US Officials: Libyan Operation Could Last Months

US officials: Libyan operation could last months
WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S.-led military action in Libya has bolstered rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, but the international operation could continue for months, the Obama administration says.
NATO’s top decision-making body was to meet Sunday to expand its enforcement of the no-fly zone to include air strikes against Libyan ground targets.
The military progress follows deep criticism against Obama from lawmakers upset that the administration hadn’t sought greater congressional input on Libya.
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But asked on ABC’s “This Week” if that would mean a U.S. military commitment until year’s end, Gates said, “I don’t think anybody knows the answer to that.”
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The lack of clarity on that question reflects a worry for lawmakers clamoring to hear fuller explanations from the administration on why the U.S. was embroiling itself in another Muslim conflict and what the ultimate goals of the intervention are.
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Asked if the Libyan conflict posed a threat to the United States, Gates said it was “not a vital national interest” but he insisted that the situation nevertheless demanded U.S. involvement..
Clinton noted how the strife affects Europe’s key interests, from oil to immigration, and that their concerns were important…
“When it comes to Libya, we started hearing from the U.K., France, Italy, other of our NATO allies,” she added. “This was in their vital national interest.”
Those themes will likely be taken up by Obama, who cited “significant success” in the war and defended the U.S. intervention as lawful and critical to save thousands of lives. In his weekend radio and Internet address, he noted that the U.S. cannot get involved in every world crisis, but said if Gadhafi was threatening a “bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region … it’s in our national interest to act. And it’s our responsibility.”

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Wild Thing’s comment……..
First it was: “Days, not weeks”, now it’s: “Months, not years”…….we all know what comes next….indefinitely??
But asked on ABC’s “This Week” if that would mean a U.S. military commitment until year’s end, Gates said, “I don’t think anybody knows the answer to that.”
Pity the American soldier and pray for him/her. Gates doesn’t know; Obummer doesn’t know. Meanwhile our troops are putting their lives on the line.
We have fallen to the point where we have the enemy in the White House. There is no confusion on that. His efforts are giving AlQaeda significant advantage in their objectives at America’s expense.
Here in America we need a regime change of our own.