The French are the first in the front line - they have air bases from which they could just about make it to Libya and back - with the British behind them.

The French are the first in the front line - they have air bases from which they could just about make it to Libya and back - with the British behind them.
However, the Americans will be the ones to take out Gaddafi's air defences with Cruise missiles before allowing the Europeans to take it on from there.
The initial stages of the operation will see radar and air bases targeted, possibly with the bombing of runways to leave them unusable.
The allied forces will watch to see Col Gaddafi's response, and only if he is continuing to use violence on his own people will his tanks and troops come into the firing line.
Even Nicolas Sarkozy, the most hawkish of the Western leaders besides David Cameron, has indicated that the dictator can "avoid the worst" if he starts to toe the line with the UN's demands.

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