JUNE 9, 2011.
Gates Calls Others to Join Libya Fight .
By STEPHEN FIDLER and JULIAN BARNES
BRUSSELS—In a "very blunt" speech Wednesday, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates named five European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that he said should boost their contributions to the alliance's air mission over Libya.
At a closed-door meeting of defense ministers here, he called on Germany and Poland to start participating in the mission, to which neither has yet made a direct contribution, according to several Nato officials and diplomats. Mr. Gates, who steps down on June 30, also cited Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey as allies that could do more.
Associated Press
From left, Britain's Liam Fox, NATO's Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the U.S.'s Robert Gates in Brussels.
Mr. Gates's speech at a lunchtime session was described by British defense secretary Liam Fox as "very blunt." Dr. Fox said he delivered a similar message. "I made the point that too many [allies] are doing too little."
The message was echoed by others including French minister Gerard Longuet and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Mr. Rasmussen said the alliance had enough assets to continue the Libya operation, but broader backing among the allies was needed to sustain it.
"I have requested such broadened support either by new contributions or increased contributions or more flexible use of assets provided for the operation," he said. NATO has 28 members and only eight countries have flown ground-strike missions in Libya.
German defense minister Thomas de Maizière said that Germany already supported the mission and rejected the calls. "In this case, we are not contributing military capabilities," he said after the meeting. "And we will not do so." But in a post-conflict stage in Libya, he said Germany would be "ready to carry responsibility."
Carme Chacón Piqueras of Spain, which helps enforce the no-fly zone, said publicly that Spain wouldn't expand its mission, and told other ministers that to do so would require parliamentary approval. That may be difficult for a minority government.
Representatives from the other governments didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
A senior U.S. official said that the Libya operations are stressing many of the participating countries, particularly as costs rise for maintenance and fuel, and air crews are tested by an increasing tempo of sorties.
"It stresses the crews, it does. These are smaller countries, it doesn't mean they won't do it, they will," the senior official said.
France and Britain carry out the most ground strike missions. But U.S. officials singled out Denmark and Norway for "punching above their weight." Norway has indicated its forces are at their limit and will not be able to continue to contribute at the same rate. Denmark plans to maintain its current rate. Another U.S. official said the debate in the NATO meeting was more about burden sharing than the sustainability of the mission. Under NATO rules, an ally that participates in a mission pays for its own contribution.
Although the U.S. has stepped back from ground strikes, it still carries out a majority of air sorties in the background, playing a major role in refueling, surveillance, and air-defense suppression.
The senior official said the rate of strikes in Libya has been increasing in the last few weeks because of improving intelligence. The U.S. also provided nine additional air-refueling tankers, and that added capacity has allowed an increased tempo in airstrikes, the official said.
"We are getting better, over time, about acquiring targets,the intelligence is getting better," the official said.
NATO carried out its heaviest day of strikes on Tripoli on Tuesday since the alliance's campaign began in March. The pace slowed Wednesday though loud explosions still rumbled across the city before sunrise and then sporadically during the day. NATO confirmed it had conducted 66 strike sorties on Tuesday, many of them in daylight hours.
According to people in the meeting, Sweden, one of the non-NATO countries participating in the mission, has volunteered to provide extra air surveillance and tanker assets. Ministers agreed formally to extend the mission a further 90 days from June 27.
Mr. Rasmussen said: "For Gadhafi, it is no longer a question of if he goes but when he goes. It may take weeks, but it could happen tomorrow and when he goes the international community has to be ready."
But he foresaw no NATO "boots on the ground" for the post-conflict period. Though the alliance would be ready to assist others afterward, if there was a need, a clear mandate and international support, it wouldn't take a lead role, he said.
—Joe Parkinson in Tripoli contributed to this article.
Write to Stephen Fidler at stephen.fidler@wsj.com and Julian Barnes at julian.barnes@wsj.com
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Discuss: There are 10 comments
7 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .James Brenner wrote:
We were told that the humanitarian mission in Libya was to last days not weeks. It has now been months!
What a complete fraud - what a bald faced lie! Obama has lead us into military action with Libya - ignoring the US constitution which gives only congress the power to declare war.
The White House LIE "Oh it's not war, it's just kinetic activity!" No - It's treason!
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7 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .EdwinR. White wrote:
Obama Lied, innocents died.
6 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .James Meyers wrote:
Mission Accomplished in Iraq by Bush in 2003?
Obama has at least 8 years to get out of Libya.
5 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .Robert Emery replied:
Libya? You won't get him out of Afghanistan. Plans are afoot to replace US Troops with NATO US Troops.
5 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .John Balash wrote:
I'm actually rooting for Gaddafi. This is the most dysfunctional kinetic military action ever... Remember when Dr. Evil said he would not tolerate failure and they couldn't kill Wil Ferrell? Well we blew up his son and grand children but he's still there...
1 Recommendation
5 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .Robert Emery replied:
More innocent civilians will die than if we had stayed out.
1 Recommendation
5 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .James Meyers replied:
John,
We won't kill Gaddafi until the rebels cave to our demands on who will be running and rebuilding Libya after his death.
We have to split up infrastructure projects and access to oil between us, the Brits and the French.
If the French had not gotten involved we would have had this thing over by now.
The French are not stupid and will want a bigger slice of the pie before we end this war.
5 hours ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .Billy Hewitt wrote:
The NATO killers continue to massacre Libya and Bahrain women and children in their lust for oil and gas with their TNT (Terror and Torture) campaign. Hillary desires to be Queen of Libya but must kill the Ghadaffi family before she can sit on the throne.
1 hour ago..Joanne Rifkin wrote:
Oh, yeah? Gates is callling for the cowards from Spain...Um!
1 hour ago.Nonsubscriber comments are set to "Hide" Show this comment + .hu uh wrote:
Never ever
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