And Libya goes on...

[JMA]

Interesting development. Obviously the Russia criticism of the strikes against Gaddafi forces scared the hell out of the US and the Brits and French and brought the bombing of Gaddafi forces (everywhere?) to a halt.

Gaddafi's forces use the lull in air strikes to renew attacks against the rebels and the urban areas of Misurata and Zintan.

What is clear now is that he people of Misurata and Zintan are not being protected by the forces involved in implementing Res: 1973. This is a significant failure.

It is increasingly evident that after recent comments made by the Russians US politicians were left standing in a pool of their own urine.

We know that the military air activities carried out initially in terms of enforcing a no-fly-zone and protecting civilians were effective (while seemingly abandoning the people of Misurata and Zintan to their fate at the hands of Gaddafi's forces). I would give the military the benefit of the doubt at this moment that the betrayal of the people of Misurata and Zintan is rather as a result of a political decision or directive rather than military incompetence.

However, the recent advances by Gaddafi forces have entailed their movement over large distances of open desert on a open road as they advance to take over towns where the people are apparently anti-Gaddafi and thereby at risk from Gaddafi's forces.

How was (an is) this movement over open ground and away from civilian population groups possible? Simple, it was allowed. Why would the military allow this movement? Ineptitude or acting under orders? I go with the latter.