Analysis: French criticism highlights NATO limits in Libya

Defence analyst Tomas Valasek of the Centre for European Reform said NATO faced a situation reminiscent of the 1999 Kosovo air war against Serbia, when it took the veiled threat of a ground invasion to persuade then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his forces. Gaddafi was placing his armour in populated areas to try to provoke NATO into strikes that would kill civilians and split the coalition, peeling off Arab support. Any attempt to target Gaddafi and his entourage entailed the same risk, he said. The West undoubtedly already had special forces on the ground in Libya working with the rebels, despite official denials, but could do more to arm and train them, he said. "I know we have stepped up our involvement and conversations with the rebels and they have been a little more effective, but I am not sure we are yet doing all we can do in terms of linking our air power with the rebels' ground forces," Valasek said.