ACTION ON LIBYA: JUSTIFIED OR IMPERIALISM ?

The UK, US and France attacked Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the first action to enforce a UN-mandated no-fly zone. Pentagon officials say the US and the UK have fired more than 110 missiles, while French planes struck pro-Gaddafi forces attacking rebel-held Benghazi. Col Gaddafi has vowed retaliation and said he would open arms depots to the people to defend Libya. Cruise missiles hit air-defence sites in the capital, Tripoli, and Misrata. . As March 20, Libyan state TV said 48 people had been killed and 150 wounded in the attacks. There was no independent confirmation of the deaths. A French plane fired the first shots against Libyan government targets at 16:45 GMT on Saturday March 19, destroying a number of military vehicles, according to a military spokesman. UK Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that British planes are in action over Libya. President Barack Obama, speaking during a visit to Brazil, said the US was taking "limited military action" as part of a "broad coalition". "We cannot stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people there will be no mercy," he said. He repeated that no US ground troops would take part. . After the missile bombardment and the air strikes, Col Gaddafi made a brief speech calling on people to resist. "Civilian and military targets in the air and sea will be liable to serious danger in the Mediterranean," he said. . "Arms depots are now open and the masses are being equipped with all sorts of weapons in defence of Libya's independence, unity and honour," the Libyan leader warned. He called the attacks "a colonialist crusade of aggression. This can lead to open a new crusade war." The BBC's Kevin Connolly, in the rebel-held eastern city of Tobruk, says it is now clear that Col Gaddafi's strategy is to portray the attacks as an act of colonialist aggression and rally enough of the Libyan people behind him to maintain his grip on power. To engage: +1.323.927.2930 or Skype.