Libyan Revolution Week 24

[joshcryer]

Links to sites with updates: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya">AJE Libya Live Blog http://blogs.aljazeera.net/twitter-dashboard">AJE Twitter Dashboard http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/libya">The Guardian http://uk.reuters.com/places/libya">Reuters http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/">Telegraph http://feb17.info/">feb17.info http://www.livestream.com/libya17feb?utm_source=lsplayer&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=footerlinks">Libya Alhurra (live video webcast from Benghazi) http://libya-alhurra.tumblr.com/">Libya Alhurra archives and updates http://www.ustream.tv/channel/benghaziradio">Benghazi Free Radio, in Arabic (may have translators present at times) http://www.tributefm.com/">Tribute FM (English broadcast from Benghazi) http://www.libyafeb17.com/">libyafeb17.com

Twitter links: http://twitter.com/#!/aymanm">Ayman Mohyeldin, with AJE http://twitter.com/#!/bencnn">Ben Wedeman, with CNN http://twitter.com/#!/tripolitanian">tripolitanian, a Libyan from Tripoli http://twitter.com/#!/BaghdadBrian">Brian Conley, reporter in Libya http://twitter.com/#!/freelibyanyouth">FreeLibyanYouth, Libyan advocate http://twitter.com/#!/LibyaFeb17_com">LibyaFeb17.com twitter account http://twitter.com/#!/ChangeInLibya">ChangeInLibya, Libyan advocate https://twitter.com/#!/TheyCallMeSof">Sofyan Amry (arrived in Benghazi recently) http://twitter.com/#!/KiloFoot">KiloFoot (general Arab Spring news aggregation)

Useful links: http://audioboo.fm/feb17voices">feb17voices http://www.google.com/search?q=time+in+libya">Current time in Libya http://www.islamicfinder.org/cityPrayerNew.php?country=libya">Prayer times in Libya

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1586218">Week 23 part 2 here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixwx_B38678">Marching On in Libya, for the revolutionaries!

Hundreds of Libyans demonstrated outside the Tibesti hotel in Benghazi in support of the Transitional National Council, the main opposition group.

Gianluigi Guercia / Agence France-Presse



Day 157 July 24

http://af.reuters.com/article/tunisiaNews/idAFLDE76M0FJ20110723">Gaddafi criticises Egyptian, Tunisian revolutions
Muammar Gaddafi criticised on Saturday the popular uprising in neighbouring Egypt that forced Hosni Mubarak from power this year as the Libyan leader battles rebels who have claimed swathes of the country.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/24/world/la-fg-libya-intelligence-20110724">Captured Kadafi soldiers tell rebels they have doubts
Some Libyan government troops say they have no choice but to fight. Many are certain they are battling foreign extremists seeking to take over Libya.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i0fwMYw_Y8_56I7DpJTr3-VFksXg?docId=b4ff93670d5b42af8c76b8d49e9c40c5">Germany loaning $144 million to Libyan rebels
Germany said Sunday that it is loaning Libya's rebel leadership euro100 million ($144 million) to help with the country's rebuilding and humanitarian needs.
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE76N03720110724?sp=true">Blasts rock Tripoli, NATO targets Gaddafi compound
Explosions rocked central Tripoli for the second night in a row and Britain said weeks of NATO bombardment had inflicted extensive damage on Muammar Gaddafi's heavily-fortified compound.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/rebels-repulse-attack-by-gaddafi-forces-20110725-1hvuk.html">Rebels repulse attack by Gaddafi forces
An AFP correspondent reported that rebels on Sunday repelled an attack aimed at recapturing the desert hamlet of Gualish on the road to Tripoli, which loyalist forces lost to the insurgents in fierce fighting earlier this month.
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76N09K20110724">Algeria denies reports of arms ship for Gaddafi
Algeria denied charges that a Libyan ship offloaded weapons for Muammar Gaddafi's troops at one of its ports.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/national-security-insiders-support-decision-to-recognize-libya-s-rebels-20110724">National Security Insiders Support Decision to Recognize Libya's Rebels
National Journal’s National Security Insiders strongly support the Obama administration’s decision to formally recognize Libya’s opposition government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Day 158 July 25

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/07/24/has-arab-spring-become-arab-hell.html">When Dictators Shoot Back
Gaddafi and Assad are unyielding and murderous. Has the Arab Spring turned into an Arab Hell?
http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/07/25/1128671_bulgaria-expels-libyan-diplomat">Bulgaria expels Libyan diplomat
A Libyan diplomat has been given 24 hours to leave Bulgaria, the Foreign Ministry in Sofia confirmed on July 25 2011.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110725/world/Many-roads-to-defection-in-regime-held-western-Libya.377192">Many roads to defection in regime-held western Libya
In mainly government-held western Libya, the rebel army largely consists of defectors – people who for differing reasons took the dangerous decision to break with Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14287072">Libya air strike aftermath questions
Late into the night in Tripoli, we often hear Nato air strikes - the distinct boom of the explosions is enough to wake everyone up. But we don't always know what was hit.
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76O0DQ20110725">Turkey sends fuel aid to east Libya
Turkey has delivered its first cargo of fuel to aid east Libya as part of multi-million dollar free oil supply deal with the cash-strapped rebel government aimed at easing shortages, industry sources told Reuters.
http://www.dimakhatib.com/2011/07/we-libyans-decide.html">We, Libyans, decide
The sign behind her reads : Thanks France. As I was taking a photograph of it, a woman came up to me in Benghazi's version of Tahrir Square and said : "We are all Sarkozy". I said : "Oh really? What do you think of Sarkozy suggesting that Gaddafi resigns but stays in Libya?" She did not even think for a minute before she said : "No No.. That is none of Sarkozy's business. Gaddafi's fate is our business, us, the Libyan people".
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/in-libyas-west-signs-of-growing-frustration-with-nato">In Libya’s West, Signs of Growing Frustration With NATO
One of the consistent experiences of reporting alongside opposition fighters in Libya is feeling the delineation between what the rank and file have to say of the NATO bombing campaign and the statements of the officials in the Transitional National Council, the de facto rebel authority.

Day 159 July 26

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/af_tunisia0924_07_25.asp">Tunisia deploys troops, tanks to Libyan border
Security sources said the Army deployed thousands of troops along with main battle tanks and armored vehicles along the border with Libya. They said the Tunisian Army reinforcements were meant to repel any attack from Libya.
http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFKHA47580420110725">Fuel scarce in Misrata after Gaddafi forces rocket depot
Rebel-held Misrata was running short of fuel on Monday as a fire raged at a storage depot hit by a rocket from Libyan government forces.
http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76O16Q20110725?sp=true">UN envoy, rebels say no Libya peace plan yet
The U.N. envoy to Libya and the Benghazi-based rebel council discussed on Monday ideas for ending the civil war, but said a firm initiative had yet to take shape.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39144&Cr=libya&Cr1=">UN mission to Tripoli finds areas in urgent need of humanitarian aid
United Nations humanitarian agencies said today that they have identified areas of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where residents urgently need humanitarian assistance, including medical treatment for injuries caused by the ongoing conflict in the North African country.
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/07/2011725211515591752.html">Documents show Gaddafi forces were ordered to starve Misrata
Lawyers in the Libyan city of Misurata are attempting to build a case against the government of Muammar Gaddafi for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/libyan-rebels-take-it-slow-demining-fields/2011/07/23/gIQAgP1EaI_story.html">Land mines slow Libyan rebels’ march toward Tripoli
First Milad Saadi and his men pray. Then they walk into a mine field.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/19/996082/-Tripoli-Green-Square-Reality-Check?via=blog_511082">Tripoli Green Square Reality Check
I got to wondering if it was even possible for 1.7 million people "the world's largest demonstration" to fit in Tripoli's Green Square and as it turns out it's not.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/07/25/feature-01">Desperate Kadhafi regime appeals for volunteers
Pressed on all fronts, forces loyal to Moamer Kadhafi are turning to media outlets in an effort to replenish their ranks.

Day 160 July 27

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/26/138705540/u-s-looks-for-ways-to-break-libya-stalemate">NPR: U.S. Looks For Ways To Break Libya Stalemate
Still, even without that help (of tanks, artillery and heavy machine guns), the Libyan rebels have kept up the fight.
http://www.bnd.com/2011/07/26/1800019/nato-gadhafi-cannot-wait-us-out.html">NATO: Gadhafi cannot wait us out
NATO says it will continue bombing the Libyan regime's armed forces as long as needed, and the country's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, cannot "wait us out."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019174/Gaddafi-brought-justice-William-Hague-told-International-Criminal-Court.html">Gaddafi must be brought to justice, Hague is told by International Criminal Court
William Hague faced humiliation last night as international prosecutors insisted Colonel Gaddafi cannot escape justice by remaining in Libya.
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFKHA66932920110726?sp=true">Libya's Misrata struggles to clean up unexploded ordnance
Street fighting in Libya's third city of Misrata ended months ago with rebel victory, but those battles are still claiming fresh victims.
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76P0H020110726">More Gaddafi forces hiding in civilian areas: NATO
NATO accused Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Tuesday of hiding army installations in civilian areas
http://gulfnews.com/news/region/libya/libyan-expat-announces-first-political-party-in-benghazi-1.843630">Libyan expat announces 'first' political party in Benghazi
Libyan expats on Tuesday became the first to take a stab at forming a political party in Benghazi
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-27-2011-1603">Expelled Misrata families rescued by rebels, return home - video
In Misrata, families claim they were expelled by Gaddafí troops and abandoned in the desert. But opposition fighters stationed nearby hatched a secret plan and carried out a mission to rescue the families and help them return home.
http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL6E7IR0RQ20110727">UK will unfreeze 91 million pounds ($148 million) in Libya funds for rebel NTC
At the request of the Arabian Gulf Oil Company ... the United Kingdom is ready to make available 91 million pounds of the company's assets in the United Kingdom," Hague added.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2011/07/27/gaddafi-daughter-s-war-crimes-lawsuit-against-nato-dismissed">Gaddafi daughter's war crimes lawsuit against NATO dismissed
Belgian prosecutors have declined to investigate a war crimes complaint against NATO filed by Moamer Gaddafi's daughter, saying that their country's universal competence law does not apply in the case.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/27/libya-rebels-rescue-100-hostages?CMP=twt_gu">Guardian: Libyan rebel forces rescue 100 hostages from behind enemy lines
Rebel forces in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata have announced the rescue from behind enemy lines of 105 civilians kidnapped by pro-Gaddafi forces.
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE76Q1OK20110727">Libya rebels say plan attack on western mountain town
Libyan rebels fighting in the western mountains said on Wednesday they planned to launch a major offensive on the strategic town of Ghezaia near the Tunisian border in the next day or two.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904772304576470121855868848.html">Hardships in Tripoli Buoy Rebels
Motorists in Libya's capital can wait days for fuel, and when they get it they have to spend about $12 a gallon—when they used to pay 60 cents.

Day 161 July 28

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43925770/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa">Libya rebels launch offensive in west
Hundreds of rebels in western Libya launched a broad offensive against government forces Thursday, seizing two towns from them and advancing on others in an attempt to secure a major supply route near the Tunisian border, a rebel spokesman said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/28/misrata-nurses-equality-libya">Misrata nurses battle for gender equality amid the fighting
Women working at the main casualty hospital in Libyan city are seeing attitudes shift, though men still drive them to work
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/28/libya.war/index.html">Libyan rebels claim successes in offensive near Tunisia
Rebels in western Libya are claiming big successes after a major offensive was launched early Thursday.

Day 162 July 29

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904888304576474401683203660.html">Libyan Rebel Leader's Death Dims Advances
A top Libyan rebel commander was shot and killed by unknown assailants on Thursday, just hours after he had been detained for questioning by the rebel leadership in Benghazi, threatening to plunge the rebel ranks into chaos and infighting.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-mines-20110729,0,6444557,full.story">In Libya minefields, ill-equipped rebel teams defuse devices
An ad hoc team of volunteers and defectors from Libya leader Moammar Kadafi's military has cleared more than a thousand land mines around Port Brega, site of on-again, off-again fighting.
http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/UN-AU-to-work-together-on-Libya-20110728">UN, AU to work together on Libya
UN special envoy for Libya Abdul Ilah al-Khatib said on Thursday greater co-operation was needed with the African Union (AU) to find a political solution to Libya's armed conflict.
http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/28/7188236-libyan-rebels-battle-to-regain-the-upper-hand">Libyan rebels battle to regain the upper hand
NBC News’ Mike Taibbi has been reporting from Libya’s western mountains for three weeks and provides an account of a battle he witnessed between rebels and pro-Gadhafi forces.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/110729/libyan-rebels-admit-one-their-own-killed-younes-their-defense-mi">Rebels killed Libya's Younes: rebel minister
Rebel fighters who were sent to bring Libyan rebel military chief Abdel Fattah Younes to Benghazi for questioning killed him and dumped his body outside the city, rebel minister Ali Tarhouni said on Friday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x594751">A topic on the women of the revolution, dispels myths about the treatment of women in Benghazi.

