Reply #53: Al Jazeera's James Bays reported from Uqayla, where opposition rebels had taken control. [View All]

[joshcryer]

12:01pm Al Jazeera's James Bays reported from Uqayla, where opposition rebels had taken control. He said the recent advances made by anti-Gaddafi fighters could prove problematic for western coalition forces.

The coalition forces can say everything they are doing is aimed at protecting civilians. But now it's not Gaddafi forces who are advancing, it's opposition forces advancing. The next big place on the map after Ras Lanuf is Sirte. Now that is a big city, it's Gaddafi's stronghold. If opposition fighters start advancing on that, how can you say it's Gaddafi's forces who are threatening civilians? Gaddafi's forces will be the ones holding the ground, and those that are advancing would be the opposition fighters. (It will be) much harder I think for the coalition then to act in favour of the opposition in the terms of that UN resolution.