NATO Bombs Gadhafi Cribs (But Not to Kill Him, Honest)

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By Spencer Ackerman April 26, 2011 | 3:58 pm | Categories: Rogue States

Whatever you do, don’t call it regime change. NATO planes dropped bombs on one of Moammar Gadhafi’s Tripoli offices overnight, and the alliance says it’ll expand its targeting list to strike “palaces, headquarters, communications centers and other prominent institutions supporting the Libyan government.” But, it promises, killing Gadhafi isn’t on the agenda.

Last night’s compound raid, conducted by a Norwegian F-16, was swiftly denounced by Gadhafi’s regime as an assassination attempt. But that’s not what NATO says it’s out to do, since, officially, regime change isn’t a military objective of the stalemated war.

Bombs might be set to fall on regime headquarters. But that’s just a tactic to get Gadhafi’s generals to take matters into their own hands. NATO officials tell the New York Times that the expanded bombing might persuade Gadhafi to “flee into exile — or it might prompt someone in his inner circle to force him out.”

Why the indirect approach? Because the military, with everything else it has to deal with, doesn’t want to be left holding the bag on rebuilding Libya post-Gadhafi.

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http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/04/nato-bombs-gadhafi-cribs-but-not-to-kill-him-honest/