Military Aircraft Bomb Libyan Protesters

[redrumloa]

http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=231506

(London) -- A witness says Libyan warplanes are bombing protestors in several sections of Tripoli.
The witness, Adel Mohamed Saleh, told Al Jazeera television the bombing is indiscriminate and there are "many, many dead." He added that the jets seemed to be targeting "anyone who moves," including people in cars.
The latest report follows earlier accounts of live ammunition being used on pro-democracy demonstrators in the Libyan capital.
Al Jazeera television cites witnesses in reporting the fire came from military aircraft.
The demonstrators were protesting against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Protests have been launched across Libya against the government.

I was going to make some colorful and snarky comments, but it would be simply too bad taste right now. This is horrific beyond words. :x

 

[the_leander]

Given Gaddafi's previous on dealing with descent, I'm not altogether surprised he's started down this road. A few days ago when it all first kicked off one of the news commentators there suggested it wouldn't be all that long before he pushed the nasty button.

With the successful protests of both Tunisia and seemingly now Egypt, I suspect Gaddafi is right to be concerned, as do many of the other dictatorships in that area, since the middle east as a whole has a surprisingly young population demographic who are sick to the back teeth of both western interference and theocratic bullshit.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=231506

You heard that two pilots defected, flew their aircraft to Malta and asked for asylum.

 

[redrumloa]

You heard that two pilots defected, flew their aircraft to Malta and asked for asylum.

I checked after you mentioned it. It keeps getting worse.

Libya's Gadhafi vows to fight on, die a martyr
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/af_libya_protests

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

You heard that two pilots defected, flew their aircraft to Malta and asked for asylum.

I checked after you mentioned it. It keeps getting worse.

I'm hearing now that it might not have happened. Contradictory reports say that what was bombed were arms caches belonging to the military that they didn't want falling into protester hands.

 

[cecilia]

I saw that babbling Gadhafi did under his white umbrella. what a wacko.

if he wants to "die a martyr" I think there's millions of people who are more than happy to help him with that

 

[redrumloa]

I'm hearing now that it might not have happened. Contradictory reports say that what was bombed were arms caches belonging to the military that they didn't want falling into protester hands.

I'd be leery to believe that in light of all the other reports, defections and history of the scumbag in question.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

I'd be leery to believe that in light of all the other reports, defections and history of the scumbag in question.

Even if the bombings didn't happen (and as I said I had merely heard contradictory reports) it's almost certainly pretty bad.

Preparations for burials

Mayhem and thug armies in the streets.
[youtube:2wmjskrm]WsUliy-UCu0[/youtube:2wmjskrm]

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Question: Will NATO decide to step in to secure Libya's oilfields?

 

[Glaucus]

Gotta give credit to Gahdafi though, he's smarter then Mubarak. Mubarak blamed the US for the uprising, and now that Mubarak is gone, some may even give the US some credit. But gahdafi isn't blaming the US. He's blaming the enemy of the US: Al-qaeda itself.

Gadhafi blames Osama bin Laden for savage clashes across Libya

This is smart as it may actually cause the US to pause and think - who exactly would the US be helping if they take the sides of the anti-Gahdafi protesters? Democracy or al-Qaeda? The Glen Becks will likely jump on this and this will likely cause division within the US itself. I have to admit, it's a smart play by Gahdafi, although it's also possible that he's right. In which case, what then? In Egypt we at least had some knowledge of who the opposition was and there were even signs that traditional enemies were willing to work in peace (Coptics and Muslims were seen practically hand in hand against Mubarak). In Libya we're seeing more division and a nation that may be more on the brink of civil war. One thing is certain, Libya is not Egypt and the outcome will likely be very different.

As for NATO stepping in? Doubt it, and probably for the reasons I listed above. The most I'd expect is a no-fly zone.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

People fleeing Libya are saying there are foreign mercenaries involved (possibly french speaking).

link

 

[redrumloa]

People fleeing Libya are saying there are foreign mercenaries involved (possibly french speaking).

link

I heard and read stories of mercenaries from places like Yemen, Gahdafi hit squads.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

As for NATO stepping in? Doubt it, and probably for the reasons I listed above. The most I'd expect is a no-fly zone.

I'm more inclined to disagree. Libya has oil and if Ghaddafi is blowing up infrastructure then that is just too strategically important NOT to try to secure - before someone else does.

In fact, it looks like there is something already in the works.


This article notes that at this point it would just look like meddling (which it WOULD be) but some more limited operation such as securing coastal oil terminals and calling it a mission to rescue foreign nationals might work. It would give support to the opposition fighters while seeming arms length and humanitarian.

 

[Glaucus]

And I disagree with you. No, I think US involvement of any kind would jeopardize all other similar movements throughout the region. And that region of course includes Iran, which is strategically far more important then Libya. The fact that the pentagon is drawing up plans says nothing about what Washington is thinking. Although Saddam proved anything can happen, there's little reason to believe that who ever controls Libya will wish to stop selling oil. Gahdafi may pull a Saddam and order the wells blown, but it's unlikely at this stage that the orders will be followed - it would be the sort of thing he'd do only as a last resort, and why follow the self destructing order of a dictator on his way out and have to answer difficult questions by his successors? Nah, the US doesn't need to intervene, at least not for the oil. Libya alone isn't that influential in the oil markets and Saudi Arabia has already declared they will increase production to cover any losses from Libya. So If they do intervene, it'll be for more humane reasons, the oil will be fine no matter what.