But what will it actually amount to? From Reuters:
The United Nations authorised military action to curb Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Thursday, hours after he threatened to storm the rebel bastion of Benghazi overnight, showing “no mercy, no pity.”
“We will come, zenga, zenga. House by house, room by room,” he said in a radio address to the eastern city…
The French air force’s main bomber isn’t really such – its more of a fighter-bomber, the Mirage 2000N, capable of carrying a 14,000 lb bomb load and a range of less than 1,000 miles, and that with drop tanks which presumptively eat in to bomb load. In contrast, the American B-1 can carry 125,000 lbs of bombs for 3,400 miles. The French do have an aircraft carrier – just the one, the Charles de Gaulle, which comes in at 42,000 tonnes and has an air wing of 35 aircraft. In contrast, the USS George H. W. Bush is 102,000 tons (which is a bit different from “tonnes”, but the ship is still very much larger than the French ship) and has an air wing of 90 planes. Boiled down, I doubt the French have the capability of enforcing a no-fly zone – only the United States Navy and air force can make it happen…and thus far there seems to be no move by our government to take the immediate and rather brutal efforts which will be necessary to keep Gaddafi out of Benghazi (latest reports put his forces 60 miles away).
French, American or Bangladeshi, if anyone is going to stop Gaddafi they’ll have to get moving right quick…and that is where my doubt is: I don’t think our leaders really want Gaddafi out. I think they want stability – even if its the stability of the grave. I hope I’m wrong – I hope our President finds his backbone and is right now reviewing the military plans to take out the Libyan regime…but I’m not hopeful.
UPDATE: Over at Hot Air, Allahpundit notes a report that we’re working on military action in the next few days. Gaddafi is 60 miles from Benghazi – “a few days” puts him in the city. For crying out loud, if you’re going to go to war then go to war. We’re either entirely half-assed here, or my theory of “stability” is correct.
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