The Corner

Britain to Take Lead in Libya No-Fly Zone?

The front page of the Times of London at the moment:

Cameron: UK to help enforce no-fly zone over Libya

Philippe Naughton, Michael Evans, Pentagon Correspondent, Deborah Haynes, Defence EditorFebruary 28 2011 1:22PM

 

British forces could soon be directly involved in the battle against Colonel Gaddafi after David Cameron announced that the UK would help enforce a no-fly zone designed to prevent the Libyan leader using jet fighters against his own people. The Prime Minister became the first Western leader to publicly commit to the no-fly zone in a statement to Parliament which marked a potentially significant escalation in the crisis after the imposition of sanctions and an arms embargo by the UN Security Council. Under the plans being drawn up, Britain, the United States and other Nato allies would work together to police a no-fly zone with different air forces providing cover at different times. Britain would use Eurofighters

I have to wonder whether there isn’t significance in David Cameron — and not President Obama — taking the lead on this one. 

UPDATE: Now the (paywalled) Times page goes further, saying “Britain and its Nato allies are making plans to send warplanes in to Libya and arm rebels as Western determination hardens to force out Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and prevent a humanitarian disaster.”

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