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February 25, 2011
More Libya, burning Libya
Further items on Libya:
Live Blog - Libya Feb 25 | Al Jazeera Blogs
6: 25pm Serbia denied media reports on Friday that its pilots or ground crews had been involved in Libyan air force bombing missions against protesters, adding that it was suspending all its arms exports to the country. The Serbian Defence Ministry were responding to reports in Arab and Maltese media that Serb mercenary pilots took part in bombing runs against protesters in the Libyancities of Tripoli and Benghazi.Kha, well the Serbs have a well-deserved reputation in this area, I doubt the Serb defence ministry would even know...
Further, re The Guide
Libya in turmoil - live updates | World news | guardian.co.uk
5.22pm: The BBC's John Simpson has interviewed the former Libyan interior minister Abdul Fattah Younis al-Abidi, who resigned on Tuesday and went over to the opposition. In an extract of the interview, which has just been broadcast, he called on Gaddafi to resign. Simpson added that the former minister told him that Gaddafi was "probably insane" and thought that he would last more than a few days. Simpson reporter the former minister as predicting Gaddafi would not commit suicide, but would instead go down fighting, which would be a "form of suicide".I am convinced that there is still significant time in front of us for Qadhdhafi, unless someone inside assassinates him, to fight. Tripoli is likely to be a last stand (if he is not preparing a Desert War, which perhaps he could pull off as a guerilla).
....
5.18pm: In a sign of the worsening situation in Tripoli the US is considering closing its embassy in the capital amid violence between Gaddifi supporters and anti-government protesters, a US official has told Reuters.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move was being considered but no decision had been made.
A good point of reflexion re Libya:
Clashes Erupt in Tripoli in Fresh Challenge to Qaddafi - NYTimes.com
The violence has underscored the contrast between the character of Libya’s revolution and the uprising that toppled autocrats in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia. Unlike those Facebook-enabled youth rebellions, the insurrection has been led by people who are more mature and who have been actively opposing the government for some time. It started with lawyers’ syndicates that have campaigned peacefully for two years for a written constitution and some semblance of a rule of law.However, Qadhdhafi's latest speech rather indicates that he is going to pull out all stops: BBC News - Libya and Arab unrest
Fueled by popular anger, the help of breakaway leaders of the armed forces and some of their troops, and weapons from looted military stockpiles or smuggled across the border, the uprising here has escalated toward more violence in the face of increasingly brutal government crackdowns.
At the revolt’s starting point, in the eastern city of Benghazi, Fathi Terbil, 39, the human rights lawyer whose detention first ignited the protests, drew a map of rebel-held territory in striking distance of Tripoli. “It is only a matter of days,” he said.
1709: More tough talk from Col Gaddafi, saying he would arm his supporters to defeat the uprising against him: "With the armed people we can defeat all aggression. When necessary we will open all arms depots to arm the Libyan people. Libya will become a red flame.He clearly is willing to use all arms at his disposal. Let us hope that he is no longer able to access his chemical arms depots.
Posted by The Lounsbury at February 25, 2011 12:40 PM
Filed Under: Libya Civil War
, Maghreb
, The MENA '48
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Comments
the former minister told him that Gaddafi was "probably insane"
Ya think?
Usually, assasination isn't very effective as someone equally difficult will step into the former leader's now-smoking shoes. But this is a rare case where one guy really is the problem. If Col. Nutball were to be replaced by a large crater, some sort of political compromise would probably be reached pretty quickly. I cannot, therefore, but hope that, somewhere out there, there is a Predator with Gaddafi's name on it. The guy is standing around on rooftops giving speeches, for God's sake.
And, yes, I recognize the international political difficulties and repercussions, not to mention the collateral damage that such a strike would cause. But if Gaddafi is allowed to make an all-out last stand, thousands will probably die.
Posted by: at February 28, 2011 02:05 PM
