The U.S. Experience: Operational

U.S. forces successfully conducted military operations in Libya from March 19 to October 31, 2011, first in a coalition and later under the command and control of NATO. The magnitude of this accomplishment, given the constraints and limitations of Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector, should not be underestimated. U.S. forces overcame resource, time, and other constraints to accomplish objectives that international priorities had defined. They responded quickly, planned comprehensive military operations, and coordinated an increasingly complex battlespace. The use of airpower during this intervention presents an attractive model for achieving limited goals without committing U. S. ground troops, with