Fancy your chances against the SAS, Gaddafi? Elite troops and MI6 spies poised to help Libyan rebels

[jakeXT]

Source: dailymail

Britain is to send teams of spies and diplomats into Libya to help oust Colonel Gaddafi, it emerged last night.

...

British diplomats and spies have been engaged in intensive efforts to speak to opposition forces, which are led by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Libyan Council.

Now ministers have approved a presence on the ground to gather information and boost the chances of the rebels.

...

They will link up with Special Forces already in Libya to provide protection and give informal military advice to the Libyan opposition.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363187/Libya-unrest-UK-spies-SAS-troops-poised-help-Libyan-rebels.html

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I guess this Pakistani article was right, to what extent we will probably never know.

US, UK & French (special) forces land in Libya (& setting up training bases)
Source: Pakistan Observer
Akhtar Jamal | Saturday, February 26, 2011
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4749447&mesg_id=4749447

[Faygo Kid]

1. I'm not sure what the best approach is, but I am sure of one thing: Ghaddafi must go.

He is going to slaughter as many as he can if he is not stopped. He has forfeited any consideration for negotiation. Awful situation, but at this point there is no longer an alternative: He must go.

[Arctic Dave]

2. I wonder what the UK would do if they found out someone from another

country was setting up shop on their soil to help people overthrow the government?

Blowback is a motherfucker so do say shit when it happens.

[Boojatta]

3. By "the UK", did you mean ordinary citizens of the UK or the government of the UK?

The ordinary citizens of the United Kingdom would almost certainly be grateful for help overthrowing a UK government that indiscriminately kills peaceful protesters in the UK. What they would do to demonstrate that gratitude is not something that I can predict.

[Ikonoklast]

4. The Brits took a rather dim view at any IRA efforts at violence .

But, trying to overthrow 500 years of poliical, economic, and religious tyranny in your country by a foreign monarchy was 'terrorism'.

[Ex Lurker]

5. Classic Green Beret mission

raising, training and leading indigenous forces is what they were established for. Everything else was added on later. Now, whether, they're actually there or this is just the fevered imaginings of some reporter is another question. The media is running all around rebel-held Libya, so if they're there, we'll probably see some kind of indication. Unlike some of their missions, it's hard to stay entirely covert doing this.

[Bosso 63]

6. Good.

[jonthebru]

7. Say, you want a revolution?

I am very intrigued by the way each government being overthrown by its population in revolution has manifest in different ways. (And how some countries are trying to avoid their conflicts.)
What I really don't like is Western countries going into the various countries with armed forces. I feel the middle eastern countries should be doing that along with the African Union. The revolutionaries should try to win on their own if possible. It will be more valuable to them if they succeed. But as far as NATO dropping food, providing intelligence if available, or aiding in diplomatic solutions, fine. But hopefully, not soldiers.

[christx30]

8. If the choice was between

getting help and winning, or not getting help and losing, I think I'd prefer to get help.
Gaddafi's forces retook a town in the last 48 hours. Most likely going to severely punish it's inhabitants.

[hardtravelin]

9. Looks like they already got rolled up by Gaddafi's troops.

"MOD refuses to comment on SAS men 'captured' in Libya"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12658054

You're "elite" until you're outnumbered and surrounded. Them you are just another squaddie. Good luck to those guys, I pray for them.

[Prometheus Bound]

10. They were seized by the rebels, not Gaddafi's troops.

And they're not really elite anymore anyway. Just a bunch of soldiers sent off to Afghanistan to get killed or maimed, or previously sent to Basra to sow terror.

[hardtravelin]

11. You're correct, my bad.

The article clearly states that rebels grabbed them.

[WheelWalker]

12. Stand by for the blowback. nt

[tuckessee]

13. Why is this not considered an unprovoked act of war by Britain? n/t

[eridani]

14. Oh fuck!

This is terrible! Foreign intervention is exactly what is liable to shift support back to Gaddafi.