United States and Canada

Obama: “The exit strategy will be executed this week”

By the AP

From the AP:  Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he can’t predict how long the no-fly zone operation will last, but that the U.S. could turn over control of it as early as Saturday.

NATO briefing on Operation Unified Protector

By NATO

From NATO:  Excerpts from briefing by NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu, Brigadier General Pierre St-Amand of the Canadian Air Force and Director of the Strategic Plans in the Capability Plans and Policy Branch at Allied Command Operations

Norway threatens to ground its F-16s over operational decisions

By Wojciech Moskwa, Reuters

Details of emerging no-fly operation and NATO flotilla

By the AP

Allies may give NATO operational control, but not political control

By Scott Wilson and and Karen DeYoung, the Washington Post

From Scott Wilson and and Karen DeYoung, the Washington Post:  The United States appeared to be closer Tuesday to turning over command of the military operation in Libya, with key NATO countries tentatively agreeing that the alliance would take the leading role.

Allied leaders comment on NATO Impasse

By the Telegraph

Day 5 of NATO’s Political Impasse

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  As the military operation continued over Libya on Monday, there was some confusion about which country or organization is actually leading it, and for how long. France, Britain and the United States are in charge of their own operations, which each have different code names.  The participants are […]

Donilon: NATO to take command in days, not weeks

By the White House

From the White House: National Security Advisor Tom Donilon discusses U.S. transfer of command to NATO.  MR. DONILON : [W]e would then transfer, as the President has said, in a matter of days, not weeks, over to coalition partners using the NATO machinery the responsibility for the ongoing exercise of those activities. And the United States at […]

Italy threatens to take back its bases unless NATO is in command

By AGI

From AGI:  [Foreign] Minister Franco Frattini has said Italy will take back its bases if NATO does not assume command of operations in Libya.

Turkey Blocks NATO Mission in Libya

By Spiegel