From Larry Shaughnessy, CNN:  As the rebels in Libya push closer to ending the Moammar Gadhafi regime, US warplanes have been increasing their attacks on government positions.

New numbers released by the Pentagon Monday show that the number of US air attacks on Libyan air defenses, ground forces and other targets has nearly doubled over the past 12 days, compared to air attacks in the first 132 days of the NATO mission, from a rate of 1.7 strike sorties a day from April 1st to Aug. 10th to 3.1 strike sorties in the last 12 days.

The total US air attacks includes strikes by Armed Predator unmanned planes. The Pentagon release says those have more than doubled to 1.4 attacks per day, compared to .6 attacks per day between April 1st and Aug. 10th.   (photo: Reuters)

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