The Mig was being flown by anti Gadaffi forces, they have admitted the loss this morning.


Fareastdriver
"Excuse" for Western intervention? What the hell are you talking about? There is no need for an "excuse" for christ sake! The fact that Gadaffi tanks entered Benghazi this morning and he continues artillery bombardments of numerous civilian areas is reason enough for air strikes. If they don't happen, then the West has just lost any shred of decency it had...

Its going to be effin difficult deciding who's who if he does get in to Benghazi, given that we're not allowed to have any boots on the ground to id targets. Of course, we could send in a couple of 'diplomatic teams' to help the rebels. Those FCO boys are pretty handy when it comes to a fight.

There are so many conflicting stories that it is impossible to know what is going on from afar. It is possible that the Colonel's ceasefire announcement combined with the further talks in Paris to-day has given Government Forces the time needed to close to or within Benghazi. If that proves the case, it will be a real problem to identify who is on one side or the other in an urban environment.

It would also mean he does not now need to use his Air Force. How do we then use Air Power alone to get him to withdraw especially if he then has his supporters around or on the roofs of potential targets? And all on live TV!

news is the Col's boys are attacking "rebels"/freedom fighters right now. The cease fire was a sham..:hmm:

I know I'm going to miss the rugby and thats for sure.

Lets hope the rebel's id skills are better. Will they know told not to shoot at planes flying over the city from this afternoon? Its just if Gaddafi's forces open up at an aircraft I reckon everyone else will join in.

From Wikipedia So how will the boys enforcing the No Fly Zone tell the difference between a MiG23 operated by the Rebels from that operated by Gadaffi's Forces? However, I suppose as it is supposed to be a No Fly Zone it does not really matter both should not be in the air.

That's not actually required by the UN resolution. What's not to understand about "No Fly Zone?". It does not mean "One side can fly zone but the other cannot".

If you are going to jump up and down will you remember to spell Christ's name with a capital 'C' please.

Perhaps...

A bloke behind a screen takes note of which airfield they take-off from and gives them a suitable track id...

A different bloke, called 'Bob', walks up to the Rebels and gives them a sheet of paper with squawks and times for that day...

Another bloke looks at a different screen / radio to monitor what the different tracks are up to...

All the other chaps/chapesses train regularly how to differentiate between friendly tracks and not so friendly tracks...

Even the average USAF F-16 driver knows that there is a high probability that he/she may end up fighting an adversary one day in a near identical F-16 to their own, such is the way of the modern world.

I wonder if HMS York and/or HMS Cumberland are still in the Benghazi environs? Would be a massive PR disaster if they had anything to do with the events of this morning...

Well said Fareastdriver, but he still isn't angry enough to use a different prophets name instead is he ;)

I recall having a chat with an F-15 instructor a few years ago. He had just met the parents of his Saudi student who had just graduated the RTU course. "He taught me everything I know", the student said to his father.

"That's true", the instructor told me. "I taught him everything he knows. But he has no idea about everything I know."

French TV reporting French AF jets over Benghazi.

I believe CUMBERLAND is still around, YORK has resumed her trip to points south.

Perhaps...

A bloke behind a screen takes note of which airfield they take-off from and gives them a suitable track id...

A different bloke, called 'Bob', walks up to the Rebels and gives them a sheet of paper with squawks and times for that day...

"Another bloke looks at a different screen / radio to monitor what the different tracks are up to...

All the other chaps/chapesses train regularly how to differentiate between friendly tracks and not so friendly tracks...

Even the average USAF F-16 driver knows that there is a high probability that he/she may end up fighting an adversary one day in a near identical F-16to their own, such is the way of the modern world. "


The Yanks will just shoot down anything up there including civil airliners like Iran Air 655.

They couldn't distinguish between an A300 and an F-14

I just love hyperbole delivered with a straight face.

Fareastdriver,


No, I won't.

A Dutch correspondent saw the dead pilot being brought into a hospital, covered by his blood-stained parachute. According to him not a pretty sight...

Some rebels don't rule out this was a case of "blue on blue/friendly fire"... :ugh: :ouch:

I think we all knew that the Gaddafi wouldn't back down and he hasnt. I think he has whats coming to him, but without ground troops I don't think it will be that simple. The only way to topple him is if the whole country rise up to get rid of him.