U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has repeated his strong opposition to putting any American forces in Libya.
Gates insisted Thursday there will be no U.S. troops on the ground as long as he has his job. He spoke after U.S. media reported that the CIA has small teams working with anti-government rebels in the North African country.
Reports say the CIA has sent operatives into Libya to gather intelligence and make contact with the opposition. Gates said he could not speak for the CIA about its role, but he acknowledged the U.S. still does not have adequate information about Libya's disparate rebel forces.
The Pentagon chief appeared before a pair of congressional panels with Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The two men said if the rebels are to get arms and training, countries other than the U.S. should provide that assistance.
Gates said political and economic pressures eventually will drive Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi from power. He said the NATO-led operation now under way can degrade the Libyan leader's military capacity, but that Mr. Gadhafi's removal will happen only over time and by his own people.
The military leaders said that with NATO now enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, the U.S. military will “significantly ramp down” its operations. Gates said Washington will seek to avoid “mission creep” that could mire the U.S. in a protracted conflict in Libya.
He described the U.S. military involvement against Mr. Gadhafi as a “limited one,” saying it does not include regime change.
Many lawmakers were angered by what they said was U.S. President Barack Obama's lack of candor with Congress ahead of the Libya mission. Both Democrats and Republicans accused the two men of overseeing “mission creep” in Libya, or, conversely, with not doing enough.
Republican Senator John McCain told the two officials he is “disappointed” in the decision to pull back American forces before a regime change. McCain said he is working with a bipartisan group of senators on a measure endorsing Mr. Obama's decision to use force in Libya.
The move came as some lawmakers charged the U.S. president had overstepped his constitutional bounds by acting before securing approval from Congress for the operation.
Mullen told the panel that U.S. military involvement in Libya would be “significantly reduced starting today.” But he warned Mr. Gadhafi “still possesses substantial military capability,” compared to the poorly equipped, anti-government rebel forces trying to overthrow him.