The United States has begun using armed Predator drones to attack forces loyal to Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said President Obama had authorized the use of the drones.

Robert Gates: “Now, the President has said that where we have some unique capabilities, he is willing to use those, and in fact he has approved the use of armed Predators. And I think that today may, in fact, have been their first mission. So I think that will give us some precision capability.”

The United States has carried out drone strikes in at least five countries in recent years: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and Libya.