'Stalemate' warning on Libya crisis

The conflict in Libya is heading towards a “stalemate” despite more than a month of allied air strikes against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, the most senior American military officer admitted today.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US military’s joint chiefs of staff, said Col Gaddafi’s ground forces had been degraded by 30% to 40%.

But he stoked fears of a protracted military engagement for British and other Nato forces by warning of a deadlock.

“It’s certainly moving towards a stalemate,” he told American troops during a visit to Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

“At the same time we’ve attrited somewhere between 30% and 40% of his main ground forces, his ground force capabilities. Those will continue to go away over time.”

He added that the allies would “put the squeeze” on the Libyan dictator “until he’s gone”. “Gaddafi’s gotta go,” he said.

The US has deployed unmanned Predator drones for the first time as forces loyal to Col Gaddafi continue to besiege Misrata in the west.

Hundreds of people have been killed as government forces have attacked the city of 300,000 people, with Nato’s air campaign largely unable to strike at the attackers because of their proximity to civilians.

The deployment of the drones is expected to help.

But US Senator John McCain, on a visit to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya, said the air campaign needed to be “urgently” stepped up.

He said the allies needed to provide rebels with training and weapons to “get this thing over with”.

“I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognise the Transitional National Council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people,” the senior Republican said.

“They have earned this right and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people.”

Mr McCain also echoed fears of a deadlock and warned that it may encourage Islamist extremists to get involved.

“I fear a stalemate that could lead to the emergence of radical Islamic extremists,” he said.