WASHINGTON (AP) — The military force unleashed on Libya by the U.S. and its partners upset several African nations despite the international community's widespread concerns over Moammar Gadhafi's use of force against his own people, the top U.S. commander for the continent told Congress on Tuesday.
Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa
Command, described the mixed reaction from the African Union to the airstrikes
and enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya, and his imperative to explain the
need for swift action to perturbed nations. His comments came as the U.S.
military drastically slashed the number of air and naval forces committed to
the operation, now under NATO control.
"I think frankly as we proceed I'm going to
have the responsibility, as I engage with our African partners, to have a very
frank discussion about what U.S. Africa Command's role was and why we did what
we did and just be as truthful and forthright as I can," Ham told the
House Armed Services Committee.
He added: "There is an impact and there will
be an impact in the region."
The war in Libya entered its third week with no end
in sight and growing frustration throughout the region. The head of the African
Union, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, expressed his support
for Gadhafi and demanded an end to foreign interference into what he called an
internal Libyan problem. The overmatched Libyan rebels criticized NATO with
Abdel-Fattah Younis, chief of staff for the rebel military and Gadhafi's former
interior minister, insisting NATO forces "don't do anything" even
though they have a U.N. mandate to act.
"Although this humanitarian intervention is
motivated by a noble impulse, there is a strong possibility of a strategic
stalemate emerging in Libya," said Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon,
R-Calif., chairman of the Armed Services Committee. "I fear we may find
ourselves committed to an open-ended obligation through our participation in
NATO operations."
Diplomatically, the Obama administration's envoy to
the Libyan opposition was in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi for talks with
those leading the revolt against Gadhafi, according to the State Department.
The envoy, Chris Stevens, is meeting with members
of Libya's Transitional National Council to get a better idea of who they are,
what they want and what their needs and capabilities are, State Department
spokesman Mark Toner said. His visit could pave the way for U.S. recognition of
the council as Libya's legitimate government, although no decision is imminent,
Toner said.
Stevens was the No. 2 at the U.S. Embassy in
Tripoli until the mission was shuttered in February amid escalating violence.
He will be discussing humanitarian and possible financial assistance to the
opposition, Toner said.
Three countries, including NATO allies France and
Italy, along with Qatar, have recognized the transitional council as the
legitimate representatives of the Libyan people, but the United States has yet
to follow suit. The U.S. has also not made a decision on whether to arm the
rebels.
Militarily, the U.S. forces engaged in the
operation have been greatly reduced since the first airstrikes on March 19.
Only three Navy warships and a supply ship remain
for the operation, compared with the 11 ships there when the intervention
began, two defense officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to release the data.
The warships are the USS Kearsarge, the USS Ponce
and the destroyer USS Barry.
Among those no longer participating in the Libya
mission are two submarines, the destroyer USS Stout and the Mount Whitney,
which had served as a floating command post for the American admiral who was
the on-scene commander until NATO took control Thursday.
There are 90 U.S. airplanes still assigned to the
Libya mission. A week ago, there were 170, including 70 strike planes,
officials said at the time.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell, asked whether
special operations forces will be used in Libya for training the opposition
forces or other missions, said President Barack Obama has been clear that there
will be no boots on the ground.
"The no military boots on the ground is very
clear, and I don't think it needs elaborating," he said.
Special operations forces, however, have been used
in other countries under the authority of U.S. intelligence agencies.
Meanwhile, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday the
service has been spending about $4 million a day to keep 50 fighter jets and
nearly 40 support aircraft in the Libya conflict, including the cost of
munitions.
Secretary Michael Donley told reporters that the
Air Force has spent $75 million as of Tuesday morning on the war. He said the
U.S. decision to end its combat strike role in the conflict will cut costs, but
he could not say by how much.
He said the Air Force has spent close to $50
million on the relief effort for the Japan earthquake, including $40 million to
evacuate between 5,000-6,000 U.S. personnel. The total U.S. costs for the Libya
air campaign as of March 28 were $550 million, not counting normal deployment
spending.
Congressional fury over Libya has largely
dissipated. The Senate turned back an effort by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to limit
a commander in chief's authority. The motion failed on a procedural vote,
90-10. Separately, Sen John Kerry, D-Mass., said a resolution on Libya was
unlikely this week.
Associated Press writers Pauline Jelinek, Lolita C.
Baldor and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