Videos to bring the Libyan Revolution into context
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0vChMDuNd0">The Battle of Benghazi. BBC Panorama on Libya http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyaPnMnpCAA">Part 1, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMzwQvcx62s">Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwWwOeZqz6M">Video of the convoy sent to take Benghazi, taken from a dead soliders cell phone (shows how massive the operation was). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAclhhHv43s&feature=player_embedded">Arab Awakening: Libya: Through the Fire. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD5tu5bJWKc">Tea of Freedom Song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z41kQvx4uKw">Libya: Part 2 - The Uprising http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vNWCGDkdWY">Benghazi - Backbone of the Libyan revolution

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-10-0">March 10 7:28pm Saif al Islam Gaddafi says "the time has come for full-scale military action" against Libyan rebels. He goes on to say that Libyan forces loyal to his family "will never surrender, even if western powers intervene".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x677397">Text of UN resolution 1973. How will a no fly zone work? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEwehTtK2k">AJE reports.

Belgium: http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/2011-03-21/les-f-16-belges-dans-le-feu-de-l-action-829588.php">Six F-16 Falcon fighter jets of the Belgian Air Component. Bulgaria: The Bulgarian Navy Wielingen class frigate Drazki http://paper.standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2011-03-23&article=35828">will participate in the naval blockade. Canada: Canadian Forces Air Command has deployed http://www.cefcom-comfec.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/ops/mobile/index-eng.asp">a total 440 military personnel as well as the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Charlottetown are participating in operations. Denmark: The Royal Danish Air Force http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/ECE1227910/denmark-to-send-squadron-on-libya-op/">is participating with six F-16AM fighters. France: French Air Force which realizes 25% of NATO's strikes http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/autres-operations/harmattan/libye-debut-des-operations-aeriennes-francaises">is participating in the mission with 51 Mirage and Rafale Aircraft. Greece: The Elli-class frigate Limnos of the Hellenic Navy http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2011/03/20/greek-defence-ministry-no-participation-in-operations-outside-the-nato/">is currently in the waters off Libya as part of the naval blockade. Italy: Four Tornado ECRs of the Italian Air Force http://www.corriere.it/esteri/11_marzo_20/tripoli-bombardamento-chiesta-riunione-onu_2e95d102-52c0-11e0-a725-dbe20f0ba2b5.shtml">participated in SEAD operations. Jordan: Six Royal Jordanian Air Force fighter jets http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90043651?After%20hesitation%2C%20Jordan%20joins%20in%20Libya%20no-fly%20campaign">landed at a coalition airbase in Europe on 4 April to provide "logistical support." NATO: E-3 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) http://www.adressa.no/nyheter/nordtrondelag/article1606878.ece">aircraft operated by NATO. Netherlands: The Royal Netherlands Air Force http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/dutch-f-16s-operational-over-libya">provides six F-16AM fighters and a KDC-10 refuelling plane. Norway: The Royal Norwegian Air Force has http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/libya/artikkel.php?artid=10091294">deployed six F-16AM fighters to Souda Bay Air Base. Qatar: The Qatar Armed Forces are http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123248695">contributing six Mirage 2000-5EDA fighter jets and two C-17 strategic transport aircraft. Romania: The Romanian Naval Forces http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-8423876-traian-basescu-sustine-declaratie-presa-ora-21-00-dupa-sedinta-csat.htm">will participate in the naval blockade with the frigate Regele Ferdinand. Spain: The Spanish Armed Forces are http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Espana/intervendra/cazas/F-18/fragata/F-100/submarino/avion/vigilancia/maritima/elpepuint/20110319elpepuint_14/Tes">participating with four F-18 fighters. Sweden: The Royal Swedish Air Force will http://www.swedishwire.com/politics/9050-sweden-offers-eight-fighter-jets-for-libya-mission">commit eight JAS 39 Gripen jets for the international air campaign. Turkey: The Turkish Navy http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/03/24/general-libya-diplomacy_8373237.html">will participate with five ships and one submarine in the NATO-led naval blockade to enforce the arms embargo. United Arab Emirates: The United Arab Emirates Air Force http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1300255413630&p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2FWamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews">sent six F-16 Falcon and six Mirage 2000 fighter jets to join the mission. United Kingdom: The Royal Air Force has http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/TyphoonJoinsTornadoInLibyaGroundAttackOperations.htm">deployed 12 Tornado and 10 Typhoon fighters, surveillance aircraft, and air refuelling tankers. United States: The United States has http://www.webcitation.org/5xJ8qNGGe">deployed a naval force of 11 ships and are using MQ-1 Predator UAVs to strike targets in Libya on 23 April.

As of this week the National Trasitional Council has been formally recognized by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_the_Libyan_Republic#Recognition">32 countries. France (March 10), Qatar (March 28), Maldives (April 3), Italy (April 4), Kuwait (April 13), The Gambia (April 22), Jordan (April 24), Sengal (April 28), The United Kingdom (June 4), Spain (June 8), Australia (June 9), UAE (June 12), Germany (June 13), Canada (June 14), Panama (June 14), Austria (June 18), Latvia (June 20), Denmark (June 22), Bulgaria (June 28), Croatia (June 28), Czech Republic (June 29), Turkey (July 3), Poland (July 9), Netherlands (July 13), Belgium (July 13), Luxembourg (July 13), United States (July 15), Japan (July 15), Albania (July 18), Slovenia (July 20), Montenegro (July 21), Portugal (July 28).

"One month ago (Western countries) were sooo nice, so nice like pussycats," Saif says in a contemptuous sing-song tone."Now they want to be really aggressive like tigers. (But) soon they will come back, and cut oil deals, contracts. We know this game." - http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2058389,00.html">Saif Gaddafi

(Yeah, Saif, as if you weren't "cutting oil deals, contracts" with western states. Who are the 'tigers' now? Bombing your own people.)

http://english.libya.tv/2011/04/25/eastern-libyans-believe-in-national-unity-distrust-au-and-turkish-mediation-survey-reveals/">The first free public opinion poll ever conducted in Libya reveals clues to Eastern Libyan sentiments
* 98 percent of the respondents do not support the division of Libya as a part of the political solution for the current conflict with the Gaddafi regime. Around 95 percent also don’t see any role for Gaddafi or his sons in a transitional period, and think it is impossible to implement any political reform in Libya if Gaddafi or one of his sons stays in power

* Around 96 percent of those polled, believe that the 17th of February revolution can consolidate the national unity of Libya and support the model of a democratic Libya based on a constitution which respects human rights

* Al-Qaeda has not played any role in the 17th of February revolution, say 94 percent of the Eastern Libyans, and 91 percent thinks it’s impossible for Al-Qaeda to play any political role in the new Libya

* The National Transitional Council is seen by 92 percent of those surveyed as “expressing the views and wishes of Libyans for change”

This is equivalent to 17% the entire population of Libya, doing the numbers very conservatively.

http://jenkinsear.com/2011/03/19/a-legal-war-the-united-nations-participation-act-and-libya/">A Legal War: The United Nations Participation Act and Libya
The above link is to an overview of why Obama's implementation of the NFZ and R2P is perfectly legal under the law. I will not post it entirely here, however, all objections come down to the misinformed position that Obama, by using forces in Libya, was invoking Article 43 of the United Nations. This is wrong. Obama invoked Article 42, which does not require congressional approval to implement. Proof of this is that Article 43 has http://www.un.org/en/sc/repertoire/actions.shtml#rel5">never been used.

It goes like this: The US law (Title 22, Chap. 7, Subchap. XIV § 287d) grants the President the right to invoke UN Article 42 http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode22/usc_sec_22_00000287---d000-.html">without authorization, the War Powers Act (Title 50, Chap. 33 § 1541) grants the President permission to act without authorization under http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/50/1541–1548.html">"specific statutory authorization" which, by definition, is what 287d does. § 1543 of the War Powers Act requires the President to report to Congress, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/obama_explains_libya_mission_to_congress/2011/03/03/ABU9377_blog.html">which he did. One can argue all day and night about the legality of the War Powers Act, doesn't change the fact that under the law as it is written, the President acted within the law.

Editorials and stories worth reading.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/2011/03/2011328194855872276.html">Libyan Karzai? Chalabi? Forget it, http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/04/04/110404taco_talk_anderson#ixzz1HvS7iW22">Who Are the Rebels?, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/29/vision-democratic-libya-interim-national-council">A vision of a democratic Libya, http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/is-qaddafi-an-anti-racist/">Is Qaddafi an anti-racist?, http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2011/04/20/left-slipping-towards-qaddafi">The left: slipping towards Gaddafi?, http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2011/04/27/once-again-“stop-bombing”">Once again on "stop the bombing", http://www.juancole.com/2011/03/an-open-letter-to-the-left-on-libya.html">An Open Letter to the Left on Libya, http://www.juancole.com/2011/03/top-ten-ways-that-libya-2011-is-not-iraq-2003.html">Top Ten Ways that Libya 2011 is Not Iraq 2003, http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/05/09/110509fa_fact_anderson">Sons of the Revolution http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/voices/?ref=main-menu">Voices from the Field

Mohammed Nabbous, killed by Gaddafi's forces while trying to report on the massacre in Benghazi

"I'm not afraid to die, I'm afraid to lose the battle" -Mohammed Nabbous, a month ago when all this began

I'm struggling to come up with something to say about this man. I was not aware of the Libyan uprising until I saw Mo's first report, begging for help, posted here on DU. I was stricken. Here was a man giving everything he had to explain a situation that clearly terrified him, I would not call him a coward in that moment, but you could see the fear in his eyes, and desperation in his voice. For 30 days Nabbous would spend many hours covering the uprising in Benghazi. For many nights I would go to sleep with the webcast of Benghazi live on my computer screen, looking to it occasionally to be sure it was still 'there.' Mo treated the chat room as if we were his friends, and in some way, we were. I never signed up to LiveStream to thank him for all his work and it seems somewhat shallow to do so now, given that I was a lurker for so long. Ever since I took over posting these threads "Libya Alhurra" has been linked as a source of information. It wasn't until last night, when I posted, and twitter posted on Mo's adventures out into Benghazi to try to determine the truth of the situation, that Mo's webchannel became a hit, over 2000 people were watching him stream live. This was curious to him because he'd done many reports like this in the past but he appeared somewhat bemused that the view count exploded as it did. Last night Mo became a star. This is a man who first started out with a webcast replete with fear and desperation finally overcoming that aspect of himself and losing that fear, to become someone who was a fighter for the resistance just as much as those who held the guns. Reporting on the front lines of Benghazi became his final act, and for that he should never, ever be forgotten. I'm so sorry Mo that I never got to know you better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAclhhHv43s&feature=player_ded">Arab Awakening: Libya: Through the Fire is a documentary about Mo's last days, please watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EXALI60hg">Mo's first report, which many of you may remember, begging for help.

Mo leaves behind a wife and a newborn child she had http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/23/a_bright_voice_from_libyas_darkness">this to say about the No Fly Zone and R2P UN resolution:

We started this in a pure way, but he turned it bloody. Thousands of our men, women, and children have died. We just wanted our freedom, that's all we wanted, we didn't want power. Before, we could not do a single thing if it was not the way he wanted it. All we wanted was freedom. All we wanted was to be free. We have paid with our blood, with our families, with our men, and we're not going to give up. We are still going to do that no matter what it takes, but we need help. We want to do this ourselves, but we don't have the weapons, the technology, the things we need. I don't want anyone to say that Libya got liberated by anybody else. If NATO didn't start moving when they did, I assure you, I assure you, half of Benghazi if not more would have been killed. If they stop helping us, we are going to be all killed because he has no mercy anymore.

[joshcryer]

1. Libyan Revolution Day 163 updates below, current time in Libya, 12:54pm Saturday, July 30

[joshcryer]

2. Juan Cole: Controversies over Younis assassination in Libya

http://www.juancole.com/2011/07/controversies-over-younis-assassination-in-libya.html">Controversies over Younis assassination in Libya
Abdel Fattah Younis, military leader of the Free Libya Forces, was assassinated Thursday. Younis was too close to Qaddafi, despite his defection, to remain truly popular with the rebels, and it is a little unlikely that his death will affect the terms of the uprising, despite what some observers are saying. He was not allowed to be a field officer because of the mistrust, so his absence would not affect the battlefield.

In fact, the hardy Free Libya forces of the Western Mountain regions took a strategic town near the Tunisian border as news of his assassination was announced. And, Brega, though being cleared of mines, has fallen to Free Libya forces in the east, a major advance for the rebels. Western observers keep looking for a stalemate, but the rebels have in fact steadily advanced.

Aljazeera English is even reporting that Younis is accused by some of having been a double agent. I have no way of knowing if the allegation has any truth to it, but obviously if it were correct, then that would affect how we should interpret the news of his demise.

