an administrative building in [ Khadafy ’s ] Bab al - Azizia compound . ” A senior military official insisted “ [ Khadafy ’s ] not on a targeting list . ” This was sophistry in the service of cynicism : For months , places he might be were on targeting lists . The pretense was that this not - really - NATO operation , with the United States “ supporting ” it , was merely to enforce UN resolutions about protecting Libyans from Khadafy .