http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/world/africa/22libya.html?hp
Outside of the first bombing of the tanks outside of Benghazi, I haven’t heard any further reports of military actions against ground forces or naval forces. We seem to mostly be sticking to blowing up the advanced air defense system and Qadaffi’s PBX and disabling air fields. Without the coordinated air defenses, it still isn’t “safe” to fly over Libya – you sill have to worry about AAA firing up into the air, mobile air defense vehicles (you only see them if they turn on their radars) and shoulder mounted surface to air missiles (SAMs) – those you see when your plane starts firing out chaff and flares to distract the missile.
So before the brief interruption, Libyan government forces had bypassed Ajdabiya, the last city on the road to Benghazi (Wasn’t that a Bob Hope, Bing Crosby movie?). They were mostly ignoring the “rebels” inside the city of Ajdabiya in the rush to get to Benghazi as the UN clock was ticking.
Now with the Benghazi thing on hold, the government troops have had time to “mop up” in Ajdabiya and clean out any remaining resistance. The “Rebels” are breaking the cease fire and rolling down the road from Benghazi in an agressive action to resume the fighting, putting the civilians of Ajdabiya in danger. Government forces have repelled the invading forces who are now headed back to Benghazi. You can’t defend a roadblock out in the open flat desert, and you aren’t going to get inside the range of the MLRVs and survive for long in a pickup truck. You can bet those MLRVs inside Ajdabiya are sitting right next to an orphanage and mosque.
