Rebels welcomed the operation of U.S. unmanned aircraft and said they hoped the move would defend civilians. Doctors at the hospital in Misrata, the rebels' last major throttlehold in the West of the country, said nine insurgent were killed in hostility on Thursday.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Washington news discussion President Barack Obama had sanctioned the use of Predator drones and they were already in operation. General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the first two Predators were sent to Libya on Thursday but had to turn back because of bad withstand.
The United States premeditated to sustain two patrols of armed Predators above Libya at any given time, Cartwright said. The drones have verified a compelling weapon in Pakistan and other areas where U.S. army have no troops on the ground. They can stay aloft almost eternally without being noticed from the ground and hit targets with missiles, with no risk to crew.
