Adm. Mike Mullen tells CNN on Sunday that most of Libya’s air defense systems are gone.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: U.S. to hand over leadership of mission in coming days
- NEW: Qatar sending aircraft to Libyan mission
- Joint Chiefs chairman says Libyan ground forces were attacked near Benghazi
- Most of Libya’s air defense systems are gone, Mullen tells CNN
Washington (CNN) — A no-fly zone in Libya is “effectively in place,” U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said Sunday.
So far, air attacks by coalition forces have taken out most of Libya’s air defense systems and some airfields, Mullen said in interviews on CNN’s “State of the Union” program and other networks.
In addition, Libyan ground forces in the vicinity of Benghazi were hit in an effort to prevent attacks on the rebel stronghold, according to Mullen.
“I would say the no-fly zone is effectively in place,” Mullen told CNN.
The strategy now is to cut off logistical support for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, which are “pretty spread out” from Tripoli to Benghazi, Mullen said.
He acknowledged on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the military mission could be completed with Gadhafi still in power. However, Mullen made clear that the U.S. role would be limited, adding: “We’re not going to put any boots on the ground. This isn’t about occupation in any shape or form.”
As part of the no-fly zone, combat aircraft from the United States and its allies will be patrolling over Benghazi at all times, Mullen told CNN. Coalition forces also are looking to jam communications of Gadhafi’s forces in what Mullen called the “first phase of a multi-faceted” operation, he said.
“While we’re leading it now, we’re looking to hand off that leadership in the next few days,” Mullen said on NBC. On the same show, Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Britain, France and Arab nations would assume control of the mission.
Mullen said he expected Arab countries that supported the mission to begin contributing military help. He told “FOX News Sunday” that Qatar is sending aircraft to take part.
The specific goals of what Mullen called a “limited” military mission are to create the no-fly zone, protect civilians and allow humanitarian support to proceed in Libya, he said on CNN.
“We would like to see him withdraw his forces across the country back into garrison” and stop attacking his people, Mullen said of Gadhafi. He also called for the Libyan government and military to allow humanitarian operations to help citizens.
When told that Gadhafi was claiming women and children had been killed in the coalition air strikes, Mullen told CNN that the targets were selected carefully, adding: “I’ve seen no reports of significant civilian casualties.” On other networks, he said he was unaware of any civilian casualties so far.
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