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NATO Forces 'Trying To Kill' Gaddafi: U.S. Admiral Samuel J. Locklear
A top U.S. admiral has confirmed to a U.S. congressman that NATO forces are trying to kill Muammar Gaddafi, and that the need for ground troops in Libya after the embattled leader falls is anticipated.
A man paints a caricature of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi next to a rebel fighter aiming a weapon at the caricature as he poses in the Libyan town of Ar Rujban June 7, 2011. A top U.S. admiral has confirmed to a U.S. congressman that NATO forces are trying to kill Muammar Gaddafi. (REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal)
House Armed Services Committee member Mike Turner (R-OH) reveals to The Cable that U.S. Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, commander of the NATO Joint Operations Command in Naples, Italy, told him last month that NATO forces are actively targeting and trying to kill Gaddafi:
"The U.N. authorization had three components: blockade, no fly zone, and civil protection. And Admiral Locklear explained that the scope of civil protection was being interpreted to permit the removal of the chain of command of Qaddafi's military, which includes Qaddafi," Turner said. "He said that currently is the mission as NATO has defined.""I believed that we were [targeting Qaddafi] but that confirmed it," Turner said. "I believe the scope that NATO is pursuing is beyond what is contemplated in civil protection, so they're exceeding the mission."
Turner's revelation contradicts the Obama administration's previous insistence that regime change is not the ultimate goal of NATO's involvement in Libya, a claim which Locklear apparently still maintained. "Well, certainly if you remove Gaddafi it will affect regime change," Turner quoted Locklear as saying. "[Locklear] did not have an answer to that."
Turner, who has been opposed to the Libya war from the start, voted against authorizing the effort on Friday morning. That authorization resolution failed 123 to 297.
He remained critical of what he describes as the Obama administration's blatant neglect of Congress throughout the duration of the mission. "The president hasn't come to Congress and said any of this, and yet Admiral Locklear is pursuing the targeting of Gaddafi's regime, Gaddafi himself, and contemplating ground troops following Gaddafi's removal," Turner said. "They're not being straightforward with Congress...It's outrageous."
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22 Comments so far
Show AllWhat a bunch of BS!
what's outrageous is that congress has voted to keep buying the BS.
you signed all the cheques that bought all the bombs.
gave my money away for nothing but tombs.
And Congress will vote, by wide (and primarily Dimocrat) margins, to pay for all of it.
They are sick!!!
WTF?
Read Cynthia McKinney to find out what the average Libyan thinks and what the former Congresswoman has seen firsthand in Libya.
This is an Imperial coup. It is illegal. Libya is a sovereign Nation. We are supposed to be a Nation of laws?
Not since the black op of 9/11.
Sorry but not since after WW2. That is when the MIC did it's coup here. We over threw Iran for the Queen's oil company. How many coups have we done to steal and suppress people.
Starting with genocide, the US has killed almost 10 million people.
But don't forget to SUPPORT THE TROOPS! Mmurdering thugs.
The illusion that was crafted by the United States of America over the past centuries, that being one of a nation that had respect for the law and for human rights, freedoms and liberties, has been one of the greatest cons visited upon the Human species in History.
It rivals the creation of the worlds religions all based on the premise that a single individual or people had been hand picked by some God above to have his special favor.
The CULT that has grown up around this worship of the United States of America is little different. So effective has that myth been that its leaders can now openly speak about the murder of individuals and of entire peoples, of torture, of dropping Nuclear bombs on peoples, of poisoning peoples and their food supplies and in the next breath tell the people this is for the cause of all that is GOOD and right and just.
How is this different then the fraud of a kind and loving god vaporizing Sodom and Gommorah?
The United States of America, as pointed out by others here, was founded upon slavery and Genocide. The Principles espoused in its hallowed Commandments were fraudulent . The belief that the United States of America somehow works for the causes of Justice and decency is little more then blind and stupid faith.
That all said , this mass brainwashing is very effective as witnessed by the millions who believe in the rapture, and by millions more who subscribe to the myth that the USA just needs a change in government to become "Good" again.
"amen" from the choir.
The global system (War Economy) is still run by private billionaire CEO banksters and their political tools, most politicians.
It is a refreshing reminder that it takes a soldier to tell the truth about what the President has ordered them to do in this war that the President says is not war.
People are good but the system we are born into is bad.
Goodness has been overcome by this system of machines set up to make the fastest profit possible... so how can anyone expect the human race to look good under the boot of this evolved global system of fast profit for the private billionaire CEO banksters and their political tools, most politicians?
They are even trying now to take the word "Folk" out of the Florida Folk Festival.
What is going on now is more visible because the machines are not as smart as the CEO banksters and their political tools, most politicians, think they are but If the machines can beat you at chess, what makes you think they are not beating you now?
love folk
Have you read the Phantom Banjo? It's about a devilish plot to take away folk music.
http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Banjo-Songkiller-Saga-Vol/product-reviews/0553287613/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Thanks for the tip.
