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 disclosed U.S. military forces operations began in Libya two days earlier, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe" in his words. 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, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough and the counterterrorism chief, [[John O. Brennan]], had urged caution. Libya was not vital to American national security interests and Libyan rebels remained unknown to American officials, and had ties to Al Qaeda.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=2&hp]</ref> But [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] "won the bureaucratic battle to use [Department of Defense] 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>  Secretary Clinton stated:

On March 21, 2011, President Obama disclosed he ordered U.S. military forces operations began in Libya two days earlier, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe" in his words, against the advice and his most knowledgeable confidants. 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 Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough and the counterterrorism chief, [[John O. Brennan]], urged caution. Libya was not vital to American national security interests and Libyan rebels had ties to Al Qaeda.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=2&hp]</ref> But [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] "won the bureaucratic battle to use [Department of Defence] 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>  Secretary Clinton stated:

{{cquote|We are currently doing everything we can to bomb, strafe and use missiles to carry the rebels into power in Libya. We want them to win. We just don’t know who they are.” Hillary Rodham Clinton. [http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/06/23/hillary-clinton-to-libya-skeptics-whose-side-are-you-on/]}}

{{cquote|We are currently doing everything we can to bomb, strafe and use missiles to carry the rebels into power in Libya. We want them to win. We just don’t know who they are.” <ref>http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/06/23/hillary-clinton-to-libya-skeptics-whose-side-are-you-on/ </ref>}}

===Libyan Islamic Fighters Group===

===Libyan Islamic Fighters Group===