Libya: Nato airstrikes should bring down regime says British general, Moussa Koussa said to be aiding targeting

Nato airstrikes in Libya against the forces of Colonel Gaddafi should be stepped up to include infrastructure targets, the head of the British Armed Forces has said.

Currently Nato forces are restricted to targeting forces which pose a threat to Libyan civilians, however General Sir David Richards has said that Nato should strike infrastructure targets in order to bring down the Libyan government.

In recent weeks there has been speculation that Nato has been attempting to kill Colonel Gaddafi with an airstrike. Nato has denied this but have launched attacks on Colonel Gaddafi's compounds, killing some of the Libyan leader's close relatives.

However General Richards, speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, indicated that Colonel Gaddafi could become a legitimate target if he was found directly attacking civilians. In addition the General stated that if Colonel Gaddafi was killed in a raid on a command and control centre that would be "within the rules".

General Richards said, "The military campaign to date has been a significant success for Nato and our Arab allies, but we need to do more. If we do not up the ante now there is a risk that the conflict could result in Gaddafi clinging to power.

"At present Nato is not attacking infrastructure targets in Libya. But if we want to increase the pressure on Gaddafi's regime then we need to give serious consideration to increasing the range of targets we can hit."

Despite the fact that the UN resolution permitting military action in Libya does so only for the protection of civilians, General Richards said such a condition could only be met ultimately if Colonel Gaddafi is removed from power.

"If Nato withdraws its forces with Gaddafi still in power, then there is a significant risk that he will launch fresh attacks against the rebels."

"The Prime Minister [David Cameron] and I are on the same page. We are in total agreement that the only solution to this conflict is for Gaddafi to go."

In other news related to the bombing campaign, it has been reported that senior Libyan defectors, such as former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa, have been assisting the Nato bombing campaign by revealing and identifying key command sites of the Libyan regime.