The UK Royal Navy (RN) is reinforcing its inaugural Response Force Task Group (RFTG) deployment in the Mediterranean Sea with an additional four amphibious and logistic ships together with WAH-64D Apache AH.1 attack helicopters. Although the new assets, led by the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean and its embarked Apaches, could potentially be made available for operations off Libya, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has insisted that the deployment is not linked to events in North Africa[.]
Yeah, there are plenty of reasons the task force could be in the Mediterranean Sea. I assume this is the same task force I mentioned a few weeks ago. This means a Marine battalion will be on station. The British could fly in additional paratroopers or leg infantry plus some supporting forces to round it up to a composite brigade. Add in two or three more brigades from the French, Italians, Spanish, or Germans, and you have a composite division that I think is enough to drive Khaddafi from power in Tripoli.
Perhaps the recent Italian talk of limiting the time of the NATO intervention isn't about retiring from the war in defeat but doing what it takes in a limited time to win. I may have been unkind to suggest the former.
