"But who exactly is winning the Libyan civil war? The battlefield success has been far from a smooth affair. Though there is a high level coordination between generals in the rebel capital of Benghazi and units in the East, field commanders in the western part of the oil rich nation, where Gaddafi still controls considerable territory, are largely acting on their own without guidance from political leaders in what is called "Free Libya."
(See pictures of Gaddafi's 40 years in power.)
After months of disorderly fighting, military commanders in eastern Libya have finally succeeded in imposing discipline on units in the field. The rebel army has increasingly taken control of checkpoints and prevented forces from rushing forward in pell-mell, uncoordinated advances. "We have made great improvement in making sure the field units are under the responsibility of the rebel national army. The problem of the [undisciplined] brigades is over," said the rebels' military spokesman Colonel Ahmad Bani during a tour of strategic oil hub of Brega, following its capture by "Free Libya" forces.
Yet despite the military's efforts, some anti-Gaddafi militias continue to operate outside the purview of the Benghazi military command. When asked about Brega's capture, a fighter outside the town listed half a dozen brigades that participated in the offensive. Many of the rogue units are Islamist militias who refuse to disband and join the rebel army. The rebels' political body, the National Transitional Council (NTC), has set up a committee to encourage harmony among its armed ranks and to integrate the militias.
(See pictures of life in Benghazi during wartime.)
The NTC has encountered even more problems in the West in recent months. With no direct communication with that front (which is separated from Benghazi's eastern stronghold by Sert, Gaddafi's heavily fortified hometown), the political body discovered it had very little control over field units that were slowly making their way toward Gaddafi's capital, Tripoli. Indeed, local troops in the west were waging campaigns independently of the NTC. "We move when we think the time is right," said Sa'adun Zuwayhli, 29, a field commander in the Western city of Misratah, back in June. "We don't really coordinate our movements with anyone outside Misratah." To alleviate the tension, the Benghazi council sent some troops and arms to Misrata. But the move failed to enhance cooperation between the two sides."
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2089680,00.html?hpt=hp_t1
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire