New Story_ Defense officials rule out major role in Libya conflict

Defense officials rule out major role in Libya conflict 5:42 PM, Apr. 1, 2011


5:42 PM, Apr. 1, 2011 ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON -- As the U.S. debates its future participation in the Libyan conflict, on Thursday defense officials slammed the brakes on any major American role in aiding opposition groups and insisted the U.S. should not be the one to arm the rebels.

Outside Brega, Libya, rebel fighters fire rockets toward government forces Thursday. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen said the U.S. knows little about the opposition force, and some other nation should do the training and equipping. / NASSER NASSER/Associated Press Defense officials rule out major role in Libya conflict

Even as the White House said arming the rebels seeking to oust leader Moammar Gadhafi still is under consideration, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. knows little about the opposition force, and some other nation should do the training and equipping.

"My view would be, if there is going to be that kind of assistance ... there are plenty of sources for it other than the United States," Gates told the House Armed Services Committee.

Although Gates defended U.S. intervention, he acknowledged that efforts to oust Gadhafi might not work.

The U.S. turned over control of the military operation to NATO on Thursday, just hours before Gates and Mullen told Congress that future U.S. participation will be limited and will not involve a major role in air strikes as time goes on.

They were unable, however, to answer questions about the length of the operation and how it will play out if Gadhafi doesn't relinquish power.

Their comments came as Gadhafi's forces struck back at the rebels this week, recapturing lost ground and prompting the opposition forces to plead for help.

Gadhafi struck a defiant stance Thursday after two high-profile defections from his regime and said the Western leaders who decimated his military should resign immediately.

The White House said the strongman's inner circle is crumbling with the loss of Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, who flew from Tunisia to England on Wednesday. And Ali Abdessalam Treki, a former foreign minister and United Nations General Assembly president, announced his departure on several opposition Web sites the next day.

Most high-level Libyan officials are trying to defect but are under tight security and having difficulty leaving, said Ibrahim Dabbashi, the deputy ambassador in Libya's UN mission, which now backs the opposition.

Koussa is privy to all the inner workings of the regime, so his departure could open the door for some hard intelligence, though Britain refused to offer him immunity from prosecution.

Koussa "can help provide critical intelligence about Gaddafi's current state of mind and military plans," said Tommy Vietor, U.S. National Security Council spokesman.