U.S. hints at bombing risk to Gadhafi

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The U.S. took its first steps Tuesday short of military assistance to aid Libyan rebels, even as Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that Libyan military command centers “wherever we find them” are legitimate targets for U.S. and NATO air attack, suggesting that strongman Moammar Gadhafi himself is increasingly in danger.

The Obama administration eased its sanctions on Libya, a move that will allow the opposition forces to sell the oil it controls and use the income to buy weapons and other supplies. The White House also ordered the expenditure of up to $25 million in surplus, nonlethal goods and commodities to support and protect the rebels.

At a joint news conference with British Defense Minister Liam Fox, Gates said that NATO planes are not targeting Gadhafi specifically but will continue to take aim at his command centers. That distinction is exceedingly thin, given that Gadhafi is commander in chief of government forces using brute force against civilians seeking to overthrow him.

On Monday, NATO bombs turned sections of his Tripoli headquarters into smoldering ruins.

A Libyan government spokesman denounced Monday’s bombing as a failed assassination attempt.

Gates and Fox, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon after a meeting that included Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that facilities from which Libyan leaders command their forces will remain at risk.

“We consider them legitimate targets,” Gates said. “We are not targeting him specifically, but we do consider command and control targets to be legitimate targets wherever we find them.”