Libya | 322 comments (322 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Reports are they were repulsed and retreated back into the countryside.

Over the last month, the standard pattern has been for the regime to attack using ground forces at first light and pull back at night. With no "front lines" keeping infantry and armor, in a city, at night, is dumb. (For a number of reasons.)

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat Mar 19th, 2011 at 02:12:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libya (none / 1)

After posting, heard on Al Jazeera there are Gadaffi tanks, etc., inside Benghazi.

If there are, and they aren't reinforced or withdrawn tomorrow, they aren't going to be militarily useful for very long. Armor in urban areas are extremely vulnerable to swarm tactics by motivated defenders. The revolutionaries lack many things, motivation is not one of them.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat Mar 19th, 2011 at 02:21:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libya (none / 0)

Additionally, they might still be hittable by the jets, depending on the kind of area they in.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sat Mar 19th, 2011 at 02:26:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libya (none / 0)

Aerial target acquisition in urban areas is extremely difficult. Even with trained, disciplined, defenders individuals and sub-units tend to stray from where they are supposed to be or mis-report their position.

Even more important, the one thing that cannot happen is "collateral damage" on the people the NFZ is supposed to protect.

The best thing is to let the revolutionaries deal with Gadaffi forces inside the urban areas.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat Mar 19th, 2011 at 02:35:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Libya | 322 comments (322 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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