John Kerry, presidente commissione esteri Senato Usa: no fly zone in Libia, fermiamo l’aviazione di Gheddafi

Il senatore John Kerry, presidente della Commissione esteri del Senato americano, ha chiesto oggi con un intervento in diretta alla Cbs di applicare una no fly zona in Libia bombardando l’aviazione libica a terra e impedendo così nuovi massacri. Da Haaretz del 6.3.2011:

U.S. senators call for no-fly zone over Libya

Sen. John Kerry, chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says U.S. should consider bombing Libya’s airports and runways.

By The Associated Press

The U.S. and its allies should plan for a no-fly zone over Libya and consider bombing the country’s airports and runways, but they should take no action unless there is an international agreement, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Sunday.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and other lawmakers continued a drumbeat for military action in Libya, in the face of reluctance from the White House and U.S. defense officials, who argue that taking out Libya’s air defenses would be tantamount to going to war.

“Lots of people throw around phrases of `no-fly zone’ and they talk about it as though it’s just a game, a video game or something. Some people who throw that line out have no idea what they’re talking about,” White House chief of staff William Daley said.

The administration has said that all options are on the table but that any military action must be an international effort. Pentagon chief Robert Gates cautioned last week that an attack on Libya could drag the U.S. military into another conflict, even as nearly 150,000 troops continue to battle in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The U.S. debate continued as the North African nation appeared to slide toward civil war, with Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi’s forces in helicopters and on the ground firing on rebel fighters advancing on the capital.

The U.S. moved military forces closer to Libyan shores, but they were mainly providing humanitarian and evacuation support. The UN and U.S. imposed an arms embargo on Libya and froze billions in the country’s foreign assets.

Kerry said that taking out runways and airports could be an effective tactic short of what Gates described, and he said a no-fly zone would not step over the line into military intervention. He added, however, that moving against Libyan air defenses should only be done if Gadhafi were to use his air force as a means of terror or to massacre large numbers of civilians.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said sending in ground troops would not be appropriate at this point but that implementing a no-fly zone would not be difficult because Libya’s air defenses “are somewhat antiquated.”

McCain said it would send a signal to the embattled Gadhafi “that the president is serious when he says we need for Gadhafi to go. And also, it would be encouraging to the resistance, who are certainly outgunned from the air.”

McCain added that the U.S. could provide the rebel force with intelligence, training and other assistance to help them form a provisional government in Benghazi.

Kerry appeared on “Face the Nation” on CBS while Daley spoke on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” McCain appeared on ABC’s “This Week.”