US doing limited airstrikes for NATO in Libya

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US doing limited airstrikes for NATO in Libya

LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press – Wed Apr

13, 6:20 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Amid complaints from allies that the U.S. military should be doing

more in the Libya operation, Pentagon officials disclosed Wednesday that

American fighter jets have continued airstrikes inside the country even after

the United States turned the mission over to NATO last week.

The revelation came as Pentagon officials laid out U.S. participation in the

Libya conflict over the past 10 days, including that Americans have flown 35

percent of all air missions.

Those missions, they said, include bombing attacks against Libyan surface-to-air

missile launchers, as well as surveillance and refueling operations. It was the

first time the Pentagon acknowledged that airstrikes continued after the U.S.

handed over control of the Libya mission to NATO on April 4.

According to Pentagon officials, eleven U.S. fighter jets were assigned to NATO

to look for and take out the air defense systems.

The revelation triggered questions because U.S. military officials have said

consistently that American fighter jets would only conduct strikes in Libya if

NATO makes a special request and it is approved by top Pentagon leaders.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan told reporters Wednesday that NATO has made

no such requests for U.S. airstrikes since taking over the lead role in Libya.

But Lapan said that approval process applies only to airstrikes meant to protect

civilians from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces. Such strikes could target

regime tanks or forces moving against Libyan citizens.

The fighter jets assigned to NATO, Lapan said, are used solely for a separate

mission to take out enemy air defenses, such as the truck-mounted surface-to-air

missile launchers. The 11 jets are considered NATO aircraft, under separate

leadership and committed to making the U.N.-approved no fly zone over Libya

safer and more effective.

The distinction is slim, since the purpose of the no-fly zone is to protect

civilians.

According to military officials, six F-16 fighter jets and five Navy EA-18G

Growler electronic attack planes have been assigned to NATO. They dropped bombs

on three separate days — April 4, 6 and 7, defense officials said. The targets

included mobile surface-to-air missile targets in Libya.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide operational

details, said the 11 U.S. aircraft have flown 97 of the 134 air defense mission

sorties since April 4. Italy and other nations are also participating, but

defense officials said such missions are considered a unique capability that the

U.S. can perform.

The 11 fighter jets, officials said, are based in Italy.

In a stark acknowledgement that NATO had not yet accomplished its U.N.-mandated

mission of protecting Libyan civilians from attacks by Libyan government forces,

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday said the U.S. is

receiving disturbing reports of " renewed atrocities " by pro-Gadhafi troops.

" Regime militias and mercenaries have continued their attacks on civilians in

Misrata, indiscriminately firing mortar and artillery rounds into residential

areas of the city, " Clinton said in a statement. " The regime has reportedly

destroyed crucial food supply warehouses and cut off water and power to the

city, laying siege to the Libyan people in an apparent attempt to starve them

into submission. Snipers have targeted civilians seeking medical attention, and

thousands of civilians are being forced out of their homes by regime attacks

with tanks and artillery. "

Asked why U.S. officials did not disclose the recent strikes against Libya air

defenses until Wednesday, a senior defense official said the military considers

them defense, not " offensive strike operations " because they are targeting

missile sites in an effort to protect allied planes patrolling the no-fly zone

over Libya. The official said the Pentagon does not believe it has been

deceitful by not disclosing the strikes until now.

" It is completely consistent with how we have described our support role ever

since the transition to NATO, " Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. " We

weren't just going to be flying around and doing jamming. If these guys want to

show themselves, we're going to take them out. "

The U.S. has done 77 percent of all the refueling missions and 27 percent of the

surveillance flights, Lapan said. The U.S. has provided 22 tanker aircraft and

13 surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to NATO for use in Libya operations,

including two Predator drones, a high-altitude unmanned Global Hawk, and an

array of planes that have sophisticated jamming, radar, communications and

spying capabilities.

U.S. officials have emphasized on repeated occasions that the American military

would step back into a supporting role in the Libyan conflict after taking the

lead early on in the operation.

But in recent days Western diplomats and Libyan rebels have complained about the

reduced U.S. role in the conflict, saying that the loss of American aircraft in

the combat has had a significant impact. Lack of U.S. fighters, they said, has

made it difficult for the opposition forces to gain any ground — and at times

even sustain their positions — against the regime forces.

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AP Broadcast correspondent Sagar Meghani contributed to this report.