On Saturday, there were two major themes in the news. One: The U.S. took the lead in the military attack on Libya, launching 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles against Gaddafi’s missile and communications sites. Two: U.S. officials stumbled over themselves to say that the U.S. was not really leading the attack, except temporarily.

Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney at Pentagon press briefing

French warplanes carried out the first air strkes on Saturday, just hours after French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the launch of military action against Libya, according to AFP.

That was followed an hour later by the announcement by the U.S. Dept. of Defense:

“U.S. military forces are on the leading edge of the coalition operation, taking out Libya’s integrated air and missile defense system, Defense Department officials said. The ordnance is aimed at radars and anti-aircraft sites around the capital of Tripoli and other facilities along the Mediterranean coast. …

Cruise missiles from U.S. submarines and frigates began the attack on the anti-aircraft system. A senior defense official speaking on background said the attacks will “open up the environment so we could enforce the no-fly zone from east to west throughout Libya.”

In addition to the cruise missiles, the United States will provide command and control and logistics. American airmen and sailors also will launch electronic attacks against the systems.

The United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada already have announced that they are part of the coalition. Officials expect Arab countries will publicly announce their participation soon.”

President Barack Obama made a statement to explain why the U.S. military appears to be leading the military attack:

“As a part of this effort, the United States will contribute our unique capabilities at the front end of the mission to protect Libyan civilians, and enable the enforcement of a no-fly zone that will be led by our international partners. And as I said yesterday, we will not — I repeat — we will not deploy any U.S. troops on the ground. …

I’ve acted after consulting with my national security team, and Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress. And in the coming hours and days, my administration will keep the American people fully informed. But make no mistake: Today we are part of a broad coalition. We are answering the calls of a threatened people. And we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world.”

Commentators have emphasized that the success of this operation depends on participation by Arab countries.

No Arab countries have yet announced that they will participate.

However, representatives from Jordan, Morocco, Qatar and United Arab Emirates attended a Paris summit on Saturday to discuss the Libya operation, according to AFP. The article quotes an unnamed diplomat as saying that Qatar will participate militarily, as will other European nations, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

There’s always a lot of euphoria whenever a war starts. When the American Civil War started, there was cheering and partying in Charleston, while the ladies of Washington considered the whole thing to be a joke. They all changed their minds a few months later, after the bloody Battle of Bull Run had 5,000 casualties.

Perhaps the euphoria I heard today is justified. Perhaps all the Arab nations will join in, perhaps Muammar Gaddafi will be quickly forced to step down, and perhaps the quick and easy result that everyone is anticipating will occur.

Or, perhaps there’ll be problems, perhaps there’ll be mission creep, and perhaps all the Arab nations that promised to help will back out, and will turn on the U.S. Perhaps there’ll even be a American military catastrophe of some kind.

With the U.S. involved in three simultaneous wars in three Muslim countries, there is very little to feel euphoric about.

Russia now regrets the Security Council resolution on Libya

Russia abstained during the vote on Thursday’s UN Security Council resolution, authorizing the military assault on Libya. But now Ria Novosti reports that a spokesman from Russia’s Foreign Ministry is backing down from “the hastily adopted UN Security Council resolution.”

Hamas resumes mortar attacks on southern Israel

In other news on Saturday, Israel threatened to launch a new ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza, after Hamas reversed a two-year old policy and resumed mortar attacks into southern Israel, according to the LA Times.