Gallery: Three Days Over Libya: Pictures from the Latest U.S. War
01return-of-the-bomber
Moammar Gadhafi's near-victory over the rebels trying to oust him have prompted the U.S.' third war in a Muslim country in a single decade. The goals of Operation Odyssey Dawn [aren't clear right now](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/awol-in-libya-u-s-goals/): will the U.S. help the rebels oust Gadhafi or be content to leave him in power as long as he stops killing people? But the first three days of the war have already yielded some dramatic images. And since the war has an uncertain duration -- much like Iraq and Afghanistan -- there are sure to be many others on the way. Return of the Bomber -------------------- [B-2 Stealth Bombers](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/dangerroom/2007/08/kaplan-b-2-bff/) haven't seen a lot of action since the days of "Shock and Awe" over Iraq. But with the mission to destroy Libyan radar and missile sites -- and airfields, *and* command posts -- in full effect, the B-2 is back in effect. This one, returning from a bombing run, flew all the way from Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base. *Photo: Flickr/U.S. Africa Command*
02f-16s-away
F-16s Away ---------- A crew chief from the 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Germany's Spangdahlem air base readies an F-16 to attack a Libyan target. Along with the F-15, the F-16 is the Air Force's principal fighter jet used for Odyssey Dawn. *Photo: U.S. Africa Command*
03tomahawk-blast-in-living-color
Tomahawk Blast, In Living Color ------------------------------- The Destroyer *U.S.S. Stout* fires off a Tomahawk missile, one of at least 136 that have been fired from allied ships and subs in the first three days of the war. And while the cruise missiles may seem like Desert Storm relics, the guidance systems inside new models make them [practically lethal drones.](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/drones-suicidal-cousins/) *Photo: Flickr/ U.S. Africa Command*
04night-flights-from-the-kearsarge
Night Flights Aboard the *Kearsarge* ------------------------------------ The amphibious ship *U.S.S. Kearsarge* has a reputation as a go-to ship for providing humanitarian aid. But as this video shows, it's ready to launch its helicopters and Harrier jets for a more violent engagement. *Video: DVIDS*
05getting-into-position
Getting Into Position --------------------- Where there's war, there's logistics. Here, members of the 48th Fighter Wing and the Hungary-based Heavy Airlift Wing get ready to support the no-fly mission. Make no mistake, spending time strapped into the sides of a C-17 or a C-130 cargo plane is cold and uncomfortable. *Photo: Flickr/U.S. Africa Command*
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.06helping-the-rebels-one-way-or-another
Helping The Rebels, One Way Or Another -------------------------------------- Officially, Operation Odyssey Dawn isn't [about helping the rebels oust Moammar Gadhafi](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/u-s-general-we-wont-help-libyas-rebels-unless-we-do/), according to its commander, Gen. Carter Ham. But after an allied bombing run outside of Benghazi destroyed loyalist tanks, the rebels can't really be blamed for celebrating. *Photo: Anja Niedringhaus/AP*
Gary Keen07partners-at-sea
Partners At Sea --------------- One way the Libya no-fly zone differs from the no-fly zones of the 1990s: there's a heavy component based at sea. Not only are ships and submarines firing cruise missiles at Libyan air defense positions, but allied ships are acting as interrelated platforms for additional missions. Here, a French Dauphin search and rescue helicopter lands aboard the command ship *U.S.S. Mount Whitney* from its home aboard the aircraft carrier *Charles de Gaulle*. *Photo: U.S. Navy*
08the-crewman-strut
The Crewman Strut ----------------- You don't want any debris or other crud on your runway when you've got F-16s taking off and coming back from patrolling the airspace over Libya. That's why crewmen from the 52nd Maintenance Group at Spangdahlem make sure the runway's smooth before the 16s get ready to fly. *Photo: Flickr/U.S. Africa Command*
09gahdafis-victims
Gahdafi's Victims ----------------- A severely wounded man was taken to a hospital in Brega on March 1 after an early morning raid by loyalist forces. Violence like that prompted the dissent-free United Nations Security Council resolution that launched the new offensive against Gadhafi. *Photo: Flickr/al-Jazeera*
ECPAD/Sebastien DUPONT10flight-of-the-rafaele
Flight of the Rafaele --------------------- The pilot of a French Rafaele jet deplanes after a recon mission over Libya. Not only did the French push harder than the U.S. for a no-fly zone, but their Rafaele and Mirage jets will play an increasingly prominent role in the campaign if U.S. slowly dials back its combat role in Odyssey Dawn, as President Obama and the Pentagon have pledged. *Photo: [Rafaelenews.blogspot.com](http://rafalenews.blogspot.com)/hat tip to the [DEW Line's Stephen Trimble](http://friendfeed.com/thedewline/0523702e/rafale-news-french-air-force-official-video-and)*
11fleeing-gadhafi
Fleeing Gadhafi --------------- If you're not Libyan and you're not fighting Gadhafi, there's little reason to stay in a warzone. Here, men from Ghana who had come to Libya for work cross the western border into Tunisia with little more than the clothes on their back and something soft to sleep on. They're among the 250,000 migrant workers who've fled Libya since the violence began three weeks ago. *Photo: Emilio Morenatti/AP*
12get-the-guns-ready
Get The Guns Ready ------------------ <ep>A Navy crewman aboard the *U.S.S. Kearsarge* checks the machine gun on a Knight Hawk helicopter bound for Libya. Navy 'copters like the Knight Hawk aren't just for attacking Gadhafi's ground forces, they're also for search and rescue in the event of a downed pilot.</ep> *Photo: U.S. Africa Command*
13the-battle-for-ajdabiya
The Battle for Ajdabiya ----------------------- Before Gadhafi's troops forced them out of the eastern town of Ajdabiya, rebel forces handed out water, weapons and supplies in the hopes of holding the area. They couldn't. Now, Ajdabiya is gearing up to host a major battle, as rebels try to reclaim the town and the aircraft of Odyssey Dawn deny the skies over it to Gadhafi's forces -- and, most likely, attack them if they appear to threaten civilians. *Photo: Flickr/[al-Jazeera](http://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/5488926072/sizes/z/in/set-72157626062666497/)*
