US Gen. starting to look like stalemate in Libya- U.S. may consider gound troops

[Trajan]

"May" consider? he would not have said this if they already weren't. This is the traditional 'floating of the trial balloon'.

You have got to be kidding.



April 7, 2011
General: U.S. may consider troops in Libya
Army Gen. Carter Ham says ground forces wouldn't be ideal, but may be a possible way to aid rebels; Says current operation largely stalemated

(CBS/AP)

WASHINGTON - The United States may consider sending troops into Libya with a possible international ground force that could aid the rebels, according to the general who led the military mission until NATO took over.

Army Gen. Carter Ham also told lawmakers Thursday that added American participation would not be ideal, and ground troops could erode the international coalition and make it more difficult to get Arab support for operations in Libya.

Ham said the operation was largely stalemated now and was more likely to remain that way since America has transferred control to NATO.


snip-

The use of an international ground force is a possible plan to bolster rebels fighting forces loyal to the Libyan leader, Ham said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Asked if the U.S. would provide troops, Ham said, "I suspect there might be some consideration of that. My personal view at this point would be that that's probably not the ideal circumstance, again for the regional reaction that having American boots on the ground would entail."

General: U.S. may consider troops in Libya - CBS News



someone is going to wind up going in, watch.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

But, Obama promised. Just like he promised to close Gitmo, try the detainees in civilian court, and reduce the deficit.

Never mind.

 

[Jroc]

They better not put any U.S. ground troops in there, if the Europians want to do it let them NO U.S. GROUND TROOPS!!

 

[Grace]

Why am I not surprised?

 

[Bosun]

i knew where this was going before it started... but at least it is kinetic and not war...

 

[hipeter924]

Send Obama to Libya and let him fight the war himself, leave the rest of America out of it.

 

[Sunni Man]

WOW!! I sure didn't envision this happening.

 

[High_Gravity]

Ok, where are we going to get these ground troops? most of our assets are already tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

[High_Gravity]

If NATO is serious about helping the rebels, this has to be done, even with air strikes Ghaddafis forces are beating the rebels back, I am not saying I agree with it but it is what it is.

 

[Mini 14]

Why are we working so hard to keep Khadaffi alive?

I still don't understand why you prolong a war with a gnat? Why not just obliterate it and be done?

 

[High_Gravity]

Why are we working so hard to keep Khadaffi alive?

I still don't understand why you prolong a war with a gnat? Why not just obliterate it and be done?

Maybe their scared that if we kill Ghaddafi, we are responsible for rebuilding Libya? I really don't know, but how can you bomb a country and avoid trying to kill the dictator whos running it?

 

[zzzz]

Ok, where are we going to get these ground troops? most of our assets are already tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We have capabilities. We removed all of our combat ground forces from Iraq ... right? Plus we have many more National Guard units here in the states. And if we committed ground forces European and hopefully African nations would commit ground forces too. There is no need to occupy the entire country, mostly desert, but the need is for trained forces to defeat the army. We can do this with less forces than might be imagined.

However, as I said before, this exercise in civil war management shows that air power is limited and that the eventual fate of the nation may be partition, like the Korea's. Without the introduction of foreign ground forces and the continued enforcement of the so called no fly zone (open ended) this is the only outcome I can see.

We do not belong here and should have stayed out of it and let the Euros and Africans take care of it. It is in there sphere of the World and they always complain about American power projection, so why are we there now?

 

[High_Gravity]

Ok, where are we going to get these ground troops? most of our assets are already tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We have capabilities. We removed all of our combat ground forces from Iraq ... right? Plus we have many more National Guard units here in the states. And if we committed ground forces European and hopefully African nations would commit ground forces too. There is no need to occupy the entire country, mostly desert, but the need is for trained forces to defeat the army. We can do this with less forces than might be imagined.

However, as I said before, this exercise in civil war management shows that air power is limited and that the eventual fate of the nation may be partition, like the Korea's. Without the introduction of foreign ground forces and the continued enforcement of the so called no fly zone (open ended) this is the only outcome I can see.

We do not belong here and should have stayed out of it and let the Euros and Africans take care of it. It is in there sphere of the World and they always complain about American power projection, so why are we there now?

Well when we took the forces out of Iraq I was under the impression most of them were diverted to Afghanistan, whatever the case maybe you are correct we probably could throw together a force to send over to Libya, but should we? why the hell are we doing this? didn't we learn anything from Iraq?