Libyan rebels' advances near Misrata wiped out by Nato orders

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

The battered black pickup truck flying the Libyan rebel flag raced down the road from the frontline, mortar shells landing on either side. Fighters in the back clung to the machine gun, punching the air with their fists and shouting "Allahu Akbar!"

The reason for their celebration was displayed on the bonnet as a trophy. The corpse of one of Gaddafi's men was sprawled there, blood covering his midriff and his combat trousers. He had been killed minutes before as the rebels fought off a dawn offensive, and brought back as evidence of a small victory over the regime's forces.

(...)

But in the late afternoon, Nato came through with an instruction to pull back to the front – the "red line" beyond which the rebels had pushed that day.

The red lines are marks on the map that allow Nato jets to bomb anything that moves beyond them. They are also a source of frustration for the rebels, who had not seen a Nato jet or helicopter all morning. They had lost one man and 13 more were wounded to conquer terrain they were now ordered to vacate.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/06/libya-rebels-misrata-nato-advances-lost

[PurityOfEssence]

1. A finely tuned operation

And, lest we forget, God is Great, even though it's not a fundamentalist mess...

It's one thing to be imperialist interventionists, but it's another to have no real coherent plan other than starving out the curs who won't back the rebels.

War on the cheap: it's only good for the conquerors.

When intervening in the business of others, it behooves one to at least risk a little something or have a definite plan.

Meanwhile, lives end and others see their hopes fade.

[KurtNYC]

2. is there no plan or is stalemate the plan ? n/t