NATO in Libya a ‘Model’ For Euro-US Cooperation: US Official

MILITARISM, 19 Sep 2011

The Telegraph – TRANSCEND Media Service

A senior US State Department official hailed NATO’s air strike campaign in Libya as a “model” for future cooperation between European members of the military alliance and the US.

The operation in Libya was “in many ways a model on how the United States can lead the way that allows allies to support,” Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Philip Gordon said at an event in Washington.

“What is new about Libya is the approach that the United States would do an initial phase that only the United States could do, and then that Europeans were playing a leading role in certain aspects,” he said.

Britain and France spearheaded the air war to protect civilians from Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, launching the first salvos under a coalition led by the United States on March 19.

But with the United States bogged down in Afghanistan, US President Barack Obama handed command of Libya operations to Nato on March 31.

At the outset, Obama called on Nato to take action and deployed “very unique capabilities no one else could deploy,” Gordon said.

“Once the United States had done its job by suppressing the air defences in Libya, we saw the strike missions carried out in the lead by other allies,” he said – evidence that “it is possible to successfully conduct a Nato operation” without the US taking centre stage.

Go to Original – telegraph.co.uk

 

Share this article:


DISCLAIMER: The statements, views and opinions expressed in pieces republished here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of TMS. In accordance with title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. TMS has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is TMS endorsed or sponsored by the originator. “GO TO ORIGINAL” links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the “GO TO ORIGINAL” links. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.


One Response to “NATO in Libya a ‘Model’ For Euro-US Cooperation: US Official”

  1. satoshi says:

    A model for the Euro-US cooperation for war? Or peace (not yet though) by violent means?

    War in Afghanistan. Iraq War. What’s next? It seems that “war” and “cooperation” are collocations for Europe and the US. “Peace” and “cooperation” are not collocations for them?

    But I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for peace by peaceful means. I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for the reduction of the world hunger, for instance. I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for environmental protection. I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for the reduction of the extreme poverty in the world. I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for human rights and dignity. I would like to see the Euro-US cooperation for the progress of the whole humanity.