Christina had doubts about Younis, I shared some of them I believe. Ultimately the extremist elements will be sought out, I truly believe.

[joshcryer]

3. Libyan rebels determined to get to Tripoli - soon

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/29/7198587-libyan-rebels-determined-to-get-to-tripoli-soon">Libyan rebels determined to get to Tripoli - soon
NALUT, Libya – The people of Nalut, a quiet town in the mountains of Libya, gathered together to grieve on Friday. “There is no God, but God and martyrs are beloved by God,” boomed several hundred men standing in long rows, some crying softly.

They prayed before the bodies of three young men who died in Thursday’s offensive against pro-Gadhafi soldiers. The thin faces encircled by white shrouds were young.

...

Nalut has just gained its freedom from four months of almost nightly rocket fire. Gadhafi’s troops had used villages in the valley beneath Nalut to lob deadly Soviet-era Grad missiles into the town and toward the border with Tunisia. Victory was sweet.

After less than a day’s fighting, rebel fighters pushed Gadhafi’s troops out of two cities and a handful of hamlets. The commanding officer in Nalut attributed their success to good planning and the cooperation of rebel fighters from several mountain cities. Rebels mounted a simultaneous attack on Gadhafi forces from several different directions.

Thanks to pinboy3niner and tabatha for the last two links.

What's interesting is that while the rebels advance (a day after a report that they've lost a lot of territory using dubious reasoning) the entire media sphere is focused solely on Younis' death. It's going to be interesting if the media wakes up one morning and Gaddafi is in handcuffs...

[joshcryer]

4. Al-Qaeda killed Younis - Musa

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/07/30/53937690.html">Al-Qaeda killed Younis - Musa
The assassination of the Libyan Liberation Army commander, Major-General Abdel-Fattah Younis is the responsibility of the terrorist network "Al-Qaeda" said government spokesman Ibrahim Musa.

According to him, by carrying out this act, the terrorists hoped to sow discord in parts of eastern Libya, controlled by the rebels.

Also representative of Gaddafi said that the members of the National Transitional Council (NPC) knew about the murder, but "could do nothing about it.

"In turn, Minister Ali Tarragon said Younis was killed by soldiers who were to accompany him for questioning in Benghazi.

So if Al-Qaeda killed Younis does that mean Younis is not Al-Qaeda?

[tabatha]

13. I thought that Gaddafi said that the rebels were Al-Qaeda

So are Al-Qaeda killing Al-Qaeda?

[joshcryer]

24. There's an obvious element of Al-Qaeda killing Al-Qaeda.

Duh.

[joshcryer]

5. Gaddafi regime taunts UK over general's death

http://www.channel4.com/news/gaddafi-regime-taunts-uk-over-generals-death">Gaddafi regime taunts UK over general's death
Within hours of the burial of Libyan rebel commander General Abdel Fatah Younes, a spokesman for Colonel Gaddafi has taunted the UK for recognising Libya's National Transitional Council.

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said the killing of General Younes was "a nice clap to the face of the British, that the council that they recognised could not protect its own commander of the army".

Mr Ibrahim went on to claim that al-Qaeda was responsible for the death. Details of the events surrounding the general's death remain unclear, although the rebels claim the commander and two aides were killed by gunmen after being recalled from the front.

"By this act, al-Qaeda wanted to mark out its presence and its influence in this region," Mr Ibahim said.

I sometimes feel that some posts are really shilling Tripoli Tom* since it's the exact same rhetoric.

*Tripoli Tom = Moussa Ibrahim

[pinboy3niner]

6. Rebels attack last Gaddafi stronghold in W.Mountains

Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:22am GMT


• Capturing town would raise morale in stalemate

• Evidence that Gaddafi forces fled rebel advance


By Michael Georgy


HAWAMID, Libya, July 30 (Reuters) - Rebels have encircled Muammar Gaddafi's last stronghold in Libya's Western Mountain region and hope to seize it soon, a commander said on Saturday.


Rebel tanks fired at Tiji, where an estimated 500 government troops are stationed, and the blasts could be heard from the nearby town of Hawamid, which was captured on Thursday in a new offensive against the army.

...


Seizing Tiji would give the rebels a strategic and psychological boost, and could make it easier for the insurgents, who hold a chain of towns stretching more than 200 km across a bleak mountain plateau from the Tunisian border, to gain access to a key highway leading to Tripoli.

...


Poor army morale may also have helped the rebels. Captured soldiers told Reuters earlier this week that officers had threatened them with death to force them to go to the front line in the Western Mountains.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76T03J20110730?sp=true

[Iterate]

36. FFs have surrounded Tiji and have given Gaddafi forces a deadline to surrender

EndTyranny101 Ahmed Sanalla
#Nafousa Mountains: Freedom Fighters have surrounded #Tiji and have given #Gaddafi forces a deadline to surrender..#Libya #Feb17
34 minutes ago

Probably a true report, as that is the pattern they've followed in the area. Maybe it will work this time -depending upon how many political officers still remain.

[Iterate]

7. Gaddafi forces attack Jalu, 250 km SE of Ajdabiya

anitamcnaught Anita McNaught
Opp forces now fighting G-forces in #Jalu region. Fighting began 2 days ago with raids on #Ajdabiya road. Now raging on Awjilah-Zaltan road

emmaomo2011 emmaomo
#Jalu: #Aja: 3 FF reported to have been killed in todays battle #libya
28 Jul

28 JulDima_Khatib Dima Khatib
200 Gaddafi troops vehicles are reported to be heading to Jalo from the West

Dima_Khatib Dima Khatib
Gaddafi troops bombing Jalo, South of Ajdabia, with Grad, since 11am. Jalo is very important, has lots of oil wells around it #libya #Feb17

This is the town that was the focus of Al Jazeera's Anita Mcnaught's report from Jalu:

3 days 20 hours ago - Libya
"Libya is blessed with vast reservoirs of oil and water, however both need electricity to get them out of the ground.
Muamar Gadaffi, Libya's longtime leader, has tried to cut access to these resources, by cutting electricity from opposition strongholds in the east of Libya.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Jalu, Libya."
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-26-2011-1956

In the past few months the pattern of attack was the same -about 50 GF vehicles sweeping into the town, taking some hostages, demanding a pro-Gaddafi demonstration, then backing off and shelling the town before leaving. On occasion they've been driven off by local FFs, but the town is not easily defended and the remote road network not easily patrolled.

As McNaught reported, the infrastructure that is nearby is critically important and has been damaged several times. It is not a "new front" as some have evidently misunderstood.

[pinboy3niner]

8. Libyan rebel forces have taken the strategic western towns of Ghezaia and Takhut--AJE

Libyan rebel forces have taken the strategic western towns of Ghezaia and Takhut. They say they're going to continue their offensive until they reach Tripoli.

Al Jazeera's James Bays was the first international journalist to be allowed to visit the two cities after they were taken. He filed this report.


Libyan rebels make western advances (2:22):
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-30-2011-1654

[pinboy3niner]

9. NATO airstrikes Friday, July 29

Key Hits 29 JULY:


In the vicinity of Brega: 2 Armed Military Vehicles, 1 Mortar, 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher, 2 Military Logistic Vehicles, 7 Military Facilities.


In the vicinity of Tripoli: 3 Fire Control Radars, 1 Command and Control Node, 3 TV Satellite Dishes.


In the vicinity of Waddan: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility.


In the vicinity of Zlitan: 3 Military Facilities, 1 Command and Control Node, 1 Armoured Fighting Vehicle, 5 Armed Vehicles, 1 Fire Control Radar, 1 Ammunition Storage Facility.


In the vicinity of Bir Al Ghanam: 1 Command and Control Facility.


In the vicinity of Bani Walid: 1 Military Facility.


In the vicinity of Yafran: 1 Anti Aircraft Gun.


http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_71994.htm

[pinboy3niner]

10. Libyans face Ramadan of shortages, fear as war drags on

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:01pm GMT

By Mussab Al Khairallah and Missy Ryan


MISRATA/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - In rebel-held Misrata, the vegetable market is half empty; shoppers fret over shortages and soaring prices. A few miles away in Zlitan, controlled by Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans worry about sanctions and NATO strikes.


As Libya's civil war churns on into Ramadan with no end in sight, Libyans on both sides of the conflict say shortages, high prices, rising summer temperatures and worry about loved ones fighting on distant fronts could mar the Muslim fasting month.


Misrata's market is just a collection of makeshift stalls, built after the original market was destroyed in fighting. Given that Misrata is marooned in the Gaddafi-held west and only able to bring in supplies by sea, locals are resigned to shortages.


"Dates do not have a long shelf life. Our best dates are in the south," said Mohammed Abu Zreeba of the high-energy fruit popular among Muslims breaking the dawn-to-dusk fast.


"This is far from us and cannot reach us by sea. Cars and transportation cannot get here."

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76T08Q20110730?sp=true

[Iterate]

11. Study:From Feb-June, 939 people were kidnapped in Misrata

FreeBenghazi Libya.elHurra
Study:From Feb-June, 939 people were kidnapped in #Misrata, with 239 individuals in period between March15-21 qurynanew.com/?p=5178 #Libya

Original (Arabic): http://qurynanew.com/?p=5178
Google translate (as usual and expected, a poor job with complex sentences): http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fqurynanew.com%2F%3Fp%3D5178&sl=ar&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

I hope we can get a good translation of the original study.

That brings up a topic so absent from the news services and official sources that it's not hard to imagine it's being intentionally avoided -the 40,000+ "missing" political prisoners supposed to be held in and around Tripoli. That number is more than the probable number of protesters in Tripoli. The estimated (probably high) 6,000 missing from Zawiya is twice the number shown at the recent pro-Gaddafi cult-fest there.

I say 40,000 because it's the last estimate I saw -a couple of months ago- and it was based not on leaked info, but a rough calculation of the overloaded prison capacity when rumors and reports circulated about prisoners filling up factories, schools, and shipping containers. Since then there have been several waves of reported and rumored roundups in Tripoli, Zawiya, Garyan, Zliten...well, really anywhere under Gaddafi control.

Beyond the obvious concern for tens of thousands of souls baking to death in desert heat, no move on Tripoli can go ahead without having a better count and consideration of their fate.

While we're searching for some accuracy, we might also realize that any estimate will be deemed too high (even when done by HRW or AI), there will be a false equivalency set up with the 42 political prisoners held in Benghazi, they will either be called AQ or said to be disappeared by them, and the claim will be made that they disappeared themselves and worried their families on their own account. I'm also sure that there's some variant of lie or perversion of truth that I missed.

Until some news service or NGO steps up, we're stuck trying to understand the situation with tweets or phone-in reports like these:

4libya Jeanie Abdullah
Documents found stating that 84 kidnapped by G force from #Misrata proven not to be FF r ordered held in Tajoura prison. #Libya @hrw @aje
26 Jul

@libyanproud: #Tripoli: The day FF attacked Government meeting at HayAlandalus, G forces killed 100+ prisoners #Libya
24 Jul

[pinboy3niner]

12. Families return from Tunisia to recently-freed towns in Libya's west

The Associated Press reports that long lines have formed at the Dhuheiba border crossing between Tunisia and Libya, with families in pickup trucks laden with supplies returning home to their villages and towns in Libya's west.

Many say they are headed to Nalut, a town that was regularly shelled by pro-Gaddafi troops until rebels pushed them out of the area last week.

Lutfi ben Hamed, an official with the UN refugee agency says that 2,000 people entered Libya on Friday, which is about double the average daily number.

On Saturday, the AP reports that more than 100 cars of people queued up on the Tunisian side of the border, looking to get into Libya.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-30-2011-1830

[tabatha]

14. Detailed maps - I thought I had posted this.

FOR ALL OF THEM SEE:
http://mcc.iimmgg.com/image/f0a1d6c3ea1168837fd430fbd85f9b0e

Number 6 of 10

[tabatha]

15. As for the nonsense about Younes' son wanting the green flag back.

Here are the true reports:

2:50pm: Relatives of slain Libyan rebel military commander Abdel Fattah Younes vowed allegiance on Friday to the rebels’ political leader in the fight against Muammar Gaddafi.

“A message to Mustafa Abdel Jalil: We will walk with you all the way,” his nephew Mohammed Younes told a crowd of mourners in the main square of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, with other family members beside him. ”Libya first, until God gives us victory or chooses us as martyrs.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

RRowleyTucson Robert Rowley
Gen. Younis’ tribe of Elebdeeat fully behind #Feb17 & NTC. Claims of Yunis's son supporting #Gaddafi false. #Libya #Feb17

[tabatha]

27. I have to take that back.

The Younes' family read a statement in support of the TNC, but the son did do the following:

"Younes' son, Ashraf, broke down at his father's graveside, the AP news agency reported. Crying and screaming as Younes' body was lowered into the ground, he reportedly pleaded hysterically for the return of Gaddafi to bring stability.

