NATO air attacks do knock out loyalist equipment, but so far, knocking out that equipment has slowed down but not halted loyalist offensive operations. NATO needs to do something different. I think cutting to the chase and sending in a division of good ground troops now to capture Tripoli before world opinion turns decisively against the intervention would be the best course. Britain and France think that doing more of the same thing is the way to go:
Echoing rebel complaints, Juppe told France Info radio, "It's not enough."
He said NATO must stop Gaddafi shelling civilians and take out heavy weapons bombarding Misrata.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague also said NATO must intensify attacks, calling on other alliance countries to match London's supply of extra ground attack aircraft in Libya.
NATO, which stepped up air strikes around Misrata and the eastern battlefront city of Ajdabiyah at the weekend under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians, rejected the criticism.
I want to defeat Khaddafi. I just don't see it happening the way we are going. Well, without getting lucky, of course.
UPDATE: NATO defends their record:
Dutch Brig. Gen. Mark Van Uhm says the alliance was successful in enforcing an arms embargo, patrolling a no fly zone and protecting civilians.
Van Uhm says, "I think with the assets we have, we're doing a great job."
NATO is doing what it was ordered to do, and doing it well. I'll accept that as true. The problem is, what NATO was ordered to do most likely won't win the war. Doesn't anyone in NATO consider that a problem?
