POWIP Piece of Work In Progress – Former Abode of Dan Collins

Italy breaks ranks with NATO over Libya mission

Incroyable!

Which was inevitable I suppose, given their reluctance from the beginning. From AFP:

Italy called for a suspension of hostilities in Libya on Wednesday in the latest sign of dissent within NATO as the civilian death toll mounts and Moamer Kadhafi shows no signs of quitting power.

"We have seen the effects of the crisis and therefore also of NATO action not only in eastern and southwestern regions but also in Tripoli," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told a parliamentary committee meeting.

"I believe an immediate humanitarian suspension of hostilities is required in order to create effective humanitarian corridors," while negotiations should also continue on a more formal ceasefire and peace talks, he said.

"I think it is legitimate to request ever more detailed information on the results" of the NATO mission, he added, condemning "the dramatic errors that hit civilians, which is clearly not an objective of the NATO mission."

Of course the French government immediately made a statement that amounted to "no dice":

Any pause in operations would risk allowing him to play for time and to reorganise(sic). In the end, it would be the civilian population that would suffer from the smallest sign of weakness on our behalf...

So in essence Sarkozy is telling the Italians to stick with it.  David Cameron also pledged that Britain would continue the mission as long as necessary; despite the warnings of his top military officials of the strain that this is putting on the UK's armed forces.

All of this serves to underscore the position that the America's NATO partners have put themselves in over the years. They've relied on the US to defend their nations, in a macroscopic sense, and have robbed their individual defense budgets in order to fund the redistribution of wealth via their ever increasing welfare states; in many ways a preview of what would result if the Democrat national politicians were given free license to implement the Obama/progressive agenda.

NATO's inability to successfully prosecute Operation Unified Protector without the US providing the bulk of the combat forces illustrates the recklessness of this policy.  And it is perhaps a harbinger of an increased US role, at least with respect to combat aircraft,  in the near future.

Italy's reticence to continue prosecuting the shooting war in Libya will no doubt give cover to other NATO nations that wish to withdraw completely.  And, should they restrict NATO forces from flying combat sorties from Italian bases, geographically the closest to Libyan territory, it will make things that much more difficult; and may jeopardize the ultimate success of the mission.

[Image courtesy of the immensely talented William Banzai 7. Visit his zazzle store if you're so inclined]

Rocketman

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