"We want Muammar to come back! We want the green flag back!" he shouted at the crowd, referring to Gaddafi's national banner."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/201172920356337186.html

[David__77]

16. NATO raid in Libya kills 3 reporters

Libya says three journalists have been killed in a NATO air strike on state television, and that the murder of the rebels' army chief proves al-Qaeda is instigating the country's armed revolt.

'Three of our colleagues were murdered and 15 injured while performing their professional duty as Libyan journalists,' said Khaled Basilia, director of Al-Jamahiriya television's English-language service.

He branded Saturday's air strike 'an act of international terrorism and in violation of UN Security Council resolutions'.

...

'We are performing our job as journalists representing what we wholeheartedly believe is the reality of NATO's aggression and the violence in Libya,' Basilia said.

...

http://www.skynews.com.au/world/article.aspx?id=644625&vId=

[David__77]

17. Qaddafi Forces Assault Rebel Stronghold of Misrata With Tanks, Artillery

Armed forces loyal to the regime of Muammar Qaddafi assaulted the Libyan city of Misrata, a rebel stronghold, using tanks and artillery as the siege for control in the North African country enters a fifth month.

Government forces attacked the line around the village of Dafniya west of Misrata, in the heaviest attacks in a month, said Sedek Shalbad, commander of the rebel Hatin Brigade. Misrata’s Mujema Aleiadat hospital reported 10 rebel fighters dead and more 50 wounded by 3 p.m. local time and said it had also treated a wounded government soldier.

“There is a big war now between Qaddafi forces and the rebels,” Shalbad said. “There are tanks, there are infantry, they are attacking our lines.”

Artillery and rocket detonations from the direction of the western front line could be heard by residents of Misrata throughout the morning and again in the late afternoon. The attack comes after relative quiet on the front line at Dafniya, and 15 days after rebel units advanced from Dafniya to build trenches close to the government-held town of Zlitan.

...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-30/qaddafi-forces-use-tanks-in-assault-on-rebel-stronghold-misrata.html

[tabatha]

18. Libya: Fewer Police Abuses in Zuwara, Under Control of Anti-government Forces

This is from February 27, 2011

(Ras Ijdir, Tunisia) - There have been few, if any, abuses by the police in the city of Zuwara, 109 kilometers west of Tripoli, during and since its takeover by anti-government forces a week ago, Libyan citizens and foreign workers from the city told Human Rights Watch. They said the police had not tried to suppress a series of anti-government demonstrations, and that police from Zuwara sided with the protesters, while police not originally from Zuwara had left the city.

Human Rights Watch collected the information on February 26, 2011, in interviews with people arriving from Libya on the Tunisian side of the border and in phone conversations with people in Libya.

"The accounts from this western city suggest that the police did not terrorize the local population when it rose up in protest," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch. "Instead, they appear to have either fled or joined the opposition."

Three Libyans in Zuwara whom Human Rights Watch reached by telephone, and two other Libyans from Zuwara interviewed in Tunisia, said that the city was calm, with youth and community youth watch groups patrolling various neighborhoods, on scheduled shifts day and night.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/02/27/libya-fewer-police-abuses-zuwara-under-control-anti-government-forces

[tabatha]

19. Libya: Rebels Pledge Not to Use Landmines

This is from April 29, 2011

(New York) - The de facto opposition authority in Libya, the National Transitional Council, has formally pledged not to use antipersonnel and antivehicle landmines, Human Rights Watch said today. The council also promised to destroy all mines in its forces' possession.

The pledge was made to Human Rights Watch on April 27, 2011, and in an official communiqué signed on April 28 by Abdulhafeeth Gogha, vice chairman of the National Transitional Council.

"The decision by Libya's opposition forces to reject landmines is terrific because mines have killed and maimed so many civilians around the world," said Steve Goose, Arms director at Human Rights Watch. "We urge the National Transitional Council to implement its decision right away, and we call on the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi to make the same commitment on behalf of civilians in war."

http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/04/29/libya-rebels-pledge-not-use-landmines

[tabatha]

20. UPDATE 3-Libyan TV still on air despite NATO bombing

(Reuters) - NATO said on Saturday it had bombed three satellite dishes in Tripoli to stop "terror broadcasts" by Muammar Gaddafi, but Libyan state TV remained on air and condemned what it said was the targeting of journalists.

NATO has been bombing Libyan targets since March, when it intervened under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians from Gaddafi's forces as he fights an uprising against his 41-year rule.

In a video statement titled "NATO silences Gaddafi's terror broadcasts", NATO spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie said NATO had disabled the ground-based satellites in a precision airstrike.

Libyan state television continued to broadcast, however, and early on Saturday was showing a repeat of a political talk show from the previous evening.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/30/libya-nato-idUSL3E7IU01O20110730

[Iterate]

29. Egyptian court orders Nilesat to stop broadcasting Libyan state TV

Evidently all journalists are busy so tweets will have to do for now.

RRowleyTucson Robert Rowley
#Nilesat has 30 DAYS to comply with #Cairo verdict & #Egypt law to take off 14 #Gaddafi State TV channels. #Libya #Feb17
3 hours ago

@hathbenali: BREAKING from MENA: on 8.8.11- Egyptian Court will hear #Gaddafi appeal against stopping State TV on #Nilesat. #Libya #Feb17
3 hours ago

LVview sandra gore nielsen
Egypt Court give #Nilesat 30 days to remove Gaddafi State TV. Do I need to say I'll believe it when I *don't* see it?
54 minutes ago

EndTyranny101 Ahmed Sanalla
On August 8, Egyptian Court will hear #Gaddafi appeal against stopping State TV on #Nilesat. #Libya #Feb17 via @Jonny_Hallam
4 hours ago

That date will be their last appeal. State tv can still use local distribution of course, so those who use it or its derivatives as their main source of info need not worry.

[tabatha]

21. Gaddafi threatens assassination of Italy's Berlusconi - paper

July 30, 2011

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has sworn to assassinate Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday.

According to the newspaper, Berlusconi learned of the assassination plot through "reliable sources," though the prime minister did not elaborate which sources.

Berlusconi said Gaddafi was not referring to his "political death," but to his physical death, the paper added.

"Because that's what he decided, he swore to this himself," Berlusconi was quoted as saying.

Libya has been rocked by fighting between pro- and anti-government forces since mid-February. An international military operation began on March 19 following a UN resolution and has been extended until September.

Italy has been playing an active role in the military operation in Libya.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110730/165470805.html

Unless you have a strong firewall, I suggest not going to that site. MalwareBytes squawked a bit.

[tabatha]

22. Heinz report 8 hours ago, plus other AJE posts

good morning free libya
the srategic situation in the mountains
ff are in kontroll of takout and ghazaja that means daffi is not able to attack wazin from the north anymore.
rocket or artellerie-fire on nalut is not possible.
daffis troops are now conzentrate on a region round tiji and badr.they are cut of from the last suply and escape
route to the north .if they want to escape ,may be possible in small units and with 4x4 thrue the desert.
but they loose their heavy equippment and their amu .
tiji will be like dünkirchen , daffis troops can save their lives but lost the material.
if ff can seize this material they have weapons and amu for another 2000 fighters

AJE post 5 hours ago

FreedomGroup, News in English
Rebel tanks fired at Tiji, where an estimated 500 government troops are stationed, and the blasts could be heard from the nearby town of Hawamid, which was captured on Thursday in a new offensive against the army.
"We have Tiji surrounded and we hope to take it by the end of the day," commander Nasir al Hamdi, a former colonel in Gaddafi's police force.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/30/us-libya-westernmountains-idUSTRE76T0XB20110730
HAWAMID, Libya (Reuters) - Rebels have encircled Muammar Gaddafi's last stronghold in Libya's Western Mountain region and hope to seize it soon, a commander said on Saturday.

AJE post 4 hours ago

Freedom fighters in Libya | Page News of the Eastern Front: now:: Region Brega new it is called (area No. 3) has been cleared and released in full was to fly the flag of independence at the University of Bright Star and the rebels now Atjrn to clean the rest of the Brega and there is no any casualties among the rebels yesterday, today and morale high

AJE post 1 hour ago

Freedom fighters in Libya | steadfastness: God is great ... Rebels Misurata entering the city Zliten amid stiff resistance from al-Gaddafi, which resulted in the fall of the nine martyrs and thirty-five wounded so far, and suffered al-Qadhafi huge loss of life and the rebels have managed to capture more than forty soldiers, most of them are receiving treatment and first aid within the Hospital Misurata
RIP : (( FF

[tabatha]

23. ChangeInLibya Mhalwes - a story over multiple tweets - reordered to make sense.

ChangeInLibya Mhalwes
http://twitter.com/#!/ChangeInLibya

@Doba30 Lee, I'll do my best to explain. When Egypt's and Tunisia's revolutions got rid of their tyrants, we Libyans rose up too on feb 17th
@Doba30 We went out in peaceful demonstrations and were met with 14.5mm bullets (they type used to shoot down aircraft in world war 2)
@Doba30 All libyan cities had demonstrations.. most of them saw people take to the streets.. and gaddafi met them with tanks & soldiers
@Doba30 In the first 6 days of the revolution, over a thousand people died around the country - easily
@Doba30 People got sick of getting killed on the street so they stormed the army base in benghazi.. 400 people died that day but captured it
@Doba30 they got access to guns and other items that helped them liberated the full eastern side of the country very quickly
@Doba30 however, when it got to the western side, there was a problem.. gaddafi learnt his lesson and guarded bases well
@Doba30 in march, the revolution was met with deadlier and deadlier force.. planes, tanks, artillery.. to stop people fighting against Gdfi
@Doba30 That's when the Un got involved, they saw thousands die due to Gaddafi's army... so NATO came to target this army and stop it
@Doba30 since then, the fight has been stalled in some areas but revolutionaries are trying to push on to tripoli - Gaddafi's city basically
@Doba30 its certainly not easy but we're slowly getting there.. we want a free, modern & democratic country where our money isnt wasted on
@Doba30 the wishes of one stupid family that treats the country as if it was a farm (gaddafi, saif, mutassim khamis etc etc the sons)
@Doba30 Now im sure there are a million things you can read on the net and you might not trust my account but I did my best
@Doba30 I was tweeting the revolution since the first day Lee, I have been told nothing. I have seen videos & called my family since day 1
@Doba30 I was actually in Tripoli for 3 months of the revolution almost... and things were really bad as Gaddafi's security tightened grip
@Doba30 NATO is by all means helping us get rid of the tyrant and even though they might have own agenda, Libyan ppl are aware & intent on
@Doba30 getting their freedom. we're not replacing 1 tyrant with another. that will never happen.
@Doba30 Me and @shabablibya have been two accounts following the revolution since day one my friend.. and we're 100% libyan with fam there
@Doba30 We had these revolutions in the arab world to change our image.. to stop looking like sheep & terrorists and have our own freedom
@Doba30 freedom of speech and of thought and to live a decent life compared to what we had for over 40 years (in libya's case)

"liberated the full eastern side of the country" should be "liberated the full eastern side of the city"?

[tabatha]

25. Press conference held by Mustafa Abdel Jalil

Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Birtley was just at a press conference held by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of the Libyan rebel National Transitional Council. Here's what he had to say:

Finally after a gap of about three days we've been getting further details about the killing of Abdul Fatah Younes, and it appears that there was a warrant signed by Mustafa Abdel Jalil's deputy, who ordered the arrest of General Fatah Younes and men were sent down there to get him and they brought him back. Apparently he was questioned and when he was released, according to Jalil, then he was killed by two men. They fled with the bodies in a car. We were told that they were dumped in a valley and their bodies burned, but he stressed that the throats had not been cut, which he was suggesting that this was not the work of Islamists.

But there's lots of inconsistencies I have to say with the various versions coming out of the NTC. For example, shortly before Jalil's press conference, the media information minister said that the general had been recalled to Benghazi just to discuss the situation on the frontline. He made no mention of a warrant. Now this is a very serious affair, a warrant for the commander in chief of the opposition armed forces, this is a big deal.

And what happened after that? We're told that these two fighters who killed him have now disappeared. They're holding their commander, but also, previously the finance minister ... said definitely it was two rebel fighters who were sent down to arrest General Fatah Younes who killed the general. He said that quite clearly.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya

[UnseenUndergrad]

26. And yet...

None of this, not the new war news nor the facts finally coming to light on this assassiantion, will stop the usual suspects on the LBN forum, making topics about thow the rebels are feckless, greedy, backstabbing islamist thugs... or whatever Cheney-ism ol' Muammar decides to throw out next.

It's getting just a little too predictable around this site.

At least Brega is mostly out of the way now.

[joshcryer]

28. Heh, they've taken a bunch of western towns, there's a reason Gaddafi attacked Misrata again today.

He's fucking terrified.

[tabatha]

31. Yes, I no longer visit those threads.

They are simply one-minded and see everything through a prism. And I have one person on ignore because of the utterly brainless and uninformed comments made by that person.

