Mullen Attacks Having ‘Significant’ Impact

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen says although the Libyan campaign’s objective is not to remove despot Moammar Gadhafi from power, it has had a “significant” impact on his forces, Politico reports. Mullen said on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday the focus remains on protecting Libyan civilians.

“It had a pretty significant affect very early in terms of our ability to address [Gadhafi’s] forces on the ground – which we did yesterday outside of Benghazi – and get the no fly-zone stood up,” Mullen told host Christiane Amanpour.

“We are very focused on the limited objectives the president has given us – and actually the international coalition has given us – in terms of providing the no-fly zone so that he cannot attack his own people … to avoid any kind of humanitarian massacre if you will, and to provide for the humanitarian corridors the humanitarian support for the Libyan people,” Mullen said.

“The military objective is as I’ve just described it,” he said. “The mission is very clear right now: it’s focused on getting the no-fly zone in place.”