U.S. Agrees to Continue Combat Missions; Lack of U.S. Strikes Blamed for Rebel Losses

[mwrguy]

I thought we were handing this off to NATO.

excerpted:

NATO has asked the United States to continue participating in airstrikes over Libya through late Monday, ABC News has learned.

This was done to make up for the bad weather earlier in the week that had hampered targeting of Gadhafi forces and allowed them to push the rebels back to Ajdabiyah.

The United States was supposed to have significantly begun dropping its participation in airstrikes over Libya.

"Due to poor weather conditions over the last few days in Libya, the United States has approved a request by NATO to extend the use of some U.S. strike aircraft," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told ABC News. "These aircraft will continue to conduct and support Alliance air-to-ground missions throughout this weekend."

http://abcnews.go.com/International/nato-asks-us-continue-libya-air-strikes/story?id=13287530

[tabatha]

1. It is under the command of the NATO chief.

Has been for about a week.

All countries participate. However, the US wanted to withdraw from air sorties by tonight; but, bad weather delayed what they had planned, so they are staying on for another 48 hours.

[DailyDardan]

2. Wait

If there are poor weather conditions for flying- why are we sending out at American pilots? If the point is to restrict a no-fly zone wouldn't the other NATO member nations have an easier job of keeping planes out of the area? Why are we putting American lives at risk because there are bad weather conditions?