NATO’s Libyan Interferences waste of time

NATO’s Libyan Interferences waste of time, money and life
and no effect?

Fighting between rebels and forces loyal to Libyan leader
Col. Gaddafi has been continuing in key cities after a fifth consecutive night of
NATO wasted air strikes by international forces which are having no effect on
Gaddafi’s forces, the only way to help the rebels if in fact that is what NATO
really wants to do???? Is to put ground troops in giving the rebels professional
support which in effect NATO would actually be as it is with the air strikes
support terrorism? (Rebels just being the use of a name that suits NATO and its
allies?)

In the night, several loud explosions were heard in the
capital, Tripoli.

In the rebel-held city of Misrata, East of Tripoli,
government tanks have been shelling the area near the hospital.

A French fighter has shot down a Libyan air force jet which
was violating the no-fly zone.

There have also been reports of fierce fighting between
rebels and pro-Gaddafi forces in strategic Ajdabiya.

Residents fleeing the town described shelling, gunfire and
houses on fire.

There are reports of Western (NATO) air strikes hitting the
Tajura district of the capital, causing many civilian casualties.

The French military has said French air strikes hit a Libyan
air base in the interior of the country overnight.

The strikes hit a base about 250km (155 miles) south of the
Libyan coastline, French military spokesman Col Thierry Burkhard told reporters.
He did not give any further information on the location of the target or the
damage.

Later on more Western (NATO) military planes were reported
to have hit the town of Sebha in southern Libya, according to residents and
media reports.

Sebha, about 750km (480 miles) south of Tripoli, is a
Gaddafi stronghold and home to an important military base.

An explosion was also reported overnight at a military base
in the Tajura region east of Tripoli. Residents in the capital earlier said
plumes of black smoke could be seen coming from an area near a military base,
although this has not been independently confirmed.

In Misrata, Libya's third-largest city, witnesses had said
on Wednesday that tanks had pulled back from their positions under air assault
from international forces.

Later, residents said tanks had rolled back into the city
and resumed shelling.

Misrata resident Muhammad told the London Times many large
explosions were heard overnight in the city: "Even now we continue to hear
the aeroplanes circling the air above Misrata right now...

"Our major problem in Misrata is with the snipers.
Gaddafi's forces have occupied the main street... which stretches from the town
centre all the way to the highway and beyond. There are snipers all along the
rooftops of that street. They are firing indiscriminately into the main street
and the back streets. But the heavy artillery and shelling has stopped since
yesterday [Wednesday]. In that sense, we are in a much better position."

Another resident has said pro-government forces have seized
control of the city's port, where there are thousands of stranded foreign
workers seeking to leave.

The same resident has said Western air strikes hit some
government tanks on the outskirts of the city late on Wednesday, but tanks
inside the city remain there and have not been hit.

Misrata has been besieged for several weeks, with reports
that more than a dozen people were killed in the latest clashes.

After one particularly loud explosion during the night, a
column of smoke was seen rising from the direction of a military base in the
city. There have been various bursts of prolonged firing from the ground,
completely useless in terms of hitting the planes or missiles involved, but
often an indication that the defenders think they are coming under attack.

There are contradictory accounts about the effectiveness of
coalition attacks on Col Gaddafi's forces outside the rebel-held town of
Misrata. On Wednesday, pro-Gaddafi tanks seemed close to taking the town, but
after a number of coalition air strikes, they appear to have been silenced.
Still, there are suggestions that the tanks and artillery may have opened up
again under cover of darkness or using the town as a hiding place.

Misrata is the last major town in western Libya that's been
holding out against the pro-Gaddafi counter attack, so it's important from the
coalition's point of view to protect it from falling which they won’t be able
to do without sending in ground troops.

It will take the coalition of international powers weeks or
months to try and destroy Col Gaddafi's military, if not years unless ground
troops go in?.

The US chief of staff for the mission in Libya “insisted
there had been no reports of “civilian casualties” caused by allied action
which was a lie, there has been hundreds of casualties and some being killed,
being in the wrong place at the wrong time?.

Rear Admiral Gerard Hueber's comments came despite claims to
the contrary by Col Gaddafi's government and other news reports by independent reporters.

Earlier, British Air vice Marshal Greg Bagwell said Col
Gaddafi's air force no longer existed as a fighting force.

AVM Bagwell said the allies could now operate "with
near impunity" over the skies of Libya and were now applying unrelenting
pressure on the Libyan armed forces.

"We are watching over the innocent people of Libya and
ensuring that we protect them from attack," he said. "We have the
Libyan ground forces under constant observation and we attack them whenever
they threaten civilians or attack population centres."

His comments came as NATO members still squabble and fight
between themselves who should lead the intervention, with the US keen to pull
out hand over operational control to NATO.

NATO members have been holding talks about assuming
responsibility for the no-fly zone over Libya, so far without agreement.

Turkey is an integral part of the naval blockade, but has
expressed concern about the alliance taking over command of the no-fly zone
from the US.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged all sides in
Libya to cease hostilities. "All those who violate international
humanitarian and human rights law will be held fully accountable," his
spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is in the Egyptian
capital, Cairo, for talks on both Libya and Egypt's hoped-for transition to
democracy following the fall of Hosni Mubarak.