Britain enrolled in the Nato campaign in Libyan for the first time. Two British combat helicopters attacked and destroyed a radar installation as well as a military checkpoint. One of the two choppers was attacked by forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi, but both safely made it back to Royal Navy helicopter carrier.
The operation was planned simultaneously with other operations by Nato allies, one of which was a an operation by French attack helicopters who struck 15 military vehicles and 5 military command buildings.
Both foreign affair secretary William Hague, who flew into Benghazi to further pledge Britain's backing for the anti-Gaddafi National Transitional Council, as well as defence secretary Liam Fox, who is in Singapore attending a security conference, have already responded to the operation. Both made clear that Britain will stay actively involved in Nato’s Libya campaign as long as Gaddafi keeps attacking and killing his own people.
The operations are much hailed by the rebels, according to the the head of the rebel council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil the rebels "welcome any measures that would expedite the departure of Gaddafi and his regime."
For all I personally know of the situation in Libya the way Gaddafi runs his country should be strongly frowned upon by any democratic nation. If that on itself would be reason to declare war on a country or government that might well cause a lot more bad than it does good. Yet when a people comes into protest against its leader and the leader strikes back as hard as he can, killing many, I think it’s the duty of the western world to defend the people. And so I think it is good that the Nato clearly chooses a team now.
The situation in Libya has been going on for quite some while now, it did take Nato quite some while to get a campaign started. I don’t know what reasons there were not to take action earlier, it seems to me acting earlier might have prevented many innocent civilian casualties. But then again, I don’t think I have the knowledge to judge. At least action is being taken against the horrible dictator Gaddafi is.
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