Is Airpower Going To Be Enough In Libya? I Doubt It

The Europeans are flying air sorties and the US is firing missiles at Libyan forces. There has been a long drawn out debate about the merits of airpower. Airpower advocates believe that used properly and by itself, airpower alone can rule the day and force an enemy to submit. The modern day example they cite is Serbia, which included a long bombing campaign which brought the Serbs back to the negotiating table. Opponents point out numerous examples where airpower by itself was not enough: Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq War, etc.

That of course is the key question when it comes to Libya: is hitting them from the air really going to be enough? It’s seductive to believe that we can pound them into submission but the reality is harder than that. Gaddafi will no doubt make sure that military assets are near civilians. They can and will dig in. And then comes the troubling question: if airpower is not enough, what then?

This is where the lack of planning by the allies is of deep concern. What is the end game here? I know then end goal is to get rid of Gaddafi. But what if airpower is not enough? Committing American ground forces is ridiculous. We are already involved in two wars. We don’t need a third, especially on that involves a tribal war. If this is a European led initiative as it seems to be, I say let the French and the Brits commit their ground forces if it comes to that.

I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think airpower is going to get it done by itself. The West is now committed. God bless our airmen in harms way.