Kerry, Brown Discuss Libya No-Fly Zone

08:37

March 09, 2011

Smoke billows from a fuel storage facility that was attacked during fighting in eastern Libya Wednesday. (AP)

There's a growing international debate about imposing a no-fly zone over Libya as Moammar Gadhafi-loyalist forces continued to clash with opposition fighters in the escalating conflict.

Mass. Sen. John Kerry, chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, has prominently said that a no-fly zone should be explored and even prepared for under international agreement. Both France and the UK are planning to propose a no-fly zone resolution to the UN. NATO will debate options Thursday.

Others are wary of the idea, including Sen. Scott Brown who urged caution Tuesday. He warned a no-fly zone could lead to a prolonged commitment to the embattled country.

As the Massachusetts senators weigh in on the issue, we discuss the U.S.'s role, and what a no-fly zone would mean.

Guest:

Nicholas Burns, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs during the George W. Bush administration; former U.S. Ambassador to NATO; professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics, Harvard Kennedy School

This segment aired on March 9, 2011.