Rift within NATO over air assault on Libya

NEW YORK, Mar 22: The coalition air assault to destroy Gaddafi's air defence has met with initial success but a rift has emerged within NATO over as France's unilateral effort to bomb Gaddafi's stronghold without the knowledge of other coalition partners has angered the US and British officials. Friction reached such a height that French and German ambassadors to NATO walked out of a meeting of the North Atlantic Council yesterday. The White House denied the news of the rift and said there were more joint assaults against Libya yesterday. French officials denied acting unilaterally. It was agreed by the coalition partners that France would kick off the operation followed by the US and British missile attacks. The US commander said the coalition is carrying out more than 80 sorties a day over Libya. In Washington lawmakers from both the Republican and the Democratic party said President Obama has transcended his constitutional limit by attacking Libya