The U.S. and Britain both have spies on the ground in Libya right now, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates vows it will be over his dead body before American troops are fighting against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
"Not as long as I’m in this job,” Gates told the House Armed Services Committee today when asked if U.S. combat troops would be inserted into the Libyan revolution.
In arguing for the no-fly zone, President Obama has stressed the "unique capabilities" the U.S. had to unleash hell on Gadhafi at the outset of the air campaign, like Tomahawk cruise missiles and unmanned drones. Gates, however, was clear that combat troops are not unique to the U.S.
“That’s not a unique capability for the United States, and as far as I’m concerned, somebody else can do that,” Gates snapped.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen agreed.
“There are plenty of countries that have the abilities, the arms, the skill set, to be able to do this,” Mullen said.
Add Canada to the list of nations that refuses to send combat troops to Libya. Prime Minister Stephen Harper insisted he would not be "putting boots on the ground."
Hmmmmmm.
Beau Geste, s'il vous plait?
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