NATO-led European Libya Campaign Force Seems to be Running Out of Bombs

NATO support for the Free Libya advance toward Brega is continuing, with bombardments along the highway leading from Ajdabiya. Brega, already taken once by the freedom fighters, must now be re-taken because of the former lack of UN coalition support.

Meanwhile, Misrata is still being bombarded with fragment bombs by Qadhaffi forces trying to capture the city, while NATO seems to be avoiding any air support for the people of Misrata, preferring to concentrate on opening a humanitarian corridor for the medical evacuation of those wounded in the attack. Logic cries out that bombing Qadhaffi’s forces in the outskirts of Misrata would probably prevent the need for a humanitarian corridor, but diplomacy often works in obscure ways never to be understood by mere mortals.

Thursday night, American and NATO leaders also affirmed reports in the Washington Post that the NATO-led French and British teams lack precision bombs and other munitions. The American State Department again confirmed that the United States will not re-enter the active coalition, but it remains unclear whether this means that America will also not supply munitions.

It makes for interesting reflections about the nature of coalitions, NATO and the UN. If there are not enough bombs and bullets - unless supplied by America - it appears that both the UN coalition and NATO are toothless.

But, don’t forget that America said when the coalition mission began that it was not sure “who we are dealing with” in Free Libya.

Today, we might add that Free Libya is now not sure who it is dealing with in the UN coalition and NATO. Having international support is comforting, but a lot less so if the supporters do not have bombs and bullets.

Instead of worrying publicly about who the Free Libya leaders are, America might ask its own CIA, which has been on the ground in Benghazi since well before UN Resolution 1973 was passed authorizing a coalition. I’m sure the CIA knows who we are dealing with.

I am also sure that the CIA could tell the State Department and Secretary Clinton that the freedom fighters are not extremists, that the Muslim Brotherhood is not welcome, and that they would like to be assured that America will not let them fail for lack of bombs.