[ 2011-04-23 ]

People on a tank in a Benghazi rally, 23 February 2011

Libya heading for stalemate - US
The most senior US soldier, Adm Mike Mullen, has
said the war in Libya is "moving towards
stalemate", even though US and Nato air strikes
have destroyed 30-40% of Libya's ground forces.

The US has authorised the use of armed, unmanned
Predator drones over Libya to give "precision
capabilities".

Libyan rebels have been battling Col Gaddafi's
troops since February but have recently made
little headway.

Adm Mullen also said there was no sign of al-Qaeda
in the Libyan opposition.

Speaking to US troops in Iraq, he said radical
groups might try to take advantage of the Libyan
uprising, but added: "We're watchful of it,
mindful of it and I just haven't seen much of it
at all. In fact, I've seen no al-Qaeda
representation there at all."

Last month, a Nato commander said US intelligence
had picked up "flickers" of al-Qaeda activity
among the rebels.

Urban targets

A fourth evacuation ship chartered by the
International Organisation for Migration is on its
way to rescue stranded migrant workers and wounded
civilians from the besieged city of Misrata.

Col Gaddafi's forces have been pounding the city -
the main rebel-held area in western Libya - for
weeks.

Medics say more than 1,000 people have died since
the fighting began, many falling victim to
snipers.

The BBC has seen evidence that cluster bombs are
being used by pro-Gaddafi forces in Misrata, a
charge they have so far denied.

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim has warned the
international community to stay out of Misrata,
saying the government will "unleash hell" if
foreign troops enter the city.

The US hopes the low-flying pilotless drones will
be able to accurately target pro-Gaddafi units on
the ground in built-up areas like Misrata, where
there is a high risk of civilian casualties.

Unmanned US drones are already used to target
militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said two
Predator drones were being made available for Nato
use, but insisted there were still no plans to
send in US ground troops.

The Pentagon said the first drone mission took
place on Thursday but turned back because of bad
weather.

Libya's deputy foreign minister warned that the
drones would increase civilian casualties and
would not change the outcome of the conflict.

"They [drones] will kill more civilians and this
is very sad," Khaled Khaim told the BBC. "It's for
the Libyans to choose their destiny - not by
sending more weapons or more air strikes, or more
money and weapons to the rebels."

"I think what they are doing is undemocratic,
illegitimate. I do hope that they will reverse
their decision."

'Morale boost'

Meanwhile, US Senator John McCain has arrived on a
visit to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

A crowd of about 50 people greeted him at the
courthouse in Benghazi, chanting, "The nasty
Gaddafi has left and McCain came", the AFP news
agency reports.

Senator McCain, a former Republican presidential
candidate, is the highest-ranking US official to
visit the rebel-held east of the country since the
uprising began two months ago.

Mr McCain said the rebels needed "a lot of help"
and wanted the world to follow France and Italy in
formally recognising them as Libya's leaders.

"I just came from the hospital where I saw a
number of people who are badly wounded and dying,"
he said.

"That frankly puts a face on it that argues maybe
we should be doing everything we can to help these
people, and maybe we're not and they're dying."

The BBC's Peter Biles in Benghazi says the rebels
are looking for every ounce of support they can
get, so Mr McCain's visit will have been a huge
morale boost.

On Thursday, Libyan rebels were reported to have
seized control of a border post on the Tunisian
border in a rare advance in the west.

Reports say about 100 government soldiers handed
themselves in in Tunisia after intense fighting in
the Western Mountains region.

Restrictions on journalists in remote areas of
Libya mean it is hard to independently verify such
reports.

The UN's refugee agency says more than 14,000
people have fled the Western Mountains into
Tunisia in the past two weeks.

Source - BBC

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