GvG of Information Dissemination fame has an excellent article on the European response to the crisis in Libya. Bear in mind that the US response has been a (as in 1) ferry and the generosity of Turkey to allow our citizens aboard their ships....read the whole thing here but to sum it up...he writes...
So how many naval vessels are we counting?This doesn't include Turkey...remember our response, the response of the most powerful military/Navy in the world ...One freaking ferry...and hitchhiking on Turkish ships.
HMS Cumberland (F 85)
HNLMS Tromp (F 803)
INS Francesco Mimbelli (D 561)
INS San Marco (L 9893)
INS San Georgio (L 9892)
So, that's 1 destroyer, 2 frigates and 2 LPD's.
Response depends on how many people need to get out? You have any numbers on US citizens in Libya? The UK has a couple of thousand including many BP oil workers out in remote places in Eastern Libya that is under rebel control, that may be the reason that we've sent a ship and, from a BBC article today, placed an SAS contingent on standby alongside paras from SFSG and a couple of Hercs). The idea was that we may need to go in and rescue stranded workers without permission.
ReplyDeleteThat was a necessary response to British citizens being in grave danger a long way from Tripoli. Does the US have a similar problem?