Is Turkey Sabotaging The Rebel Fight In Libya By Vetoing NATO Air Strikes?

Rebels kept watch Monday over Brega, Libya, where forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi left the city’s residential quarter but dug in near its oil infrastructure. Bryan Denton for The New York Times

Libyan Rebels Blame Airstrike Lull On Turkey -- Washington Times

Ankara working on cease-fire.

Libyan rebels, angry about a lull in NATO airstrikes on dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, are directing their rage at Turkey, the only Muslim member of the alliance.

Earlier this week, the rebels turned back a Turkish ship carrying food and medical aid to Benghazi, and on Wednesday they physically attacked the Turkish Consulate in the eastern city.

“Turkey is blocking NATO attacks” on Col. Gadhafi’s forces, Guma el-Gamaty, coordinator for the rebels’ Interim National Transitional Council in Britain, told The Washington Times in a phone interview from London.

“We believe the reason why NATO attacks have come down in the last four or five days is because Turkey is vetoing a lot of them,” Mr. el-Gamaty said.

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My Comment: There certainly has been delays in NATO air strikes that would have supported rebel attacks. As for Turkey's involvement in this war, it is well known that Turkish leaders have always had a close relationship (and alliance) with Libyan leader Gaddafi. A tight relationship that makes me believe the rebels concerns are justified.