They are convinced that the Rebels are bad - Gaddafi can do things that are 1000 times worse, but no, every little RARE Rebel transgression is blown out of proportion. This is what blows my mind. Documented 42 years of godawful abuses, and the people he abused are struggling to get rid of him. They cannot make one or two mistakes, but they get labelled as worse than Gaddafi.

The Rebels are trying their best - Gaddafi has locked up thousands of Libyan youth in awful conditions in jail - torture abounds. The Rebels treat their captives with respect and they are treated no differently in hospitals than the Rebels. Gaddafi abuses people in hospitals. Not one word.

This is a good twitter feed to follow - scroll down to

"after 2 days Gaddafi forces came to the hospital, pulled out the oxygen mask & the intravenous drip, Dr said "He needs to stay his condition, I went unconscious for 8 days until I woke up in prison with about 130 other imprisons guys, one said to me "you were dead we kept you & carry us upstairs like sheep, thn they start to torture us, one Gaddafi solider put the green flag on top of the dagger of the AK & Many young ppl are suffering every day in Gaddafi's prisons, one can only imagines what goes on in these prisons. May Allah be with them"

http://twitter.com/#!/search/dovenews

If you would like open-minded, smart conversation where there is a lot of questioning in a sensible manner and a lot of support for the rebels - and also a lot of good information, try this - you will feel a lot saner away from the unbelievable irrationality shown here - it is almost childish.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/interactive/2011/06/2011625448137941.html#disqus_thread

The South African revolution was not perfect either - there was a lot more revenge killing there - in fact, I would say of revolutions I know about, this has been one of the cleanest by far.

[UnseenUndergrad]

40. This one is new...

Now they're claiming that we're just feeding a new 9/11 by giving weapons and monetary aid to the rebels.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4942070#4942137

Sorry about not bringing anything constructive to the thread but... this was just so silly.

[tabatha]

65. The biggest fail in that stupid theory

wheelertweets James Wheeler
I've met quite a few injured #Libyan FFs in the past 3 months. They are gentle guys who love the West (esp the US). Not like #Gaddafi forces
1 hour ago

To get a good impression of the FFs, I recommend reading Wheeler's tweets regularly

http://twitter.com/#!/wheelertweets

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pinboy3niner]

32. Libyan rebel: military commander not slain for treason

By RAMI AL-SHAHEIBI - Associated Press | AP – 39 mins ago


BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The head of the rebel National Transitional Council says the rebel's chief military commander had been arrested for investigation into complaints of mismanaging his forces and was killed while being transported to a safer place.


Mustafa Abdul-Jalil dismissed earlier reports that Abdel-Fattah Younis had been killed for treason. He told reporters Saturday that a committee is still investigating the circumstances of his death but the killers have been identified.


Younis' body was found dumped outside the rebels' de facto capital of Benghazi on Thursday along with the bodies of two colonels who were his top aides. They had been shot and their bodies burned.


Witnesses have said they were killed by fellow rebels after being taken into custody on suspicion of treason.


THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. ....

...


http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-rebel-military-cmdr-not-slain-treason-181053418.html

Though it doesn't say so, this story appears to come out of today's press conference.

Another report states that the NTC has ordered that all militias be disbanded and their members integrated into the regular army under NTC control. This report seems credible, but it's from a Murdoch wire service so I won't post the story and link until it's reported by a different source. ETA: This is now confirmed by other sources (see Post #37).

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pinboy3niner]

34. Summary of AJE's story on NTC press conf. and today's other developments

We've got a new news story up, rounding up today's developments in Libya. You can read it here.


Highlights so far include:


- The rebel council in Benghazi now says that Gen Abdel Fattah Younes, the commander of the opposition's armed forces, had an arrest warrant issued against him and was questioned before he was killed by gunmen.


- The council has now also called for militias and groups not acting under the umbrella of the rebel armed forces to either join that force or lay down their arms.


- NATO, meanwhile, has hit the offices of al-Jamahiriya television in Tripoli, in strikes which the Libyan government says killed three people and injured 15 others.


- Rebel forces continue their advance westwards, taking Ghezaia and Takhut, and surrounding Gaddafi's forces at Tiji, where the rebels say government forces are making their last stand.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-30-2011-2207

[tabatha]

35. REUTERS -Rebels attack last Gaddafi Western Mountain stronghold

Poor army morale may also have helped Gaddafi's opponents, who come from all walks of life -- from pharmacists to plumbers -- to try to end his rule.

At a hospital in the town of Nalut, near Hawamid, about 20 wounded government soldiers lay in beds with mostly bullet wounds. Several predicted the veteran Libyan leader's demise.

"Gaddafi is not going to last for more than a few months and he may go sooner," Omar Mukhtar, 20, told Reuters. "Gaddafi told us we would be fighting foreigners who belong to al Qaeda. But we came here and discovered they are just Libyans like us."

A few feet away, a brigadier from Gaddafi's army with a bullet hole in his face pointed to his wound and groaned.

Tiji resident Abdel Jalil Omar said Gaddafi's militiamen had offered people in the town money to fight and gave them AK-47 assault rifles every time the insurgents made gains in the Western Mountain region.

"I was unemployed. They gave me money so I agreed to fight the rebels," said Jalil, who was shot in the shoulder. A rebel who overheard him started yelling and accused him of ransacking houses and helping soldiers steal televisions.

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76T06320110730?sp=true

(from that propaganda rag REUTERS)

[pinboy3niner]

37. Libyan Opposition Orders Militias To Disband

Source: VoA

Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at 7:10 pm UTC


The head of Libya's Transitional National Council says the opposition group has ordered all militia factions to disband and come under its control in the wake of the murder of the group's military chief.


Mustafa Abdel Jalil announced the decision on Saturday after military chief Abdel Fattah Younes and two of his aides were gunned down on their way to Benghazi on Thursday.

...


http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/07/30/libyan-opposition-orders-militias-to-disband/

[pinboy3niner]

38. Dupe nt

[tabatha]

39. Slowly but surely normality is returning to #Nalut, #Nafusa

Slowly but surely normality is returning to #Nalut, #Nafusa (Families celebrating latest triumphs) م

http://youtu.be/wFrg-Gipgz4

[pinboy3niner]

41. LIBYAN REVOLUTION DAY 164: CURRENT TIME IN LIBYA = 7 AM SUNDAY, JULY 31

Libya time = EDT +6 hours, PDT +9 hours, UTC +1 hour, GMT +2 hours

[pinboy3niner]

42. Ramadan brings back bitter memories for many Libyans

For some it was the moment the revolution began: in 1984, when Kadafi, in an extraordinary display of brutality, held 11 public executions during the Muslim holy month.

By David Zucchino, Los Angeles Times

July 31, 2011


Reporting from Benghazi, Libya— Each year, when the holy month of Ramadan arrives, Ibrahim Shwehdi is gripped by ineffable sadness. A month of reflection and mercy is, for him, an occasion of grief and loss.


It was during Ramadan in 1984, just before Libyans sat down at sunset to break the daily fast, that Shwehdi's brother Sadiq Hamed Shwehdi was hanged before a crowd at a Benghazi basketball arena.


The execution was televised live, and people across eastern Libya watched in horror as thousands in the arena cheered.


It was unthinkable for a Muslim leader, even one as repressive as Moammar Kadafi, to stage a public execution during Ramadan, a month of prayer, charity and fasting. Yet Kadafi ordered 11 public executions of dissidents around the country during Ramadan.

...


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-hangings-20110731,0,6798682,full.story

[joshcryer]

43. AJE: Inside Story - Behind the killing of Abdel Fattah Younes (25 min doco)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QDuVezZCWs">Inside Story - Behind the killing of Abdel Fattah Younes
Who could have been behind the killing of Abdel Fatah Younes? And what will his death mean for the rebels' campaign to remove Muammar Gaddafi from power?

[pinboy3niner]

44. Kadhafi regime says it is in contact with Libya rebels

By Dominique Soguel (AFP) – 3 hours ago


BENGHAZI, Libya —

...


In Tripoli, deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaaim said Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's government was in contact with members of the rebel NTC, but denied rumours of contacts with General Abdel Fatah Yunis, who was killed on Thursday.


"There are contacts with Mahmud Jibril (number two in the NTC), and (Ali) Essawy (in charge of external relations), (religious leader Ali) Sallabi and others," Kaaim told a news conference.

...


(NTC) Military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani said the judges who summoned Yunis for questioning did not have the authority do so and that the defence minister had written a letter recalling the arrest warrant.

...


In Zuwaytina, the Union of Revolutionary Forces late on Saturday dismissed reports that Yunis was a traitor killed by his own people for providing strategic military information to Kadhafi's regime.

...

(Spokesman for the Union of Revolutionary Forces and head of the February 17 brigade Fawzi) Bukatif said that the Obeida Ibn al-Jarah brigade, which an NTC member had mentioned as a potential culprit, was not part of the rebel body and no longer fighting on the front near the strategic oil hub of Brega.


He added that Mustafa Rubaa -- who belongs to the Union of Revolutionary Forces "as an individual" but not as part of a brigade -- had been detained for his alleged role in the arrest of Yunis.

...


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g-7jAoTzRquD_z8QldiVt3KnS6oA?docId=CNG.22b1051d0cf8f4129baecceecc4cef7a.9b1

[pinboy3niner]

45. BREAKING, AP: Rival rebel factions clash in Libya, 4 dead

Source: AP

RAMI AL-SHAHEIBI | July 31, 2011 04:24 AM EST


BENGHAZI, Libya — The information minister of Libya's rebel movement says its forces have overrun the base of a rival faction after five hours of fighting.

Mahmoud Shamam says the clashes broke out around 3 a.m. Sunday and left four rebels dead and six wounded. The main rebel force was now in control of the al-Nidaa Brigade's base on the western outskirts of Benghazi, the de facto capital of Libya's rebel-held east.

The fighting followed Thursday's killing of chief rebel commander Abdel-Fattah Younis in yet unexplained circumstances. The slaying and Sunday's clashes point to sharp divisions within the rebel movement nearly six months after the start of the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi's rule.

Younis was Gadhafi's interior minister before defecting to the rebel side.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110731/ml-libya/

[Iterate]

49. Report from LibyaAlHurra, tweets

LibyaAlHurra (@LibyaAlHurraTV)

Posted Sunday 31st July 2011 from Twitlonger

#Benghazi Situation Report/English Translation #libya
A group of Gaddafi loyalists pretended to be with the revolutionaries in Benghazi were in fact a Pro-#Gaddafi militia known as the "Nida Libya" Brigade. Gaddafi Loyalists released several hundred Gaddafi soldiers and other prisoners from prisons in #Benghazi.

It appears that the Gaddafi militia received orders Saif Al Islam in a Libyan State TV broadcast entitled "An Appeal to Libya".

The Gaddafi regiment was subdued and arrested by February 17 of the National Council of Preventive Security. Benghazi security officials resorted to using tanks to target the 5th columners encampment and bombed the camp. This has resulted in death of 17 people from the revolutionaries and 27 of the 5th Column. Upon entering the camp, Benghazi officials found cutting-edge devices and Thuraya Sat phones.

(Rough translation - report includes info provided by #BRQ) http://tl.gd/c2gurk · Reply
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/c2gurk
-------------

Marguer_d Marguerite Dehler
RT @oya_libya: Libya Call brigade took orders from StateTV program presented by Hamza tuhami /of the same name "libya call" #Benghazi #Libya
23 minutes ago

Freedom_7uriyah ღ.¸¸Libeeya¸¸.ღ
finally PROOF that State TV was sending out msgs. The proG brigade was named after the programme! unbelievable! #Libya
29 minutes ago

Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now
Benghazi: 2 brigades appeared to be working for #Gadafi; Abu Ubaida Ibn Al Jarah & Nida #Libya.The first brigade surrendered 2nd did not.
33 minutes ago
----------

As far as the prisoner "release", it seems that most have been recaptured, but I've lost the links for that. Twitter has decided that now is the right time to screw around with the search method I was using.

Calling them "rival rebel factions" may not be quite accurate on AP's part.

[pinboy3niner]

50. Clash was over group's role in organizing prison break in Benghazi--NTC spokesman

[pinboy3niner]

51. Libya rebels overrun rogue faction ('no connection' with death of Younes)

Source: Al Jazeera

Four dead and six wounded as main opposition army overruns base of rogue branch, and scrambles to dispel rumours.

Last Modified: 31 Jul 2011 10:41


A battle between Libya's main opposition and a rogue faction inside the movement's armed forces has raised fears of infighting caused by the yet unexplained murder of one of its chief commanders.


Libya's opposition said on Sunday its forces had overrun the base of a pro-regime faction after five hours of fighting near the opposition stronghold Benghazi, according to spokesman Mahmoud Shamam.


Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from Benghazi, said the battle was launched to subdue elements of Muammar Gaddafi's forces that had been operating as a "fifth column" within the opposition ranks.


