Posted on 02/25/2011 12:50:03 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
SAS troops, with a unit of paras in support, are poised to help an estimated 150 British oil company workers stranded in isolated parts of the Libyan desert.
They were believed to be on standby in Malta ready to extricate the British nationals as the frigate HMS Cumberland prepared to arrive at the Mediterranean island with 200 Britons on board. The frigate HMS York was ordered to head east for the Libyan coast, though the captain had not yet been instructed with any specific task, defence officials said.
Officials referred to a "range of assets" now available to British forces in the region. They are understood to include Chinook helicopters, Hercules aircraft which can land and take off on relatively short strips, and larger C17 aircraft which could land only at places with large airfields, such as Tripoli or Benghazi.A government official familiar with contingency plans that have been drawn up said: "There are small pockets of people in a massive area". He was referring to British oil workers stuck in the desert, at risk from attacks and looting.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has said he is trying to co-ordinate an international rescue mission, either with or without the co-operation of the Libyan authorities. As many as 50 British citizens are still in Tripoli and more than 150 in the desert.
After David Cameron's apology in the wake of widespread criticism of government handling of the crisis and the evacuation of British citizens from Libya, officials have admitted that the Whitehall machine had failed to rise to the occasion.
Sources told the Guardian that a major problem was that the government was too anxious about "the Libyan perception" ......
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Awful kind of the authors to tell the enemy about the situation. I’m sure the irresponsible journalism will not go un-noticed by both the military as well as the families of these souls.
I hope none of the ‘Good Guys’ gets hurt, as a result of this article.
Meanwhile, the Obama is trying to find out how many of the possible American Citizen oil workers are MUSLIM,DEMOCRATS, BLACK, LGBT, abortionists(in their leisure time), and naturalized insurgents and illegals claiming to be Americans.
This is how a leader reacts to his people in peril. So much for our “organizer.!”
***********************EXCERPT*********************************
Around 500 British nationals are thought to remain in Libya — many trapped on remote oil fields in the south of the country.
Maybe these SAS guys can rescue our Americans too?
If its in print its already happened....lots of dead mercenaries hitting the sanding the last 24 hours...
“Awful kind of the authors to tell the enemy about the situation. I’m sure the irresponsible journalism will not go un-noticed by both the military as well as the families of these souls.
I hope none of the ‘Good Guys’ gets hurt, as a result of this article.”
Did it occur to you the British military might USE the press, for disinformation?
The British had a good record of using disinformation during WWII.
Send in the Afrika Korps. (Too bad they’re no longer available).
And where’s the French Foreign Legion, BTW? This would seem to be right up their alley.
SAS means a WHOLE can of Whoopass may be opened.
Don’t forget that the British 7th Armoured Division kicked the Afrika Korps’ ass (and they are available).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwoZrEmm5sQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PPhny0mAL4
Brit SAS series Ultimate Force.
Obummer, the Gutless Wonder
The Brits’ SAS .... they truly are some of the best ...
Only if they are dues paying members of the AFL/CIO. ;~))
Ya, but they are all like 85 or 90 years old now. ;~))
Well, now that I think about it I guess they could still kick the Libyan army's ass.
No, it didn't; because it doesn't make sense.
Are there British engineers/techs out in the desert working on oil wells? Probably. Were they bussed in there? Likely. Are they protected, in the middle of the desert? Probably not. Why were they left to work in the desert without armed protection? Probably because a simple phone call would result in a armed rescue by Quadafi's thugs. His thugs are not world-reknown for their mercy and compassion.
Now introduce civil unrest and the Arab mind that is incapable of accepting blame for ANYTHING - their excuse for burning their fingers is to blame Israel first, and America second. Britons are an easy target, and killing unarmed civilians is Arab equivalent to Viagra in at the Playboy mansion.
While I have the highest regards for the SAS, If I were in Libya the words I’d want to hear:
“US Marines we’re to take you home”
Even Marines think VERY highly of the SAS.
TC
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