350 British special forces already deep inside Libya... and more are ready to be deployed

[jakeXT]

Source: srilankaguardian, dailymail


(March 25, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Hundreds of British troops have been deployed deep inside Libya targeting Colonel Gaddafi’s forces – and more are on standby.

While Chancellor George Osborne repeated that UK ground troops would not be involved, the Daily Mail can reveal there are an estimated 350 already mounting covert operations.

In total it is understood that just under 250 UK special forces soldiers and their support have been in Libya since before the launch of air strikes to enforce the no-fly zone against Gaddafi’s forces.

Drawn from a squadron of SAS and SBS personnel, some have been in Libya for a month and are being re-supplied with water, food and ammunition via airdrops from Cyprus.

Read more: http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/03/350-british-special-forces-already-deep.html

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Those numbers were further boosted by nearly 100 this week when paratroopers from the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) were sent to Libya as coalition commanders prepare to increase the tempo of operations.

A further 800 Royal Marines are on five days’ notice to deploy to the Mediterranean to support humanitarian relief and aid operations.

The beefing up of the Special Forces contingent comes as commanders switch attacks against command and control centres to low-level attacks against Gaddafi’s tanks.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369763/Libya-Proof-winning-MoD-footage-airstrikes-Gaddafi-tanks.html#ixzz1HdzGfVAl

[arcane1]

1. I hope they are nothing like these two:

[gateley]

2. Who are these guys? nt

[jakeXT]

3. They were caught in Iraq with fake beards

Basra governor Mohammed al-Waili said the men - possibly working undercover - were arrested for allegedly shooting dead a policeman and wounding another.

Richard Galpin said al-Jazeera news channel footage, purportedly of the equipment carried in the men's car, showed assault rifles, a light machine gun, an anti-tank weapon, radio gear and medical kit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4264614.stm

[arcane1]

4. Beat me to it!

:toast:

I was looking for this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4830674

[postulater]

5. Here we go again.

[pdefalla]

6. Are you #^%^&%&# kidding me?

Didn't I just hear the President tell me that there were "no boots on the ground" and that there "were not going to be any boots on the ground"?
Here we go again..
#$Q(#*Liar

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Maybe he said no "USA" boots on the ground????

You know, a little careful parsing?

Do I remember correctly the UN mandate said something about "no incursion" into Libya?
Something like that??
Anyone remember??

[monmouth]

8. Did I read where a National Guard group from IL were deploying to Libya?..n/t

[arcane1]

10. Yep, I read that here

They specialize in refueling aircraft, if I recall correctly

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. No, it doesn't. It says no occupation force

4. Authorizes Member States that have notified the Secretary-General, acting nationally or through regional organizations or arrangements, and acting in cooperation with the Secretary-General, to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory, and requests the Member States concerned to inform the Secretary-General immediately of the measures they take pursuant to the authorization conferred by this paragraph which shall be immediately reported to the Security Council;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/17/un-security-council-resolution

[Taverner]

9. Why is it that "Confessions of an EHM" comes to mind?

Could these folks be the "jackals" we were warned of?

[arcane1]

11. Because in every other case...

that's been exactly what they were.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. A whopping 1/3 of Britons suppot the Libya FUBAR.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/22/uk-libya-britain-poll-idUKTRE72L0CC20110322

(Reuters) - Only one in three Britons agree with the decision to take military action in Libya, a poll published Monday showed.

The ComRes/ITN poll found that 43 percent disagreed with the action and 22 percent were unsure. Just under half of those surveyed felt military action was an unnecessary risk for Britain to take.

Haunted by the experience of the recent Iraq war and continued losses in Afghanistan, Britons told Reuters they were wary of getting dragged into another lengthy foreign conflict at a time of belt-tightening at home.

"We shouldn't be in there, we've got enough on our plate in Afghanistan," said Neil Wozencroft, a 35-year-old pipe fitter.

[BOG PERSON]

13. 30% is pretty high for what is basically an ad hoc war

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. Or maybe 45% support it - from another poll taken around the same time

YouGov/Sun – public support attacks on Libya by 45% to 36%

The poll was conducted between Sunday evening and this afternoon, so has some of the first real measures of attitudes towards the Libya bombing. I’ll post properly tomorrow, but from the figures the Sun have released so far, 45% of people say Britain, the US and France are right to take military action against Libya, 36% think it is wrong.

UPDATE: There is also a ComRes poll that shows almost the exact opposite. ComRes found 35% agreed with the statement “It is right for the UK to take military action against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces in Libya”, but 43% disagreed. The YouGov question asked “Do you think Britain, France, the US and other countries are right or wrong to take military action in Libya?” – the two obvious differences are that the ComRes question mentioned Gaddafi (which shouldn’t have this effect – in 2003 questions that mentioned Saddam by name always showed higher support for the Iraq war!), and that YouGov presented it as a joint attack by the US, France and the UK, while ComRes only mentioned the UK.

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/3320

[Adsos Letter]

14. "...re-supplied with water, food and ammunition via airdrops from Cyprus."

Why would they need ammunition resupply? Are they engaging in comabat other than targeting?

[Catherina]

17. They're just there *advising*. Fears of "ground troops" in Libya are completely misplaced.

Henry_Kissinger Dr Henry Kissinger
Fears of "ground troops" in Libya are completely misplaced. We will, however, be sending in 3 divisions of heavily armed "consultants".
21 Mar Favorite Retweet Reply

[Poll_Blind]

18. You can spot them 'cause they got them hoverboots!

PB