President Obama has authorized a 30-day mission for the U.S. military to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State terror group in Libya as new strikes were unleashed Tuesday, Fox News has learned.
Marine Corps Harrier jets launched from the Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp conducted at least two airstrikes against ISIS targets in the coastal city of Sirte Tuesday. USS Wasp is set to remain off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean Sea for the next month along with an escort ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney.
The U.S. has launched at least seven airstrikes in total since the campaign began Monday.
One, this is a nice example of using in a strike role the "stealth carriers" we have which have a primary mission of moving Marines.
And two, I have to withdraw my snark from 2011 during the Libya War when I asked where the post-war plan was. After all, Democrats had bitterly complained about the need for a multi-volume post-war plan before starting a war. In August, I said the plan must be awesome by then.
We haven't seen much evidence of a post-war plan for Libya as it descended into chaos and as ISIL flooded the country.
But clearly, I was wrong to wonder where the post-war plan was. Because the war isn't over yet.
But really, by now the plan--chock full of wonky nuance--must certainly be freaking awesome.
UPDATE: In contrast to jihadis in Iraq, the Libyan-based jihadis do seem more interested in the fighting-to-the-death commitment:
[Pro-GNA--the UN-backed body in Libya--]militias now claim there are only a few hundred ISIL fighters left in Sirte, but these are fighting to the death and the advancing militiamen are not suicidal at all.
The militiamen are happy to have the support although annoyed they haven't had it since 2011.
UPDATE: More:
"Our morale has been lifted, especially after the last raids carried out by our American friends," said Khaled al-Ghosh, another fighter.
"They were excellent hits. Victory will be close if there are more such hits," he added.
Now the militias just have to take the objective.
