| By Jim Newell  Operation Odyssey Dawn continues! Freedom bombs continue to rain down upon Libya today, while coalition nations try to stave off political divisions back home. A majority of Americans, however, support the creation of a no-fly zone. Rep. Dennis Kucinich would like to impeach Barack Obama. And what does "Odyssey Dawn" mean anyway? Here's your latest update of the news in and surrounding Libya.
- The mission to protect the citizens of Libya is quickly turning into the mission to help rebel forces kill Muammar Qaddafi. Libyan rebels "launched an offensive early Monday aimed at retaking the strategic city of Ajdabiya, as Western warplanes continued pounding forces loyal to longtime leader Moammar Gaddafi." Qaddafi appears to be winning this battle.
- ABC News notes that the U.S. role in Libya is growing "murkier" as our coalition partners have more and more doubts. Italy, the original colonial occupier of Libya, says it may have to "rethink the use of its bases" for bombing sorties. Norway is "suspending its military operations" until someone explains what the goal is.
- Meanwhile in Russia — which didn't vote on the U.N. resolution authorizing military intervention — Prime Minister for Life Vladimir Putin is eating it up. His take on the U.N. resolution: "To me, it resembles some sort of medieval call to crusade when someone would appeal to someone to go to a certain place and free someone else." Astute. President Medvedev publicly disagrees, however, so Putin will have to kill him.
- Rep. Dennis Kucinich has called President Obama's decision to use military force against Libya without congressional approval an "impeachable offense." John Boehner merely wishes he had been consulted. Was it unconstitutional to go around bombing a fresh new country without a congressional stamp? Not really, and most members of Congress wouldn't want their fingerprints on anything this difficult anyway. Which is a whole other problem.
- Barack Obama and David Cameron still can't quite make up their minds — about whether removing Qaddafi is a necessary part of the mission.
- 70 percent of Americans support the establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya, while 54 percent "approve of the use of American and other countries' missiles and fighter jets to protect Libyan civilians and enforce a no-fly zone." So 70 percent support a no-fly zone, but that number drops when you bother telling them what a no-fly zone is.
- How did the Defense Department come up with that heroic, epic, and warmly naturalist name "Operation Odyssey Dawn," anyway? Oh, a couple of military guys just picked random words.
Previously:
A roundup of overnight news from Libya
U.S. Cruise Missiles Strike Libya [Image of a Danish F-16 via AP] | |