"According to sources here there is no connection with the attack and the death of (Abdel-Fattah Younes)," said Birtley, who added that documents were found on the defeated faction that linked it to Gaddafi.

...


http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/20117318226759888.html

[pinboy3niner]

46. Syria: Dozens killed as Syria army storms Hama: doctor

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis | Reuters – 13 mins ago


AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian army tanks stormed the city of Hama at dawn on Sunday, killing at least 24 civilians, residents said, after besieging it for nearly a month to crush some of the biggest demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.


A doctor, who did not want to be further identified for fear of arrest, told Reuters that the city's Badr, al-Horani and Hikmeh hospitals had received 19, three and two dead bodies respectively.


Scores of people were wounded and blood for transfusions was in short supply, he said by telephone from the city, which has a population of around 700,000.


"Tanks are attacking from four directions. They are firing their heavy machineguns randomly and overrunning makeshift road blocks erected by the inhabitants," the doctor said, the sound of machinegun fire crackling in the background.

...


http://news.yahoo.com/tanks-storm-syrias-hama-residents-034931138.html

[pinboy3niner]

47. Update: At least 45 people have been killed in Hama

At least 45 people have been killed in Hama, accoring to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Rami Abdel Rahman, from the Observatory, told AFP.

"The army and security forces entered Hama this morning and opened fire on civilians, killing 45 and wounding several more.

He said elsewhere, "six people were killed and 50 wounded by security forces in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor and three were killed and dozens wounded at Harak in the southern Deraa region".


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/jul/31/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest#block-4

[pinboy3niner]

53. Syrian army 'kills at least 95' in Hama--rights activist

(AFP) – 4 hours ago


DAMASCUS — At least 95 people were killed on Sunday when the military launched an attack on the flashpoint protest city of Hama in central Syria, a human rights activist said.


Ammar Qorabi, who heads the National Organisation for Human Rights, reported the toll and also said army attacks across the country on Sunday killed at least 121 people and wounded dozens more.


Earlier, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a death toll in Hama of 45, but said that number could rise because of the number of seriously wounded and a lack of medical supplies.


One Hama resident reached by phone told AFP that the army entered the city at around 6:00 am (0300 GMT) in an apparent operation to wrest back control after almost two months during which security forces were absent.

...


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i2iQH1ez59F_sywFBJDbvqSOr2lw?docId=CNG.8af6b498cc888245092783bbf404e87e.641

[pinboy3niner]

48. Al Jazeera reports intense fighting on the outskirts of Zlitan

There has been intense fighting in Libya between opposition fighters and Gaddafi forces on the outskirts of Zlitan. At least 13 rebel fighters have been killed, and more than 50 others wounded. It is believed to be one of bloodiest days of fighting in months.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-1200

[pinboy3niner]

52. Libyan rebels on Sunday took the village of Josh at the foot of the Nafusa mountains

Libyan rebels on Sunday took the village of Josh at the foot of the Nafusa mountain range in the west of the country, AFP journalists said.

"We took Josh this morning and are now heading west. Now we're fighting to take Tiji further down the valley," Juma Brahim, head of the rebel fighters' operational command in the Nafusa region, told AFP.

The AFP team could hear heavy gunfire but was unable to report on the number of casualties, but they saw six ambulances pass with sirens wailing.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-1348

[pinboy3niner]

54. Germany to expel top Libyan diplomat

Sourcer: Monsters and Critics

Jul 31, 2011, 11:48 GMT


Berlin - The German Foreign Office is to expel a senior Libyan diplomat, a spokeswoman said Sunday, confirming a media report without naming the individual.

After 'careful examination,' the diplomat had been declared persona non grata in Germany, the spokeswoman said. She did not explain what had prompted the decision.


http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1654142.php/Germany-to-expel-top-Libyan-diplomat

[Iterate]

55. Khadafy looking to hire a NY PR rep to clean up image

By BRAD HAMILTON
Last Updated: 8:07 AM, July 31, 2011
Posted: 2:25 AM, July 31, 2011

....

This according to a pitch letter an official in Tripoli e-mailed to New York and London agencies this month.

Ali Darwish of the Libyan Ministry of Information asked prospective reps to "present our just and fair case to the world" and claim the moral high ground.

"We have good moral, political and legal logic supporting our position as the legitimate, sovereign and popular government of Libya. We also have proofs in written, audio and video forms to take our case forward."

But in the tradition of Khadafy's wacky truth-twisting, Darwish claims NATO attacks, which began in March in response to the regime slaughtering protesters, resulted from bad spin.

more, if you really want more ... http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/sympathy_for_the_devil_QNheclncKARRfmS2I8ynBO
---------

I can't say that I've ever quoted from the NY Post, but if ever there was to be a right time for it, this would be it.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

56. I'd recommend BP's PR firm

BP ran a series of really excellent PR releases back when oil was an issue in the gulf. Now that god has removed the oil from the gulf, that PR firm should be available to help.

My slogan: "All good things begin with the letter G. God, Ghaddafi, Ghandi, Ali G., GWB"

Maybe if Ali G were to interview Ghaddafi ...

:hi:

[pinboy3niner]

105. Somebody agrees that Gaddafi could use a little P.R. help

Finally: Gadhafi Asking NYC, London PR Firms For Help

.... Gadhafi's own personal efforts in getting his country's message out has included calling the allies the "new Nazis" and "crazed fascists" and deeming protesters "cockroaches."


http://gothamist.com/2011/07/31/gadhafi_wants_some_help_from_nyc_pr.php

With framing like that, everyone is mystified by his inability to sell his case to anyone but a few of his propagandists and message board posters... :)

[pinboy3niner]

57. Libyan rebels advance on western villages

Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from the front that rebel forces have taken al-Josh and and have now advanced to Tiji and Bada, where fighting continues (0:56):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPcG7zZtaDw&feature=player_embedded

[pinboy3niner]

58. Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid has sent in this update on military operations in the west of Libya:

Rebels have pushed a little further and are now at the eastern gate of Zliten. They have hooked up with rebels from Zliten. They have also captured one tank and four missile launchers from Gaddafi troops.

"Some residents asked the rebels to leave their area in fear that it would come under attack.

"This is a significant step: after Zliten, the road to Tripoli is quiite clear except for the smaller town of Khomus.

"It's also a slap in the face to the government. Only a few days ago , State TV boasted that Gaddafi had full support of the people of Zliten. There was a huge march aired live (on television). Gaddafi spoke to the crowd by phone, and from his comments you could deduce that he was watching the (broadcast).

"Military commanders however do admit that Zliten could be their own Brega. Khamis Gaddafi is said to be heading the operations from there."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-1658

[pinboy3niner]

59. British Defence Secretary calls Gaddafi 'a busted flush'--BBC

"The key to the Libyan resolution will be whether or not the close circle around Col Gaddafi recognise there's no point in investing in him - he's a busted flush - and that he will sooner or later have to leave power.

"When the penny drops that that is inevitable, then you're likely to see the sort of change in the political momentum that we've been looking for."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14358869

[Iterate]

60. Misrata rebel forces seize arms after routing pro-Gaddafi troops

Misrata rebel forces seize arms after routing pro-Gaddafi troops
Chris Stephen in Misrata Agencies in Benghazi
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 31 July 2011 14.29 BST

While Libyan factions in Benghazi clash over control of army bases in the city, opposition forces further west have broken through government lines at Misrata, routing pro-Gaddafi units and seizing tanks, heavy artillery and rocket launchers.
...

In Misrata, rebels arriving at the abandoned arsenal found the keys still in the ignitions of trucks holding grad multiple-barrelled rocket launchers, enabling them to hook them to the heavy guns and drive them back across the lines.

"They just left these behind, they left grad trucks, they left some cars, they left weapons," said Abdullah Maiteed, of the rebel Arise Brigade, stationed on the main Tripoli-Misrata highway. "We nailed them."
...

Rebels say the government front west of Misrata, where Gaddafi has deployed his most powerful force, the 32nd Brigade, commanded by his son Khamis, has effectively disintegrated.

more... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/31/misrata-rebels-seize-gaddafi-arms

Wish I could quote more.

[pinboy3niner]

61. Update on western battles from Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera's James Bays has been reporting from the western mountains, where the battle continues for Tiji. Here's the latest from him (2:16):

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-1858

[Iterate]

63. and another from James Bays:"Frustration"

baysontheroad's posterous
4:56am July 31, 2011
Frustration
audio: http://baysontheroad.posterous.com/frustration

Frustrated by not getting the story, but unruffled by the rest of it.

[tabatha]

62. Gaddafi's 5th column in Benghazi instructed via state TV

as tweeted by EndTyranny101 Ahmed Sanalla

#Benghazi: Press conference regarding yesterdays and today's events
#Benghazi: Building that was attacked by security forces was occupied by armed groups not associated with armed defense or national security
#Benghazi: These armed groups used the turmoil following death of General Younis, attacking prisons and releasing prisoners..#Libya
#Benghazi: We gave them warnings to submit & disarm, following negations they refused..We then surrounded the place and gave them warnings
#Benghazi: We gave them a time frame to submit and a safe passage, they refused..so we engaged them..Exchanges of fire took place..#Libya
#Benghazi: Upon entering the compound at 8am..we found some of prisoners who escaped from the prions, they were armed...#Libya
#Benghazi: we had our suspicions about this armed group..we found a large quantity of explosives, that was used in previous car exlosions
#Benghazi: This armed Militia called themselves Yousf Shakeer Brigade..They were receiving instructions from him..using Gaddafi TV station
#Benghazi: We know that they have other locations, we will monitor and attack them when we see fit..#Libya
#Benghazi: we gave plenty of time to disarm & surrender, we sent some of their relatives to them, they refused..their ferocity surprised us
#Benghazi: We took looses in this operation, engagement proved that the people we were facing we well trained..25 escapes from prisons..
#Benghazi: we found 25 escapees from the prisons there, who were from GF in the south..We will continue to defend the Liberated areas..
#Benghazi: This operation is related to operations In #Brega..Our martyrs blood will not go in vain..#Libya
#Benghazi: we lost 3 of our forces and 8 were injured in this operation..#Libya
#Benghazi: This milita attached the house of General #Younis following his death..trying to create divisions in the city..#Libya
#Benghazi: We are interrogating them about the death of General #Younis..It is not clear if they had a direct hand in the assassination..

AJE comments
What a diabolic scheme. First let 100s of soldiers surrender and get imprisoned in Benghazi, then liberate them in a coup attempt, including killing of Younis, and instigate an uprising in Benghazi. Worthy of Gaddafi. Thank goodness it was thwarted

Then named Jumaa Warfali ,the head of the battalion of the fifth column associated with Shakeer and Hamza Thami that destroyed by the FF yesterday, was arrested while trying to flee to Egypt, had said yesterday that the tribe of Werafla in Benghazi had disowned all members of the regiment among which was also the named Saleh Gibran ( doctors in Benghazi recognize him) with the knowledge also that they were in that battalion Africans and members of other nationalities

Isn`t it amazing? Whenever tribes step forward making authentic statements it`s never pro-Gaddafi.

Not hard to read Gaddafi`s demented mind. This "operation" in Benghazi was intended to trigger a pro-Gaddafi uprising. Instead, much to the delight of everyone, his cell was busted, which is likely to give the Freedom Fighters a lot of intelligence on the ruses planned by Gaddafi.

Time to rally behind Jalil. What happened last night amounted to a Gaddafi attempt at unseating his transitional government. "Transitional" is too abstract in the circumstances obtaining. This man embodies the hopes of a better Libya. His government - pending victory over the Tripolis based Gaddafi tyranny - represents the democratic aspirations of the Libyan people. His is the voice of the Libyan people - not the inane hateful venomous vindictive rants of Gaddafi.

[tabatha]

64. Change of heart or misquoted before.

@ChangeInLibya: BREAKING: ABDELFATAH YOUNIS' SON:its the duty of every Libyan 2 get payback 4 my father & I tell NTC's l Jalil: We're w/ U
53 minutes ago


Freedom Fighters from Benghazi in the Nafusa region - One Libya
http://youtu.be/TiFetwUDD4I

[UnseenUndergrad]

70. This is just frustrating.

On this very forum, the Usual Suspects are crowing that Younes son (in his grief) pleaded for the return of Gaddafi while in another thread they wallow in smugness that the rebel factions are tearing eachother apart when, in fact, this rogue faction appears to have been a Gaddafi sleeper cell.

What is it? Allegience to old players in the Iron Curtain drama, gratitude for the man-made river? The belief that female emancipation and minimal oil wealth redistribution was worth decades of repression and kleptocracy, senseless border wars and massive siphoning of wealth to foreign aid to groups such as the ANC (good) and the IRA (not really as good)?

Or is it just anti-NATO kneejerking?

[tabatha]

77. There was no female emanicipation under Gaddafi.

I think you best keep your blood pressure normal by not going there - because it is sheer and utter madness.

