WASHINGTON – As the U.S. debates its future participation in the Libyan conflict, Defense officials slammed the brakes Thursday on any major American role aiding opposition groups and insisted that America should not be the one to arm the opposition force.
Even as the White House says arming the rebels seeking to oust leader Moammar Gadhafi is still under consideration, Gates and Mullen said the U.S. still knows little about the opposition force, and some other nation should do the training and equipping.
“My view would be, if there is going to be that kind of assistance to the opposition, there are plenty of sources for it other than the United States,” Gates told the House Armed Services Committee.
Under withering congressional probing and criticism that the mission is expensive and ill-defined, Gates and Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen sketched out a largely limited role for the U.S. military going forward.
And, while
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