Thank you for this wrap-up. I have one question, Professor Cole. You wrote, and everyone seems to agree, that the liberation of Zawiya was crucial for cutting the supply line to Tripoli from Tunisia. What puzzles me is that Tunisia didn't either cut this supply line itself out of solidarity with the rebels, or come under visible external pressure to do so. I also wonder how substantial supplies could travel over land in the face of NATO's air supremacy? Were there simply not enough planes to handle the job, or were attacks on notionally civilian strategic targets deemed unacceptable--or some other reason?
Before taking that report about FDR at face value, please consider that same author wrote this: http://bleiersblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/ronald-bleier-no-planes-on-911.html?m=1
Thank you for this wrap-up. I have one question, Professor Cole. You wrote, and everyone seems to agree, that the liberation of Zawiya was crucial for cutting the supply line to Tripoli from Tunisia. What puzzles me is that Tunisia didn't either cut this supply line itself out of solidarity with the rebels, or come under visible external pressure to do so. I also wonder how substantial supplies could travel over land in the face of NATO's air supremacy? Were there simply not enough planes to handle the job, or were attacks on notionally civilian strategic targets deemed unacceptable--or some other reason?