This is a coward's war. Using unmanned drones and hiding behind your desk in the pentagon--while your soldiers kill women and children--is what passes for our courageous military these days.
It seems also that this points to the future is now that war will be eliminated from official government language.
Instantly, no more "War Crimes" to consider.
This way they can have their cake (troops on the ground but ignored) and eat it too (robot warfare) which they won't call a War. This is the reality that is taking over the military and our personal lives more every day.
Maybe this is why Brave New World was required reading way back at Ohio State but that was another world.
The post WW2 economy set up by the US corporate state and the Federal Reserve Bank is a giant Ponzi scheme that's in the end game phase. No one knows what is going to happen, no one is in control. The hogs are at the trough eating like there's no tomorrow because they are not sure what tomorrow will bring. The American Empire is acting like an aging lion trying to maintain his pride and life at the apex with the awareness that each passing day he grows older and less capable of dealing with the challenges to his power and status. Striking out at all perceived threats with increasing violence, even as the fading of his once total dominance is apparent to all but himself. The young lions are gathering to see the king fall and to fight for the leavings. It will be a long hard struggle paid for with blood, pain,and treasure, before we are settled into the coming new world order.
NATO's function ended with the Cold War. It is now basically a Canadian and mostly European extension of American imperialism and US unilateral power.
I would hope for countries steadily withdrawing from NATO starting with Canada. There's zero hope for the latter with the present dictatorship in Harper's Canada™ but dictators historically have a habit of falling eventually.
It unfortunate but...
The NDP Party recently invited its members into a dialogue wherein they would seek to discuss abandoning the principles of Socialism upon which it was founded.
They want to be seen as more business and Corporation friendly and are looking at absorbing the old Liberal party into its fold.
They feel that by shifting to the Center they can finally achieve power.
In other words do not look for the NDP to abandon NATO which Tommy Douglas and the founders of that party would have done in a heartbeat.
NATO is the US. Obama, the self appointed assassinator and chief has been given his orders by Goldman Sachs. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28365.htm
NEWS FLASH:
"Der Fuehrer has met with Mr Chamberlain and explained to him the necessity of dismembering Czechoslovakia to avoid Austria, Germany, the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe being attacked and overwhelmed by the Czech militia.
"Der Fuehrer has told Mr. Chamberlain that he has no territorial ambitions, but is acting solely in self defense. Mr. Chamberlain has agreed to this and has told the British people, 'There will be peace in our time.' "
Unsustainable Beings.
The great powers keep up their foul play,
since Libya is a very sweet oil source
Iraq does not pump enough oil even today,
and Afghanistan is an untameable force.
The US and NATO collude in crimes of war,
and even China wants its share of the loot.
For industry materials and energy raw,
they would everyone in the way shoot.
Obama would his own mother sell,
to get another productive oil well.
A warming climate will harm them,
yet they still burn more dirty carbon.
As Gaddaffi goes, so will all the rest,
everyone is betrayed by former allies
Each waits for a chance the other to best
to scavenge the other when economy dies.
There is no trust left in power,
nor in the words of a corporation.
Pledges of loyalty are not worth an hour,
as this world nears our final conflagation.
The combative efforts of all nations cancel out,
except for much increased waste and hurt.
A sustainable biosphere will not come about
while trying to grow the economy one last spurt
"The U.N. authorization had three components: blockade, no fly zone, and civil protection."
That's a clean lie. The UN SC Resolution 1973 said:
"Protection of civilians"
("to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory"),
"No-fly zone"
("to establish a ban on all flights in the airspace of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in order to help protect civilians") and
"Enforcement of the arms embargo"
("Calls upon all Member States, in particular States of the region, acting nationally or through regional organisations or arrangements, in order to ensure strict implementation of the arms embargo established by paragraphs 9 and 10 of resolution 1970 (2011), to inspect in THEIR [caps here] territory, including seaports and airports, and on the high seas, vessels and aircraft BOUND TO OR FROM [caps here] the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya")
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm
Nothing there about "blockade".
Nothing there about bombing military installations and civilian infrastructure.
Nothing there about toppling or killing Gaddafi.
The UN SC Resolution has by now been twisted out of all recognizable features. It has become - astonishingly quickly - a pure pretext for military aggression, without any justification in the actual text.
Killing Gaddafi is still illegal. Killing Gaddafi is still murder. "NATO forces are actively targeting and trying to kill Gaddafi". Intending to kill Gaddafi is still illegal under international law.
NATO-leaders are a bunch of murderous liars. In our names.
Get mad. And madder. It matters!
they simultaneously bomb object and prepare private operation to be granted for rebuilding - practice proved successful in iraq
This is a wonderfully perceptive collection of comments. Makes me wonder whether there is ANY support among the US public for this disastrous new war.