BERLIN – The United States and European Nato allies yesterday rebuffed French and British calls to contribute more actively to the air war in Libya.
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton told Nato ministers meeting in Berlin that it was vital for the alliance to maintain “resolve and unity” against Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy. But she gave no indication that Washington was prepared to fully re-engage in ground strikes.
As they met, a spokesman for the anti-Gadafy rebels besieged in the western city of Misurata warned of an impending massacre unless Nato intervened more decisively. The rebels said 23 civilians were killed in a rocket attack on a residential zone near Misurata port yesterday.
US officials, briefing on condition of anonymity, brushed aside French and British complaints about the pace of air strikes, saying Nato commanders had not sought more resources.
Spain said it had no plan to join the seven of 28 Nato states that have been involved in ground strikes. Italy, the former colonial power in Libya, said it would need to hear convincing arguments for it to do so.
Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a news conference Nato ministers had committed to provide “all necessary resources” to the mission and to maintain “a high operational tempo against legitimate targets”.
He said Nato’s supreme commander, US admiral James Stavridis, needed “a few more precision ground attack aircraft”.
Nato officials said he was not referring to low-flying A-10 “tankbuster” planes and AC-130 gunships, which only the United States possesses, and which French officials have said could help break the deadlock in the battle against Col Gadafy.
Mr Rasmussen told a news briefing he had received no specific pledges for more aircraft in Berlin but “indications that give me hope”. “And by nature, Im an optimist,” he said.
British foreign secretary William Hague, asked if US forces could resume ground strikes, said: “The United States is making a huge contribution ... It’s not unreasonable to ask other nations ... to make additional contributions.”
While the United States conducted most of the initial strikes on Libya last month, President Barack Obama has pledged only a limited supporting role under the Nato command and the Pentagon said yesterday that US planes had dropped bombs in only three missions since handing over two weeks ago.
Mr Obama has been reluctant to become entangled in another war in a Muslim state when he is trying to disengage from long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and Americans are preoccupied with economic and budget problems.
French defence minister Gérard Longuet said this week that Col Gadafy’s attacks would not be stopped without US participation in strikes on his tanks and artillery.
Meanwhile, the British government announced that former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa was no longer subject to EU sanctions. Mr Koussa fled Libya on March 30th and sought refuge in London, reportedly to show his support for the Libyan rebel uprising and to protest against attacks by Gadafy’s forces on civilians. – (Reuters)