Choppers add to the Libyan fog of war

There was much ado about choppers in Westminster earlier today. Yesterday, French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet told reporters that Britain and France were to deploy attack helicopters to Libya; and that the British had instigated this move.

The fog of war then descended. Labour’s defence spokesman Jim Murphy called on the British government to explain why the conflict is escalating. Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey contradicted Longuet’s account; and a source at the Ministry of Defence told me that this was the first he’d heard of helicopters being deployed to Libya in that role.

The implication was that the French were trying to force the issue. Then again, a separate MoD source has told the Guardian that the “chances are it is going to happen”. Meanwhile, Liam Fox is on an official trip to Washington and is unavailable for comment.

The Commons hosted a lively debate on this subject. Most interventions registered an objection to mission creep or a worry that the Libyan mission lacks direction and that this furore compounds the confusion.