Western 'soldiers' on ground in Libya

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Moammar Gadhafi

WASHINGTON – Some "soldiers" from the West, which through NATO has been running interference for the rebels trying to take down the Moammar Gadhafi regime in Libya, now are on the ground there, according to reports documented in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

They are being called mercenaries or private military contractors, and they apparently are joining with elements of al-Qaida in a maneuver designed to circumvent a strict limitation imposed in a United Nations resolution that authorized military strikes to enforce a "no-fly" zone over the North African nation.

Several sources confirm that Qatar and Saudi Arabia have hired private military contractors to advise and inevitably fight alongside the rebels in apparent contravention of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which explicitly bans the use of ground troops in Libya.

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But the sources report that troops now also include Special Forces, mercenaries and private military contractors from the West.

The Russians and Chinese have been particularly critical of NATO forces, charging that they have exceeded the authority of the March UNSC resolution by introducing Special Forces troops and, in effect, putting "boots on the ground."

Russian observers estimate that there may be some 1,000 Special Forces and as many as 5,000 mercenaries from European and Arab private military companies involved. There also are reports that PMCs from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan also are assisting the rebels.

Britain and France are the European countries undertaking the most active role in the NATO campaign against the Gadhafi regime.

Western and Arab countries decided to send in their Special Forces and personnel from private military contractors when they realized the air campaign alone of enforcing a no-fly zone allowed under the UNSC resolution wasn't working.

Now, British defense sources have confirmed that British Special Forces have been in Libya for several weeks, coordinating the fall of Tripoli with the rebels. Sources say that soldiers from 22 Special Air Service Regiment, or SAS, have been assisting the rebels on orders from Prime Minister David Cameron.

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