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The Times & The Sunday Times
The Times & The Sunday Times
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Libyan no fly zone

The advantage of not bombing first is that any subsequent action against an air defence system would be in self-defence
The Times
The Times

Sir, It was good to see The Times taking a positive yet balanced position on no-fly zones (leading article, Mar 10), especially acknowledging that the Robert Gates “must bomb Libya first” option is not the only way to set up such a zone. The main advantage of not bombing first is that any subsequent action against an air defence system, which illuminated and/or engaged a no-fly zone aircraft, would be in self-defence and therefore more acceptable to nations that do not agree with overt offensive US action, as proposed by the US Defence Secretary.

David Hamilton
Group Captain, RAF, ret’d
Wrea Green, Lancs