Operational Update

The possibility that Libyan ruler Col. Moammar Gadhafi might use surrogates to launch terrorist attacks in the United States or elsewhere in retribution for U.S. and allied airstrikes against his military is a "very, very legitimate concern," Gen. Carter Ham, the head of U.S. Africa Command, told Pentagon reporters today via satellite from AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

Ham said he has not seen anything specific to indicate Gadhafi plans to launch terrorist attacks, but he added, "We must operate under the assumption that he would like to see that happen. And so we must necessarily keep our guard and our vigilance very high." Officials must also ensure al Qaeda and its affiliates do not capitalize on the situation in Libya by gaining a foothold there, he said.

"There is no higher priority for this command than the protection of America, Americans and American interests from terrorist attack, and we watch that very closely," Ham said.

Gadhafi might remain in power, the general said. "I do see a situation where that could be the case," Ham said. "It's perhaps easier for me to address that than it is for others, because I have a very discrete military mission. And so I could see accomplishing the military mission . . . which has been assigned to me and the current leader would remain the current leader. Is that ideal? I don't think anyone would say that is ideal, but I could envision that as a -- as a possible situation at least for the current mission that I have."

Ham reiterated he has no mission to attack Gadhafi. "And we are not doing so," he said. "We are not seeking his whereabouts or anything like that. We think we have been very effective in degrading his ability to control his regime forces. And we think we are seeing that play out at various parts of the country." Asked about an attack on a facility in Gadhafi's compound, Ham noted the compound is a "pretty big place" and that the building attacked with "tremendous precision" was a command-and-control facility. The strike was conducted to "degrade the regime's ability to control its military forces . . . in the attack of civilians," he said. "So we think there is a very, very direct relationship in the attack on that target and the mission that we have."

U.S. and allied forces are expanding the no-fly zone in Libya. "Our actions today are focused on extending the no-fly zone southward, then westward from Benghazi," he said. "With the growing capabilities of the coalition, I anticipate the no-fly zone will soon extend to Brega, Misurata and then to Tripoli. That's about 1,000 kilometers, so it's a pretty wide area."

But Ham said he is not concerned about mission creep. "The military mission here is pretty clear -- it is very clear, frankly, and what is expected of us to do: to establish this no-fly zone; to protect civilians; to . . . get the withdrawal of regime ground forces out of Benghazi. And so I don't -- I don't have a sense at all that there is mission creep."

To date, the forces involved are generally achieving the intended objective, he said. The mission is not intended to destroy all of Libya's military, he added. "We do not provide close air support for the opposition forces," Ham noted. "We protect civilians." Distinguishing between opposition and regime forces can be very difficult, particularly when they are in very close contact, he noted.

Ham said he has seen no evidence to suggest other governments are now providing support to Gadhafi.