The Prelude of a ground intervention in Libya

By African Bulletin on April 21, 2011

While the conflict is getting bogged down in Libya, there are voices calling for the deployment of NATO Special Forces on the Libyan soil.

But the African Union (AU), by the voice of its president, Jean Ping, disagree on a military solution to the crisis in Libya. However, Britain has already announced the dispatch of an “experienced military” team, instead of saying a “Special Operation Force” to join   the National Transitional Council (CNT), to provide a “non-lethal assistance”. Also France, which ruled out, two months ago, any deployment of ground forces, released, on Wednesday, the deployment of a small number of French officers to assist and advise the CNT on logistics and supply management. The dispatch of any SOF is a higher assumption for NATO military option on the ground, probably inevitable given the deteriorating situation in Libya. Anyway sending Special Forces has generally been the prelude to the deployment of regular army, knowing that  SOF may operate in a cover  manner, as it is the case in the United States and the United Kingdom. This evolution is bringing up the question to know if this SOF deployment is not violating the UN resolution 1973; and the answer is obviously dependent on the missions given to them. Quite sure that the humanitarian demands are enough to legitimate the act, but also reconnaissance and military intelligence on the ground are crucial. Despite the withdrawal of the  U.S. forces already engaged in other theaters, the Atlantic Alliance(NATO) is not so divided as it looks, because its major four  members, the United States, France, United Kingdom and Germany know that the situation of “No war, no peace” is  harmful to defuse a conflict, mainly when we know that   Nato officers have received reports that Col Gaddafi is relying  heavily on foreign mercenaries, especially from north Africa to help defeat anti-government rebels and defend his regime. Thus they cannot afford to prolong this conflict, because the effect of “the boom rang” of their own civil societies is a double-edged sword, especially in pre-election period for some country members….