering intelligence, intercepting Libyan radio transmissions, and using the information to orchestrate attacks against Libyan forces on the ground. The White House strategy is to hit Libyan forces hard enough to force them to oust Gaddafi. Ten days into the assault, officials said Libya's formidable integrated air defense has been largely obliterated, and that the operation was shifting to put even more pressure on the country's armored columns and ground troops.
2011-03-29 00:00:00
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