Britain and France Screw-up

Long War: Two days ago the Free Libya Army in Misrata said that Gaddafi had launched a powerful offensive into the coastal city. The FLA also said they needed British and French attack helicopters to stem the tide of bad guys. NATO replied that Gaddafi's offensive was not serious. The attack helicopters remained in Brega, a secondary battlefield.

Today we learn that Gaddafi's offensive in Misrata is indeed powerful including tanks and other heavy equipment. The FLA is losing dozens of soldiers as the fighting rages. But NATO is nowhere to be seen, sticking to its original assertion that Gaddafi's offensive is unimportant.

Before the choppers arrived last week, the FLA had pulled back from front line positions around Misrata and Al Jezeera reporters claimed this pullback was led by British commandos. The FLA pullback was obviously in preparation for an attack by the helicopters. The FLA dug-in and built makeshift air bases for the choppers, eagerly awaiting their arrival. Then the FLA sat in place and patiently took withering fire from Gaddafi, still waiting for the British and French aerial assault.

But instead the British and French attacked around the oil city of Brega. Recently we heard a vast chorus of talk from the Western allies, including the US, that Gaddafi was almost defeated and it was time to start planning for a post-Gaddafi Libya. Civilian aid packages were put together at international conferences. The rebels were scolded for not having elections scheduled. The West started counting its chickens before they were hatched.

It's hard to understand what has been going on with Britain and France. Maybe civilian leadership has taken over the military campaign. Maybe plain and simple incompetence is at work. Brega is key to opening up oil exports from the part of Libya that the FLA controls. Maybe NATO wanted to get the oil flowing and had plans to deal with Misrata later. If this was the case, then those plans should have been shared with the FLA units around Brega and there shouldn't have been a pull back.

The British government did make some statements about the commandos (stationed around Misrata) to the effect that these guys were retired from the SAS and not actually working for Britain. That could mean their employer was and is the CIA. If that is true, then we have an example of one hand not knowing what the other is doing.

This episode is one gigantic screw up.