Gadaffi's moment of truth has finally arrived. As Gadaffi's forces attempt to push into the Eastern city of Benghazi they have come under attack by French warplanes destroying several of Gadaffi's tanks. U.N. military action against Gadaffi's forces is under way. The U.S. France, Britain, Canada and Italy are all participating in the military operation that has been dubbed "Odyssey Dawn". One un-named Arab State is expected to join the military operation later, my guess is that State its Saudi Arabia.
Airstrikes begin on Libya targets
French jets attack Gaddafi targetsrench warplanes have destroyed four tanks belonging to forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, marking the first international military action against Tripoli.
French fighter aircraft are policing a no-fly zone over Libya protecting the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, has said.
Soon after Sarkozy's comments on Saturday the French military reported that French fighter jets had opened fire on targets in Libya, destroying a military vehicle.
That attack is the first by a UN-backed international military force in support of the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, the country's long-time leader.
Around 20 aircraft are involved in operations over Libya, the French defence ministry said.
French jets open fire on Libyan military vehicle
The French are using surveillance aircraft and two frigates in the operation to protect the civilian population. The aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle is soon going to be en route from Toulon.
Gaddafi is reportedly using western journalists as human shields to protect himself from being targeted by an attack U.N. forces.
Muammar Gaddafi's desperate attempt to subdue remaining rebel held areas, and especially to take Libya's second largest city Benghazi ran out of time as UN forces have started to enforce the U.N. resolution. Now that the attackers' tanks are being being obliterated, there is very little chance they will be successful in taking Benghazi. I'm glad the U.N. Security Council acted today, and didn't take an extra day. It looks like they intervened just in the nick of time for the residents of Benghazi, (the population of the Benghazi district is 670,797).
UPDATE: AJE is reporting that U.S. warships are launching cruise missiles toward Libya.
David Cameron says that British forces are in action over Libya, saying it is "necessary, legal and right"
Time's Vivienne Walt who was covering the meeting in Paris weighs in with a sobering cautionary piece about what might lie ahead:
Libya: How a No-Fly Zone Can Become a Big Hot Mess
But the likely consequence of such an action was also emerging, that it would be the beginning of a campaign to drive Gaddafi out of rebel-held eastern Libya — and ultimately to force him from office after nearly 42 years in power. It also has the capacity to become a messy, prolonged war, further complicating the atmosphere around the revolutions in the Middle East.
I don't think inaction was any alternative we wanted to make in light of Gaddafi deceleration of his determination to "cleanse Benghazi" in his speech the other day.