Italy to make bases available for Libya no-fly zone

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters Africa

Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:11pm GMT

TUNIS - Italy is ready to make its military bases available to enforce a U.N. Security Counci resolution imposing a no-fly zone on Libya, an Italian government source told Reuters on Thursday.

The airbase at Sigonella in Sicily, which provides logistical support for the United States Sixth Fleet, is one of the closest NATO bases to Libya and could be used in any military operation.

"It's a positive development," an Italian goverrnment source told Reuters minutes after the U.N. Security Council voted in favour of the no-fly zone.

Asked whether Italy would offer its bases for the enforcement of the U.N. resolution, the source said: "Yes, we've said we are ready to do that."

(Reporting by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE72G2HE20110317

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Edited to add this map...

[itsrobert]

1. Greece and Turkey?

They are closer.

[onehandle]

2. Sicily is straight across from Tripoli.

Greece has islands slighly closer to Eastern Libya, but they may not have the right kind of base and probably want more direct access to Western Libya.

[itsrobert]

3. Ok, I thought Crete was closer

My bag.

[onehandle]

4. Actually, you're right. It is. But I believe they are going to want to get to Western Libya.

And the capitol.

[itsrobert]

6. Crete doesn't really have space to house a big contigent of aircraft

Araxos Air Base, Greece is another location. A Tent city would need to be built, the tourist are coming soon and lodging will be filled. Sicily already has Americans in place, however.

[Lars77]

5. "The hub of the Med" it's apparently called

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigonella

[Alamuti Lotus]

7. How nice for Burlesque-oni, a war to save him from his sex scandals..

Surely NATO has pure intentions in joining the war, just as it does when it bombs children in Afghanistan.