Reply #64: I don't think Benghazi has any chance of falling, the revolution started there.

[joshcryer]

And it is completely anti-Gaddafi. As far as actions are concerned, I have no doubts the revolutionaries would love to see some tanks and pro-Gaddafi forces blown up, but so far they haven't called for it as far as I know. I don't think such actions would be taken for weeks if at all. As far as a no-fly-zone specifically I don't think Gaddafi's air forces are too big of a threat, yet. Once the revolutionaries lose a good number of men to the jets you can expect more pressure to implement a no-fly-zone. The west will be hard pressed not to provide it (simply hitting the air bases would suffice, it wouldn't harm helicopter movement but it would stall jet movement for days if not weeks; helis are a bit easier to defend against because the revolutionaries do have anti-air guns that they took from Gaddafi's forces and a 50 year old man "took down a jet on his first try").

I'm hoping that the revolutionaries continue advancing through Sirt; that's what we'll have to keep an eye out on the coming days.