France vows to step up airstrikes in Libya

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France vows to step up airstrikes in Libya

By ELAINE GANLEY and SYLVIE CORBET, Associated Press Elaine Ganley And Sylvie

Corbet, Associated Press – Wed Apr 20, 5:19 pm ET

PARIS – Europe has moved closer to doing what it said it wouldn't do in Libya —

directly jump into the bid to overthrow leader Moammar Gadhafi.

France said Wednesday it has already sent military officers to work with Libyan

rebels on the ground, in addition to stepping up airstrikes. Italy and Britain

have said they're also sending military officers.

European officials portray their assistance as an effort to fill the military

gap with Gadhafi's forces — and turn the tide without overstepping rules of the

U.N.-sanctioned military operation to protect civilians.

The acting foreign minister of the National Transitional Council said the rebel

movement's political wing wants more, like weapons for an " official army " and

forces from friendly nations if that's what it takes to topple the Libyan

leader.

" We have made no official demand, (but) all possibilities are open, " Ali

al-Issaoui said at a news conference.

The opposition council's visiting president, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, said rebels

have already received arms " but they are not sufficient. "

Hours earlier, President Nicolas Sarkozy said France would step up its share of

the NATO-led airstrikes aimed at knocking out Gadhafi's military apparatus to

protect civilians.

" We will help you, " Sarkozy promised Abdel-Jalil, who said he had asked France

" to intensify the support accorded to the Libyan revolution. "

" We will intensify the strikes, " Sarkozy responded, according to a presidential

aide who was not authorized to be publicly named according to policy.

French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Fages said in an online briefing

Wednesday that France had also agreed to place " a small number of liaison

officers alongside our special envoy in (the rebel stronghold) of Benghazi. "

Italy, too, announced plans to send help — 10 military instructors — although

Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa, like France, ruled out sending ground troops.

Britain said Tuesday it was sending up to 20 military advisers to help Libya's

rebel forces.

British Prime Minister Cameron spoke separately Wednesday with United

States, Italian and Qatari leaders

A Downing Street spokesperson, speaking on customary condition of anonymity,

said Cameron " emphasized the urgent importance of placing continued military and

diplomatic pressure on the Gadhafi regime in order to protect the many thousands

of civilians who remain under attack. "

The spokesperson added that there " was strong agreement on the need to enforce "

the U.N. Security Council resolution opening the way to a military mission to

protect civilians.

EU foreign policy chief Ashton went a step further, saying out loud

what other nations often prefer to whisper.

" For the European Union, we remain resolute in seeking a rapid political

transition in Libya, " Ashton told reporters in Abu Dhabi, where she was

attending meetings. " We believe the Gadhafi regime must cede power and allow the

Libyan people to determine their own future. "

In Washington, the Obama administration said Wednesday it plans to give the

Libyan opposition $25 million in non-lethal assistance — the first direct U.S.

aid to the rebels — after weeks of assessing their capabilities and intentions.

Washington ensured that the surplus American goods cannot be converted into

offensive military assets, officials said.

The aid would support the Transitional Council and " our efforts to protect

civilians and the civilian populated areas that are under threat of attack from

their own government in Libya, " U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

said.

The list of aid, mainly from Pentagon stocks, is still being constituted but now

covers items such as medical supplies, uniforms, boots, tents, personal

protective gear, radios and Halal meals, officials said.

French government spokesman Francois Baroin suggested that less than 10 officers

were serving in a liaison capacity in Libya and insisted the move conforms to

the U.N. resolution authorizing the international military campaign in Libya.

A French diplomat said the French officers are not combat troops and are not

teaching Libyan rebels weapons skills. Instead, he said, they are working on

logistics and organizational help. He would not say how long the officers have

been in Benghazi. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of the

operation's sensitivity.

France — the first to declare support for the Libyan opposition and carry out

the first airstrikes — sent a diplomatic envoy to Benghazi earlier this month.

La Russa said that even if NATO has destroyed a lot of Gadhafi's defense

structure, " what remains is still superior to the insurgents' capabilities. "

" They still have non-insignificant military capability, " La Russa said of

Gadhafi's forces.

La Russa met with British Defense Secretary Liam Fox, who said many of the

Libyan rebels " have little understanding of weaponry or military tactics. "

" The best way in which we can assist them is to give them some technical

capabilities in how to organize themselves, " Fox said.

The British minister said the situation was " not that different from what's

happening in Afghanistan, where we've decided that training up security forces

so that the Afghans themselves can look after their security is the best way

forward. "

Al-Issaoui, the opposition official, spelled out what he said is the human cost

of the confrontation with Gadhafi's forces: 10,000 dead, 30,000 injured, with

7,000 of them in serious condition, and 20,000 youths who have disappeared. He

claimed they had been kidnapped or imprisoned.

In addition, refugees have fled to neighboring Tunisia by the tens of thousands,

with a surge in crossings over the past week, according to aid officials, as

Libyan forces pound the west, particularly Misrata.

The Libyan people " must buy arms to assure their self-defense, " al-Issaoui said.

" Airstrikes do not suffice to protect civilians. "

Abdel-Jalil, the opposition leader, said in an interview with France-24 TV that

rebels have received arms " from purchases or from friends, " but would not name

the friends supplying the arms. Asked if Qatar was among them, he said its role

was " very limited. "

Qatar is the lone Arab country to actively participate in airstrikes.

If the U.N. resolution opening the way for the international military operation

doesn't lead to Gadhafi's departure, " we could authorize the presence on Libyan

territory of forces from Arab countries or friendly countries, " he said.

The statement was a major departure from the Libyan rebels' position — to topple

Gadhafi without outside help. But Gadhafi " is the one who brought foreign

intervention to Libya by using these mercenaries, " he said, referring to

mercenaries from other African nations found fighting with his forces.

The French government spokesman reiterated that France would " in no way and in

no form " send ground troops to Libya.

Abdel-Jalil insisted that the ragtag rebel force and fledgling opposition

governing council would respect international norms if they emerge victorious in

their battle with Gadhafi, who has ruled Libya for 42 years.

" We will work to build a democratic state where the chief of state arrives in

power not on a tank, but by a ballot box, " he said.

___

Cecile Brisson and Charlton in Paris, Alessandra Rizzo in Rome,

Lee in Washington, Cassandra Vinograd in London and Adam Schreck in Abu Dhabi

contributed to this report.