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| pre-Qaddafi flag flies over Benghazi |
Latest: Rebels in the eastern half of Libya are pausing to organize and plan an end game against the mad tyrant of Libya, Muammar Qaddafi, ensconced in Tripoli. Heavy weapons and aircraft are in the hands of freedom forces courtesy of defecting military units, but their leaders fear the untrained youth who are highly motivated to overthrow the regime,
are no match for Qaddafi's private brigades of well-equipped security forces. His special forces have reportedly recaptured a major oil terminal, and fighting for control of western towns near Tripoli continues. Revolutionaries beat back a counter-attack and are now in control of the western town of Zawiyah, less than 30 miles west of Tripoli. Western governments are calling on Qaddafi to leave and taking steps to freeze his assets as well as
ground his aircraft. Both Germany and the UK
flew military aircraft into Libya to evacuate their nationals. Western leaders hope to avoid a bloody final battle for control of the Libyan capital and resume normal oil supply. But as Qaddafi is allowed time to dig in, and refuses to accept reality ("All my people love me",
he told western media) the use of force by Libyans, not by the West, to eliminate his regime may be the only legitimate option available.
Update: {25.02.11}Democratic protesters in Tripoli were met with a fusillade of roof-top gunfire from Qaddafi's mercenaries and supporters. Many protesters were killed and turned back before they could reach Green Square. Democratic fighters are resorting to armed self defense with any means at their disposal. The
mad dictator dressed in a fur cap and speaking from a parapet overlooking the central Green Square urged his forces to fight to the death so "Libya will become hell". There is a report rebels have captured an air base outside the city. Some
army and navy units have also defected. Democratic fighters in liberated Benghazi, who have paid with blood at the hands of Qaddafi,
vowed to march on the madman's palace in Tripoli. Such a move could conceivably be supported with armor
[photo] and a naval destroyer stationed in Benghazi under the command of a naval officer supporting the revolution. France and United Kingdom are preparing a resolution in the UN Security Council warning that attacks on the civilian population "may amount to crimes against humanity" which could be prosecuted in the International criminal court at The Hague. If passed, the resolution would be only the second time in the history of the international body. Reportedly the British government is also considering the insertion of special forces, ostensibly to rescue 170 workers caught in isolated oil exploration camps in the desert. Bank of America said it expected Libya's entire oil production to be shut down.
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| credit: NY Times |
{24.2.11}Democratic revolutionary forces are in control of Benghazi and much of the eastern region of Libya, and have also taken control of Misurata, Zuara and Tobruk. But a clearly deranged dictator who rambles almost incoherently* in his
media appearances, ordered loyal troops and paid
mercenaries to counter-attack. They attacked with fierce gunfire, killing 10 in the oil terminal of Zawiyah, thirty miles from Tripoli. Democratic fighters are in control of the Ras Lanuf and Marsa El Brega terminals. Libya pumps two percent of the world's oil supply, and the chaos in the country is reflected in rising world oil price. An engineer working for Sirte oil company said
all the southern oil fields are under revolutionary control. A blockade has prevented export of 80,000 barrels from the Dregga field alone. Revolutionaries have vowed to liberate the capital as Qaddafi clings precariously to power. He even reportedly
mistrusts his own guards. Many
officials and
military officers have declared their support for the revolution. Reports of deaths range into the thousands. Hopefully, the coming
battle for Tripoli will be the birth mother of a more democratic Libya.
*In a telephone statement on state television Qaddafi variously blamed the popular uprising on spiked Nescafe and Osama Bin Laden, and compared himself to the Queen of England. Oil wealth allows Qaddafi's sons to pay for lavish parties, entertained by western female singing stars, but fully a third of Libya's population is poor.
