Libya conflict drags on, NATO keen on way out of impasse

BELGIUM: Six months after the start of the conflict in Libya, NATO believes that the resistance of Moamer Kadhafi's regime can be overcome and rebels finally get the upper hand. UN Security Council resolution 1973 authorised the Atlantic Alliance in March to defend Libya's civilian population from attacks by Kadhafi's regime, which faces a popular revolt after 42 years in power. The NATO mission that took off in early April is due to wrap up in September unless it is extended by participating states, including Britain, Canada, France, Italy and the United States, all of whom are under increasing fiscal pressure to pull back.

NATO's top Libya commander, Canada's Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, told AFP Thursday: "The Kadhafi regime's forces continue to be weakened, both in strength and their will to fight."

"They are no longer able to launch a credible offensive," he added, expressing confidence that the conflict will be over before the mission's mandate runs out next month. "Unified Protector", the codename for the operations in Libya, has suffered "from the start from an obvious lack of intelligence which led to unpleasant surprises", said Francois Heisbourg, special advisor to the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research think tank.

The allies, who carry out air strikes, "underestimated the ability of Kadhafi's forces to resist and overestimated the rebels' coherence and fighting abilities", he added.

AFP