Updated at 4:15 p.m. edt
NATO acknowledged a malfunctioning guided missile probably was responsible for the deaths of nine civilians in Tripoli overnight.
"NATO regrets the loss of innocent civilian lives and takes great care in conducting strikes against a regime determined to use violence against its own citizens," NATO commander Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard said in a statement.
"Although we are still determining the specifics of this event, indications are that a weapons system failure may have caused this incident," he added.
The limping Gadhafi regime took advantage of the rare botched bombing, hoping to rile up the divided Tripoli. However, still no sign of the despot-in-hiding Moammar Gadhafi.
end update
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Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates was opposed to the no-fly zone over Libya ahead of the NATO air campaign, but today he showed he is in lockstep with President Obama, defending the administration's compliance with the War Powers resolution.
"I believe that President Obama has complied with the law consistent in a manner with virtually all of his predecessors," Gates told the "Fox News Sunday" program.
The highly regarded Pentagon chief, whose distinguished career of public service has included serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations, took the administration's position that the no-fly zone with no U.S. troops on the ground does not amount to hostilities.
Today marks the 90-day deadline for withdrawing forces from Libya under the War Powers resolution of 1973, but since the administration contends that resolution does not apply to Libya, the U.S. will continue to play the key support role in that mission.
"The way I like to put it is, from our standpoint at the Pentagon, we're involved in a limited kinetic operation. If I'm in Gadhafi's palace, I suspect I think I'm at war," Gates said.
Gates' defense of the administration's position came just two days after The New York Times reported it was a split decision among Obama's lawyers on the question of whether the War Powers resolution applies to the no-fly zone over Libya.
Obama, a Harvard Law-educated legal scholar, sided with White House Counsel Robert Bauer and State Department legal adviser Harold Koh, who ruled the U.S. mission in Libya did not amount to "hostilities," and therefore the war Powers resolution does not apply in this case.
Those who argued in favor of the War Powers resolution included Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson and acting head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel Caroline Krass.
As divided lawmakers in Washington argue over the legalistic ramifications of the Libya mission, the Gadhafi regime suggested NATO bombed a home overnight, killing nine civilians. NATO is looking into the claim.
Moammar Gadhafi, meanwhile, continues to hold on to power in Tripoli while hiding from NATO's warplanes.
"NATO will be defeated," Gadhafi said in another telephone call to State Run TV Friday "They will pull out in defeat."
Showing posts with label Robert Gates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Gates. Show all posts
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Gates: Libya Exposes NATO's Flaws
Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave NATO a lot to think about in his final major policy address today in Brussels, mainly whether the alliance will remain a viable, unified force going forward.
The air campaign in Libya has raised these serious questions about NATO's capabilities and "dim if not dismal" future, Gates said in his high-octane address.
"The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress – and in the American body politic writ large – to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense," Gates warned.
Gates called the European shirkers "nations apparently willing and eager for American taxpayers to assume the growing security burden left by reductions in European defense budgets."
He praised some European for demonstrating in Libya they can take the point on the British- and French-led NATO operation, but warned if more countries do not beef up their resources the alliance will become irrelevant.
"We have the spectacle of an air operations center designed to handle more than 300 sorties a day struggling to launch about 150," Gates said.
"Furthermore, the mightiest military alliance in history is only 11 weeks into an operation against a poorly armed regime in a sparsely populated country – yet many allies are beginning to run short of munitions, requiring the U.S., once more, to make up the difference," he lamented.
He noted "while every alliance member voted for Libya mission, less than half have participated at all, and fewer than a third have been willing to participate in the strike mission."
"Frankly, many of those allies sitting on the sidelines do so not because they do not want to participate, but simply because they can’t. The military capabilities simply aren’t there, Gates explained.
The unnamed NATO deadbeats in Libya include Germany, Spain, Holland, Poland and Turkey, but on the upside Gates believes there have been countries that stepped up in Libya.
"In the Libya operation, Norway and Denmark, have provided 12% of allied strike aircraft yet have struck about one third of the targets. Belgium and Canada are also making major contributions to the strike mission," Gates said.
"These countries have, with their constrained resources, found ways to do the training, buy the equipment, and field the platforms necessary to make a credible military contribution. These examples are the exceptions," Gates added.
The former CIA director Gates was called back to service in 2006 from a comfortable job running Texas A&M University by President George W. Bush is finally stepping down after staying on as Pentagon chief to serve as President Obama's Defense secretary, as well.
The air campaign in Libya has raised these serious questions about NATO's capabilities and "dim if not dismal" future, Gates said in his high-octane address.
"The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress – and in the American body politic writ large – to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense," Gates warned.
Gates called the European shirkers "nations apparently willing and eager for American taxpayers to assume the growing security burden left by reductions in European defense budgets."
He praised some European for demonstrating in Libya they can take the point on the British- and French-led NATO operation, but warned if more countries do not beef up their resources the alliance will become irrelevant.
"We have the spectacle of an air operations center designed to handle more than 300 sorties a day struggling to launch about 150," Gates said.
"Furthermore, the mightiest military alliance in history is only 11 weeks into an operation against a poorly armed regime in a sparsely populated country – yet many allies are beginning to run short of munitions, requiring the U.S., once more, to make up the difference," he lamented.
He noted "while every alliance member voted for Libya mission, less than half have participated at all, and fewer than a third have been willing to participate in the strike mission."
"Frankly, many of those allies sitting on the sidelines do so not because they do not want to participate, but simply because they can’t. The military capabilities simply aren’t there, Gates explained.
The unnamed NATO deadbeats in Libya include Germany, Spain, Holland, Poland and Turkey, but on the upside Gates believes there have been countries that stepped up in Libya.
"In the Libya operation, Norway and Denmark, have provided 12% of allied strike aircraft yet have struck about one third of the targets. Belgium and Canada are also making major contributions to the strike mission," Gates said.
"These countries have, with their constrained resources, found ways to do the training, buy the equipment, and field the platforms necessary to make a credible military contribution. These examples are the exceptions," Gates added.
The former CIA director Gates was called back to service in 2006 from a comfortable job running Texas A&M University by President George W. Bush is finally stepping down after staying on as Pentagon chief to serve as President Obama's Defense secretary, as well.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Pete Souza's Forever Famous Sit Room Photo
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Seated, from left, are: Brigadier General Marshall B. "Brad" Webb, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Binken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Please note: a classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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