The war has been joined. French aircraft fired on a “Confirmed Military Vehicle” and announce that all aircraft caught flying around Benghazi will be shot down.
Since all the tanks on both sides are Libyan with Libyan markings, I sure hope the French didn’t blow up a Rebel tank by mistake. Maybe that’s why they stopped after one.
In a tactic familiar to followers of the Middle East, “unarmed loyalist civilians” are surrounding important military installations, operating as human shields which will “complicate” French and English efforts to assasinate Qadaffi.
Qadaffi probably makes an ugly woman. You’ll remember it took months after we had complete control over Iraq before we found Saddam Hussein, and that was only because someone got tired of him hanging around.
First tangible effect of the first direct contact. Civilians are fleeing from Benghazi, headed East to Egypt. They don’t seem to trust the French to protect them.
We’re now in the fight. US missiles fired from ships at Libyan air defenses
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7480975.html
No backing out now.
Reports are they were cruise missiles targeted at a civilian neighborhood in Tripoli.
It’s been nearly 100 years since the French had a combat victory against anyone. Perhaps this time they’ll get lucky- if they quit while they’re ahead.