There are some people who get so wedded to one side, that they distort everything to their view. They cannot see any other view point but their own.

The most mature commentators are those who see the good and bad on both sides.

Those people come nowhere near maturity and wisdom.

It reminds me of high school - but even high school is better than that. I don't know if they are possibly Gaddafi agents.

The exit of Gaddafi is the most important factor now.

And in a year's time when Libya is a peaceful, democratic society, they will have forgotten everything they ever said.

On edit:

There was one commentator on AJE who was very critical of the TNC after the Younes assassination. However, today his attitude is a 180 - Jalil of TNC has further burnished his credentials by his handling of the situation.

And in all of that crowing, what they fail to realize is that this was actually a set back for Gaddafi - he tried to stage a coup of the TNC; it failed, and the TNC has come out looking stronger.

So any crowing is really terribly dumb.

[UnseenUndergrad]

78. Silly me

I was thinking of Saddam. One was just plain fascistry while the other... well, is this.

Thanks for the advice.

[tabatha]

79. A blow for Gaddfi NOT for the Freedom Fighters

This is why their crowing is like high school - it is based on wishful thinking not reality.

The pro-Gaddafi cell "had plans to plant car bombs in Benghazi", according to Mustafa al-Sagazly, deputy chief of the rebel-backed February 17 brigade which carried out the raid.

"We found a large number of explosives typically found in car bombs."

He said the "very same group" - the Katiba Yussef Shakir - was suspected in the assassination of General Abdel Fatah Yunis, a right-hand man to Gaddafi before his defection to the rebel ranks, whose death remains cloaked in mystery.

Ismail al-Salabi who heads military operations for the February 17 brigade called the operation "100 per cent successful".

The factory contained TNT explosives and about sevenpick-up trucks armed with machine guns, a rebel told AFP.

"There were also green flags and portraits of Gaddafi which we took and burned," said Mohammed Duma.

In the aftermath of Yunis's assassination, the NTC has issued repeated warnings to militia groups - or kataebs - that remain outside its command to either join its fighters on the front or security forces in Benghazi.

Fareed Juwayli, head of security forces in Benghazi, said a rebel militia had uncovered the group linked to Gaddafi's regime holed up in a hangar that was home to a licence plate factory.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gaddafi-cell-routed-by-libyan-rebels-20110801-1i6t7.html#utm_source=twitter

[Iterate]

66. Sifao Twawa "Tagrawla"

Revolutionaries of Yefren, Kikkla and Al-Qalaa with Libyan Amazigh Singer Sifao Twawa singing the song "Tagrawla" ("Revolution" in Tamazight language).
Hochgeladen von ImazighenLibya am 31.07.2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FucV3qcOb-0&feature=share

[pinboy3niner]

67. Libyan rebels inch closer to Zlitan breakthrough

Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:52pm GMT

By Mussab Al-Khairalla


ZLITAN, Libya, July 31 (Reuters) - Libyan rebel fighters from Misrata have pushed closer to entering the coastal town of Zlitan after 48 hours of fierce fighting in which at least 27 fighters have been killed on the frontline.


Television footage obtained by Reuters showed rebels making quick advances on Saturday, firing machineguns and engaging in close combat fighting with forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi on the eastern outskirts of the town.


Government soldiers retaliated early on Sunday, pushing the rebels back slightly. Overall, the rebels are 3 km (two miles) closer to Zlitan than they have been for the past 10 days.


Sensing an opportunity to break the stalemate, rebels pounded Gaddafi loyalists with mortars throughout the day and sent more fighters to the frontline in a bid to overrun their defences. But 14 fighters were killed and more than 20 were wounded on Sunday -- the highest death toll in the past few weeks of fighting around rebel-held Misrata.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76U09520110731?sp=true

[tabatha]

68. More tweets from EndTyranny101

EndTyranny101 Ahmed Sanalla

#Benghazi: We are working into integrating all Brigades under the Liberation army and National security wing..
#Benghazi: This armed militia was a Gaddafi militia, they were not hiding this fact nor denying it..Its the only brigade related to G so far
#Benghazi: This armed militia used the aftermath of the assassination to carry out their operations, attacking prisons, and arming prisoners
#Benghazi: Militia was formed from remnants of the 'Lijan Thawria'..working for a couple of months..pretended to be part of a certain tribe
#Benghazi: As they took refuge behind this Tribe..we couldn't attack them so we monitored them..This tribe totally denounced this grouping..
#Benghazi: Using the 'Tribe' they thought they had some refuge BUT the Tribe that they were claiming to be part of completely denounced them
#Benghazi: We found some foreigners from Morocco, Mali and Algeria amongst them..and POW that escaped from attacks on the prisons..#Libya
#Benghazi: This militia was armed with rifles, hand grenades, large quantity of explosives & other equipment..#Libya
#Gaddafi is playing the 'Tribal' card hard..all call outs R to Tribal members on his TV stations..'this tribe' & 'that tribe' #gaddaficrimes
Shakeer on Gaddafi TV referred to the militias compound by name live on air & said that a 'Tribe' were being attacked by #NTC #gaddaficrimes

#Benghazi: Deputy commander of #Feb17 brigade.'found a list of names which appeared to be a hit list of prominent members in #NTC & others'
#Benghazi: Deputy commander of #Feb17 brigade "list of names on hit list included #NTC chairman & #General Younis" #Libya..#Feb17

[pinboy3niner]

69. Fight to bring Libya rebel militias to heel

Source: Financial Times

July 31, 2011 5:47 pm

By Simeon Kerr in Benghazi

...


A fierce five-hour battle raged on the western outskirts of the de-facto rebel capital as several battalions fought suspected loyalists to Col Muammer Gaddafi – the so-called Shakir brigade or al-Nidaa – who have been operating out of a number plate factory for the past two months.

...


Still shocked by the assassination of its military commander, General Abdel Fattah Younes, on Thursday, the rebel council has pledged to bring the loosely knit web of militias that make up the ragtag revolutionary forces under its control as it seeks to bolster its credentials after 30 countries recognised it as the legitimate representative of Libya.


The extent of the challenge is hard to ascertain: the interior ministry says most militias and military units are under the rebel council’s control. But some officials estimate that 30 armed groups still operate independently. One fighter estimates that as many as a quarter of rebels are suspicious of attempts to bring them under central control.

...


The “Shakir Brigade”, which publicly used the name al-Nidaa, had been allowed to operate for the past two months as it claimed to represent a prominent tribe, said Mustafa el-Sogezly, deputy interior minister.

...


http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/1996a6ca-bb8c-11e0-a7c8-00144feabdc0.html

[pinboy3niner]

72. Gaddafi cell routed by Libyan rebels

Dominique Soguel
August 1, 2011 - 4:59AM

AFP


Libya's rebels have routed a militia group accused of assassinating their military chief and of links to Muammar Gaddafi, they say, after an hours-long battle in their Benghazi stronghold.

...


Morad Drissi at Al-Jalaa hospital said 11 of the pro-Gaddafi fighters were killed and he treated 42 wounded rebels.

...


Shammam said the group suffered "about 20 casualties" before being rounded up for its role in organising a prison break in Benghazi earlier in the week.


The rebels said they mounted the operation after the armed group refused to enter negotiations, flouting an order from the opposition's National Transitional Council (NTC) for all brigades outside its newly formed unified command structure to disband and lay down their arms.

...


http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gaddafi-cell-routed-by-libyan-rebels-20110801-1i6t7.html

[UnseenUndergrad]

80. I apologize but...

I just had to link this article to one of the smug anti-rebel threads in the LBN forum.

I know, it's not good for my blood pressure... but still.

[pinboy3niner]

82. No need to apologize...but Why even bother to post?

A quick look at some threads there shows that there's some broad-brush stereotyping-in-advance going on, characterizing interventionists and imagining what they think and how they'll respond. Isn't it a relief to know that the words have already been put in your mouth, your work already done for you? :)

Seriously, though, take care of yourself and don't let anonymous posters on a message board drive your BP through the roof. It's not worth it--and those posters won't affect the outcome of the revolution one whit.


:hi:

[UnseenUndergrad]

85. Alright.

I really don't have a BP problem, but just I hate stupidity. The BP problem was from another reply to me.

I'll just leave them to their own memes from now on.

[tabatha]

86. Here is some hilarious stupidity

TheTruthLibya TheTruthAboutLibya
Breaking news : Libyan army shot down a French aircraft carrier.

Jonny_Hallam Jonny Hallam
How can you shoot down an aircraft carrier? @TheTruthLibya Breaking news : Libyan army shot down a French aircraft carrier.

TheTruthLibya TheTruthAboutLibya
@Jonny_Hallam Libyan army bombed it.Huge explosions,so now it's useless.

Jonny_Hallam Jonny Hallam
@TheTruthLibya So you are saying the Gaddafi Army has shelled Charles De Gaulle (R91)? Rendering it useless?

[pinboy3niner]

90. Talk about burying the lead

The real news is: Nefarious NATO deploys FLYING aircraft carriers!1!! :)

[pinboy3niner]

71. Rebel forces capture 40 at Zliten, suffer 3 KIA and 4 WIA at al-Jawsh, Tiji today

A rebel commander has told Al Jazeera that opposition forces captured 40 pro-Gaddafi soldiers during fighting in Zliten today.

Fifteen opposition fighters were killed during hostilities today, the rebels say.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-2132

Juma Brahim, head of the rebel fighters' operational command in the Nafusa mountains, has told AFP that the death toll from fighting in al-Jawsh and Tiji today is three, with four fighters wounded.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-jul-31-2011-2144

[pinboy3niner]

74. More on rebel gains from The Guardian

West of the besieged city of Misrata, rebel units aided by intensive Nato bombing broke through the front line in several places, advanced nine miles and captured abandoned tanks, artillery and truck-mounted grad rocket launchers near the town of Zlitan.


Four of the huge 155mm guns were seen by the Guardian being hauled by grad trucks from the front line late on Saturday night. Fierce fighting for Zlitan continued on Sunday, bringing the death toll of rebel fighters over the weekend to 23, with more than 100 wounded and three civilians killed in shelling of Misrata city.


Rebel commanders claim that government forces appear to be disintegrating in many sectors. "The resistance today was not that much. I don't know, maybe he doesn't have an army," said Mohammed Elfituri of the Faisal (Sword) Brigade. "We thought that it would be hard work (but) we moved 15 kilometres." Similar gains were reported by rebel units pushing north from bases in the Nafusa mountains, who say they have captured one town, Hawamid, and surrounded a second, Tiji, 150 miles south west of Tripoli.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/31/libyan-rebels-benghazi-misrata-nafusa

[tabatha]

73. Comment from AJE

Obruny
I know this gets reported as in-fighting among Freedom Fighters. It`s not:

"Four rebels were killed in the clash with a pro-Kadhafi group in Benghazi overnight, a rebel spokesman said.
"It was a long battle and it took many hours because they were heavily armed," Mahmud Shamman told AFP. "In the end we arrested 31 of them. We
lost four people." He said the group, which suffered "about 20 casualties," was rounded up for its role in organising a prison break in Benghazi earlier in the week. Rebel forces had surrounded the camp of the group linked to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi after they refused to obey an order from the rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC) for all militias to disband and lay down their arms."
Africasia - AFP

Jerry Drawhorn
The group appears to be a "sleeper cell" of the Lijan Thuwriya (LT) or "The Revolutionary Committee of the People" (al-lijan al-thawriyah): al-Qaddafi's zealots and spies. Established in 1977 as the ideological vanguard of the Green Revolution, their members have a reputation as armed thugs who menace, beat up, and sometimes kill those who take issue with the regime. They serve as a parallel intelligence network and infiltrate all institutions of Libyan life: schools, businesses, markets, apartment houses, the police and the military, and even act as an internal affairs to the Intelligence Branch. Potential dissidents are referred to in religious terms: as heretics or apostates. The have the power to arrest and jail without permission from the other branches of government (police, military or judiciary). Many receive special weapons and training in assassination and interrogation. Being a Revolutionary Committee member is lucrative, too. Members receive special benefits -- such as cars and are promoted to senior government posts, in recognition of their personal loyalty to the colonel and his regime.

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&id=166935

Farsi’s file was only one among stacks of thousands stored in an internal security office on Benghazi’s Mediterranean waterfront, next to the main courthouse that has since been converted into the opposition’s political headquarters.

One day in late February, during the chaotic and bloody beginning of the uprising against Gaddafi, the building began to burn. Benghazi had become a warzone, and security officers and army troops were gunning down protesters in the street. On the day the building burned, security forces had left the office to respond to a mob that was trying to break into the city’s main security directorate, a few miles away.

A group of residents rushed to the burning building and broke down one of its locked doors. Among them was 36-year-old Awad Gheriani. As Gheriani’s group entered, he saw employees rush outside through another door. Gheriani assumed the fire had been ignited intentionally by security officials hoping to hide their work. Already, the blaze had destroyed rooms and made parts of the building impossible to reach. Gheriani and the others grabbed whatever they could and ran out. Among the pile under his arm was Farsi’s file.

