US to drop lead role in Libya in days

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Itar-Tass) -- The United States plans to drop
the lead role in the no-fly zone enforcement in Libya and expects it to
happen in several days, the White House said on Thursday.
"The United States will continue to have a role but it will not be a
lead role in the enforcement of the no-fly zone; it will be in a support
and assist role," White House spokesman Jay Carney told a briefing on
Thursday adding the support role may include "jamming, as well as
intelligence and other things."
"But we will not be leading the effort to enforce the no-fly zone," he
stressed.
The spokesman said the transition of the lead role will take "days,
not weeks."
"We have been in consultations with our allies and partners on the
issue of making that transition and we're confident that it will happen
relatively soon. As you know, discussions are ongoing at NATO and we feel
very confident that it will happen soon," Carney said.
On Thursday NATO decided to join the enforcement of a no-fly zone in
Libya, but Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the U.S.-led
coalition will continue operations so far.
"At this moment, there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO
operation," Rasmussen said, adding talks were continuing on a possibly to
give NATO a wider role.
Observers believe NATO is so far sticking to the Afghan option where a
U.S-led coalition is operating parallel to the NATO-led ISAF security
force.