From Julian E. Barnes, the Wall Street Journal:  Defense Secretary Leon Panetta chided early critics of the Libyan mission on Friday, saying the North Atlantic Treaty Organization air campaign has been a success.

Mr. Panetta said the NATO operation showed that allied nations were able to act quickly at a critical time to save Libyan civilians and to ultimately give the country a chance to establish a democratic government. . . .

During a two-day gathering of NATO officials in Brussels this week, some defense ministers requested an immediate halt in the operation in closed discussions, officials said. . . .

Standing Friday in front of a RQ-4B Global Hawk surveillance drone, Mr. Panetta addressed a group of military service members from the U.S., Denmark, Sweden, Italy, United Arab Emirates and other countries who have participated in the NATO air war in Libya.

"NATO really proved itself in this mission," he said. 

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