NATO members and other coalition nations – not U.S. troops — will assume much of the tasks associated with supporting rebel factions who oppose the regime of Libyan strongman Col. Moamar Qaddafi, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told lawmakers during March 31 hearings on Capitol Hill. The U.S. military role in the initial action – Operation Odyssey Dawn – “was limited in scope and scale,” and aimed to thwart Qaddafi’s ability to garner military resources against his people, Gates told members of the House Armed Services Committee. The total cost for U.S. involvement in the initial operation was $550 million as of March 28, Gates said, and would likely cost $40 million per month until the situation in Libya is stabilized. He also assured lawmakers that no U.S. troops would deploy to Libya, and no resources would be diverted there from either Afghanistan or Iraq. U.S. support to Libyan rebel factions likely would come in the form of training, command and control, and organization, Gates said.
