Libyan situation

[OwlHoot]

Is it me, or do Western governments want to be seen as supporting the rebels, but secretly won't mind much (at the very least) if Gaddafi wins?

Or is it just that the rebels are more incompetent and badly led than anyone could have imagined possible?

Or could it be nobody outside Libya much cares who wins, as long as someone does quickly. That sounds the most likely.

[SimonMac]

Seen as the FUKUS Coalition sold Gadaffi his arms in the first place its only right they play fair and tool up the rebels too

[Churchill]

Is it me, or do Western governments want to be seen as supporting the rebels, but secretly won't mind much (at the very least) if Gaddafi wins?

Or is it just that the rebels are more incompetent and badly led than anyone could have imagined possible?

Or could it be nobody outside Libya much cares who wins, as long as someone does quickly. That sounds the most likely.

How many of the rebels are trained soldiers?

[SimonMac]

How many of the rebels are trained soldiers?

Thats the problem, very few are and they are lacking a total command structure. All progress they make is mainly down to luck rather than tactics and advances are quickly retracted

[Churchill]

Thats the problem, very few are and they are lacking a total command structure. All progress they make is mainly down to luck rather than tactics and advances are quickly retracted

Why aren't the other Arab nations running to help? A bit like the Muslim equivalent of "The International Brigades" during the Spanish Civil War.

[Sysman]

How many of the rebels are trained soldiers?

According to this, a fair few:

The concept of universal military service is embodied in Statute 3 for 1984, approved by the GPC in March 1984. This law declared that all Libyans coming of age, whether male or female, were to receive regular military training, as long as they were physically able. Military studies were to be among the basic subjects of the educational curriculum at all stages above the elementary level. Military studies and training in regular military establishments of "specialized cadres in warfare" were to be restricted for the present to males.

The statute provided for Libya to be divided into defense regions, the responsibility for defending each region being that of its inhabitants. Defense regions were to regard themselves as strategic reserves for each other. The new law did not supersede the provisions of the Compulsory Military Service Statute of 1978, which made all males between the ages of seventeen and thirty-five subject to a draft commitment of three years of active service in the army or four years in the navy or air force. Students could defer service until completion of their studies. The actual application of conscription laws in 1987 was not entirely clear. In one case, a young man called up for two years' service was required to serve six years. In 1986, of 936,000 men in the 15 to 59 age category, about 550,000 were fit for military service. About 39,000 Libyans reach military age each year; many, however, lack the basic education needed to absorb training in the use and servicing of modern weaponry.

link

[EternalOptimist]

What's interesting here (to me at least) is that a large portion of the Libyan military was based in the East, it almost certainly had its own organisational structure, logistics and certainly had a command structure.

But it all seems to have vanished. I find this inexplicable



Gadaffi has zero chance of mounting a formal, conventional attack anywhere, because of the air power. But he seems to be using light infantry and reccy thrusts, all dispersed. And the rebels are so disorganised and untrained that its working. Under normal circumstances, you would say that a light infantry dispersed thrust would have no chance of occupying a city, but it seems to be on the cards here.
He is using what he has perfectly (from an academic point of view)

[EternalOptimist]

ps sysman

a volunteer is worth ten pressed men. - Nelson

[DimPrawn]

He has his friends and supporters

[ratewhore]

Is it me, or do Western governments want to be seen as supporting the rebels, but secretly won't mind much (at the very least) if Gaddafi wins?

I don't see that at all. My take is David Cameron was totally obsessed with getting rid of Gaddafi and shot his mouth off too quick. Now the NFZ is limited to what NATO say are it's aims of protecting civilians, thats left FUKUS looking a bit stoopid.

Just my take (although the Tories have now lost my vote to boot)...