Reply #38: 3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya [View All]

[tabatha]

1. Can NATO win in Libya without troops on the ground?

On this point, the Obama administration has been adamant: No US service member boots on the ground.

European allies in the operation – many of whom also have forces in Afghanistan – have followed suit with similar assurances to their war-weary citizens.

But some US defense analysts warn that it may be difficult to cement any victory in Libya without ground troops. The Pentagon acknowledged this week that at least four US soldiers have been sent to the capitol of Tripoli to assist a State Department team in scoping out a possible US embassy there, a site that a Defense Department spokesperson said may be booby-trapped with explosives. At the same time, Pentagon officials have emphasized that these soldiers are not taking an offensive or even defensive role in the campaign.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2011/0915/3-questions-US-forces-must-answer-before-declaring-victory-in-Libya/Can-NATO-win-in-Libya-without-troops-on-the-ground

Jeez, why do they not get it - boots on the ground in US embassies are boots on the ground in US territory.