Changes

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi said [[jihad]]ists who fought against American troops in [[Iraq]] served on the front lines. <ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links.] </ref> <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/guantanamo-files-libyan-detainee-now-us-ally-of-sorts.html Libyan, Once a Detainee, Is Now a U.S. Ally of Sorts.]</ref> NATO's Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee days before President Obama publicly admitted to intervention that U.S. intelligence knew of [[al Qaeda]] and [[Hezbollah]] elements among the Libyan insurgents.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8414583/Libya-al-Qaeda-among-Libya-rebels-Nato-chief-fears.html</ref>  

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi said [[jihad]]ists who fought against American troops in [[Iraq]] served on the front lines. <ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links.] </ref> <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/guantanamo-files-libyan-detainee-now-us-ally-of-sorts.html Libyan, Once a Detainee, Is Now a U.S. Ally of Sorts.]</ref> NATO's Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee days before President Obama publicly admitted to intervention that U.S. intelligence knew of [[al Qaeda]] and [[Hezbollah]] elements among the Libyan insurgents.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8414583/Libya-al-Qaeda-among-Libya-rebels-Nato-chief-fears.html</ref>  

On March 21, 2011, President Obama publicly disclosed U.S. military forces operations began over Libya two days earlier, on March 19, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe". Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]] opposed the action and warned establishment of a no-fly zone meant attacking the legitimate government of Libya.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> Officials as National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough also opposed to attacking Libya; but the [[Secretary of State]], "[[Hillary Clinton]] won the bureaucratic battle to use DOD resources to achieve what's essentially the State Department's objective... and Obama let it happen". <ref>[http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/18/how_obama_turned_on_a_dime_toward_war How Obama turned on a dime toward war.] </ref>  

On March 21, 2011, President Obama publicly disclosed U.S. military forces operations began over Libya two days earlier, on March 19, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe". Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]] opposed the action and warned establishment of a no-fly zone meant attacking the legitimate government of Libya.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> Officials such as National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough also were opposed to attacking Libya; but [[Secretary of State]] "[[Hillary Clinton]] won the bureaucratic battle to use DOD resources to achieve what's essentially the State Department's objective... and Obama let it happen". <ref>[http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/18/how_obama_turned_on_a_dime_toward_war How Obama turned on a dime toward war.] </ref>

===Libyan Islamic Fighters Group===

===Libyan Islamic Fighters Group===