Clinton: U.S. role in Libya to be cut back

WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- Washington's role in the Libyan military operation will be cut back now that NATO agreed to command the no-fly zone, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

The United States could hand over control of the mission to NATO as early as this weekend, once leaders in Brussels finalize details, U.S. officials said. Questions remain on enforcing what military tacticians called the "no-drive zone" -- bombing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's ground forces, tanks and artillery amassing outside crucial Libyan cities, and doing so without civilian casualties, The New York Times said.

The Obama administration insisted NATO had agreed to assume responsibility for the no-fly and no-drive zones, but said details still had to be worked out.

"All 28 allies have also now authorized military authorities to develop an operations plan for NATO to take on the broader civilian protection mission," Clinton said. "NATO is well-suited to coordinating this international effort."

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark said NATO was "considering whether NATO should take on the broader responsibility ... but that decision has not been made yet."

This sets up the possibility of running parallel campaigns, with NATO planning missions against Gadhafi's air forces and a U.S. chain of command dealing with ground attacks, The Independent newspaper in Britain reported.

Turkey, the only Muslim-majority NATO member, opposes NATO bombing of ground targets, fearing civilian casualties in a fellow Muslim country. NATO needs all 28 member nations to approve any military action.

To minimize confusion, U.S. Adm. Samuel J Locklear is expected to play a key operational role in both command chains, U.S. officials said.

Locklear, who has been the tactical commander of the U.S.-led effort in the country, is commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, U.S. Naval Forces Africa and NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

The announcement of at least a partial hand-off of responsibility to NATO came five days after the conflict started.

U.S. President Barack Obama had promised from the start that the United States would step back "within days, not weeks" from command of the effort.

Clinton said Thursday night the United States was already cutting back its role.

"Our mission has been to use America's unique capabilities to create the conditions for the no-fly zone and to assist in meeting urgent humanitarian needs," she said. "And as expected, we're already seeing a significant reduction in the number of U.S. planes involved in operations."

At the Pentagon Thursday, Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, director of the White House joint staff, said U.S. fighter jets would continue bombing Libya even after NATO assumes leadership. U.S. surveillance planes will provide reconnaissance -- determining Gadhafi forces' disposition and intention and gathering information about their composition and capabilities, as well as the lay of the land and other conditions, he said.