The file’s 22 pages, containing a decades-long correspondence between various arms of the country’s security forces, points to the regime’s deep fear of the slightest opposition to Gaddafi’s rule, particularly from religious sources.

Yeah, Gaddafi's rule was the greatest!

[pinboy3niner]

75. At this rate, we'll soon be telling Josh:

"The thread is too damn long!"


:rofl:

[pinboy3niner]

76. NATO airstrikes Saturday, July 30

NATO said key targets hit on Saturday included:


-- Two military facilities, eight military vehicles and one tank in the vicinity of Brega


-- Two anti-aircraft systems in the vicinity of Tripoli


-- One ammunition storage facility in the vicinity of Waddan


-- One command-and-control node, two tanks, one military vehicle, one anti-aircraft system and one military facility in the vicinity of Zlitan


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76U08H20110731?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

81. Younis assassination magnifies divisions among Libyan rebels

As Ramadan dawns in Libya, internal strife among the opposition continues to frustrate their impatient western allies

Ian Black, Middle East editor
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 31 July 2011 21.07 BST


Libyans face extraordinary uncertainty as the Ramadan holiday gets under way, though Muammar Gaddafi's boastful claim that the tide of war is turning against his rebel enemies and their Nato supporters looks wildly premature.


"The will of the Libyan people is stronger than Crusader aggression," the "brother leader of the revolution" declared in his latest characteristically defiant address, pledging "never to abandon" the battle.


Gaddafi was quick to gloat about the mysterious assassination of Abdel Fatah Younis, his former interior minister who defected to become military commander of the Benghazi-based opposition. To Gaddafi it proved the movement is disorganised and incapable of running the country, just as, to his evident fury, it had won wide international – and then British – recognition as the legitimate government of Libya.


Tripoli has tried unsuccessfully from the beginning of the crisis to portray the rebels – who certainly include significant Islamist elements – as promoting an al-Qaida agenda, so ostensible evidence of internecine strife is useful for propaganda reasons. Yet it remains possible the "rogue" action that killed Younis may have been carried out by a "fifth column" working for the Gaddafi regime – no slouch when it comes to deception and clandestine operations. That explanation is, naturally enough, the one favoured by the National Transitional Council which is investigating the incident.

...


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/31/libya-younis-rebels-ramadan-analysis

[tabatha]

83. There have been few reports

of rebel division. I wish people would not write stuff like this. The Younis assassination has actually united the rebels more.

(Not shooting the messenger :-)

[pinboy3niner]

87. There have been a lot of those reports--by armchair 'analysts'

They call it rebel 'infighting' and say it's a bad sign for the opposition.

But if you look at what happened this morning, it looks pretty positive. Jalil said the NTC would crack down on independent militias, that they would either come under unified control of the council or they would be crushed. Then the NTC acted to make good on its threat--it fought against, and arrested, members of a militia that refused to comply.

Whether the unit was a religious extremist group or a Gaddafi 'fifth column,' the NTC succeeded in enforcing its policy. Ironically, it was the murder of Younes--something that was supposed to be a major blow for the rebels--that allowed the council to finally deal effectively with the militia problem.

The loss of Younes is a blow, but not the major setback that some portray it as. The unification of forces under NTC control may be far more important. I agree with you--the assassination does unite the rebels more.

And thanks for not shooting the messenger. The messenger REALLY appreciates it. :)

[tabatha]

89. Yep, you have to live to relay more messages. Good or bad.

[pinboy3niner]

92. The good, the bad and the ugly

That's what we report here. You can't make good decisions--or good policy--if all your information is filtered and distorted to favor one POV.

Some of our unreccers obviously have never bothered to read the threads.

[tabatha]

84. Amazigh Nafusa Mountains Berber Renaissance in Libyan Revolutionn

http://marcosalustro.photoshelter.com/gallery/Amazigh-Nafusa-Mountains-Berber-Renaissance-in-Libyan-Revolutionn/G00002VMrGuPDZQw

[tabatha]

88. Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now

Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now
#Gadafi loyal colonel working as intel officer captured in Sultan area east of #Libya Using Setl phone collecting frontline info for Gadafi.
28 minutes ago

Free Libya Now
Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now
#Gadafi still has access to #Benghazi, he is sending people to join sleeper cells in Free #Libya via Egypt & feri's from Misurata.
31 minutes ago

Free Libya Now
Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now
Head of Brigade suspected of killing AbdelFatah Younes, loyal to Gadafi named Jumah al Warfely captured at Egyptian Border crossing. #Libya
33 minutes ago

[David__77]

91. Ghazaia... completely deserted

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/KLASpEQZWv1ds7Yc1jgmCQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zMjU7cT04NTt3PTUxMg--/

The town of Ghazaia in western Libya is completely deserted three days after Libyan rebels drove out government forces, July 31, 2011. Rebels who seized Ghazaia in Libya's Western Mountain in a new offensive describe themselves as "liberators," but there were no cheers when they rolled in. Its estimated 5,000 residents, supporters of Muammar Gaddafi, had been transported to his stronghold Tripoli by his militiamen, leaving behind a ghost town. REUTERS/Bob Strong (LIBYA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST)

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/town-ghazaia-western-libya-completely-deserted-three-days-photo-220853304.html

...

"We would have liked to have been welcomed here. These people all liked Gaddafi. They benefitted from him," said a rebel named Majdi, standing beside rows of houses built by Libyans aided by soft loans from the government.

...

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76U09620110731

[tabatha]

96. A comment from Jerry Drawhorn on AJE

I seriously doubt that Ghazaia had 5000 residents. It was at most a 100 brick and mud buildings. Where'd they put all these people? And they are not actually asking the people of Al Ghazaia if they "all liked Gadaffi"...that' just the view of one of the rebels. It may be that despite the benefits, there was as much resentment as those in the mountains. Otherwise, why not arm them into a militia to fight the FF's? If there was dissatisfaction there would always be a threat of an underground opposition breaking out.

[David__77]

93. English-language LJBC Broadcast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlRSbowGh4k

With video of clashes in Benghazi (the license plate factory?)

[tabatha]

99. Here is a sequence of videos of that event

Go the first, and the next automatically plays

http://youtu.be/NOvt8RXbQ_8

[pinboy3niner]

94. Pic of a new pro-Gaddafi demo

By Reuters, posted on AJE...




Most of these guys don't look very enthusiastic, do they?

[backscatter712]

125. And you can see only 11 people in this picture.

If it was a big demonstration, they would have given us a panoramic view of the thousands of demonstrators. But since they didn't have thousands, they give us this...

[tabatha]

95. Ramadan brings back bitter memories for many Libyans

Ibrahim Shwehdi with a poster of his brother Sadiq, who was hanged in Benghazi, Libya, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in 1984. (David Zucchino, Los Angeles Times / July 31, 2011)
By David Zucchino,

For some it was the moment the revolution began: in 1984, when Kadafi, in an extraordinary display of brutality, held 11 public executions during the Muslim holy month.

Each year, when the holy month of Ramadan arrives, Ibrahim Shwehdi is gripped by ineffable sadness. A month of reflection and mercy is, for him, an occasion of grief and loss.

It was during Ramadan in 1984, just before Libyans sat down at sunset to break the daily fast, that Shwehdi’s brother Sadiq Hamed Shwehdi was hanged before a crowd at a Benghazi basketball arena.

The execution was televised live, and people across eastern Libya watched in horror as thousands in the arena cheered.

http://feb17.info/news/ramadan-brings-back-bitter-memories-for-many-libyans/

Cheered?

[pinboy3niner]

97. Good article

From my hometown (or at least home county) newspaper.

Many families in Libya were affected by Gaddafi's executions (public or not), torture and imprisonment of dissenters.

Another paragraph in the story stands out:

Ibrahim Shwehdi also paid a price for his family’s resistance to Kadafi. He was jailed and subjected to a torture known as falakah. The soles of his feet were beaten so badly that he now has to use a wheelchair.

[tabatha]

98. Libyan rebels crack down on rogue militias - Globe and Mail

Rebel military officials told The Globe and Mail that they have arrested at least two men in connection with the death of their top field commander, General Abdel Fatah Younis, whose mysterious assassination last week sparked the recent strife within their movement.

Those under investigation include Mustafa Rubaa, a rebel fighter who was entrusted with the responsibility of detaining Gen. Younis and bringing him in front of a panel of judges last week; the second man is Ahmed Bukhattalah, a long-bearded rebel from the coastal city of Darnah, a hotbed of Islamist sentiment.

Neither man has been charged with any crime, and rebel officials emphasized that they are only beginning to unravel a series of plots in Benghazi. Over the last four days, the rebel stronghold has witnessed the high-profile assassination of Mr. Younis, two major jailbreaks, and a seven-hour gun battle between rebel factions on the outskirts of the city.

The chaos has given a strong push to those within the rebel movement who have been trying to consolidate their militias into a more formal structure.

When asked why dangerous militias such as the Nida group could have been allowed to muster their forces in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, Mustafa El-Sagezly, the rebels’ deputy minister of the interior, blamed the tribal structure of Libyan society. “Since the issue of the tribes is sensitive, we did not want to stop them,” he said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/libyan-rebels-crack-down-on-rogue-militias/article2115805/

[David__77]

100. Loyalist reports of tribal and factional violence in Benghazi.

From Libya Fatherland Arabic-language forum (Google translation): http://tinyurl.com/3pznzfv

Counter-revolution in Benghazi

…the flame and the spark in all of these counter-revolution is the Benghazi killing of Younis Abdel-Fattah al-Obeidi.

Violent clashes between fighters of the Libyan army and rats in the city of Benghazi, killing four and injuring about thirty of the rats in these clashes on Sunday…

…

The threads go on to speak of alleged targeting of certain tribes in Benghazi, and the need to march east. Then there is a debate about how much planning is required for such an endeavor.

[David__77]

101. Loyalists Strike in Jalu

...

It appears that Col. Gadhafi’s troops also used the rebels’ moment of weakness to strike into their territory on Saturday, with a foray to the Jalu oasis, about 250 kilometres south of the sea, near the strategically important oil fields of Misla and Sarir. Rebels had been planning to restart oil production from those fields by Monday, giving them a vital supply of revenue, but the rebels did not say whether the attack would set back that schedule.

...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/libyan-rebels-crack-down-on-rogue-militias/article2115805/

[Iterate]

119. Gaddafi forces defeated near Jalu

The oldest first:
@hominoid555: #Libya… Heavy shelling on the city of #Jalu south of #Ajdabiya. 30 Jul

emmaomo2011 emmaomo
#Jalu: Shelling of Jalu by G thugs resulted to 8 civilian injuries including an 8 yr old child. #Libya 30 Jul
#Jalu: FF repelled attack on Jalu with G thugs suffering severe casualties and loss of equipment. FF had 9 injuries via zintan FB #Libya 30 Jul

LibyanLion17 A Free Libyan
Reports FFs managed to defeat the G troops in #Jalu today. #Libya #Feb17 30 Jul

dovenews Libyan™
#FF have killed 54 of Gaddafi forces & capture 12 SUV cars in #Jalu last Thursday unfortunately news was masked by the killing of #Younis
16 hours ago

All of these tweets were available when you posted, as was this, right above your head so to speak:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1611395&mesg_id=1611682

Part of the point of this thread is collaboration and it's hardly fair to shift the effort of correction and clarification to other people. It's unspoken, but the general rule is that if you post it, you own it. There is some responsibility on your part to follow up, to give some detail and background as best you can, and to make corrections when you learn more.

[David__77]

121. There was no correction to be made.

As context, I suppose that, at most, I could have said there was a "rebel report of 54 deaths of armed forces of the Tripoli authorities." I could find no other report of such claimed deaths besides from "dovenews Libyan™," who is busy not only producing claims of "54 deaths," but also praying for Allah to slay people in the spirit of Ramadan.

You demand for too much with your "unspoken rule." That is not how this board has worked for more than a decade of posting here. "Correction and clarification" is first and foremost always a political/editorial thing.

[pinboy3niner]

102. Libya rebels chase Kadhafi cells

Source: AFP

Libyan rebels rounded up at least 63 people in an ongoing bid to tighten security in the eastern city of Benghazi and rout armed groups loyal to Moamer Kadhafi, a spokesman told AFP.


"This morning we caught about 38 and later today more than 25," Mustafa al-Sagazly said.


The arrests come hot on the heels of a five-hour raid on a roadside factory, which rebels said was the base of operations of an armed group taking orders from Kadhafi's regime and suspected in the assassination of their army chief.


"Four of our fighters were killed in the operation," said Sagazly.


He said five Kadhafi loyalists were also killed in the clashes.

,,,


http://news.yahoo.com/libya-rebels-chase-kadhafi-cells-024107943.html

[tabatha]

103. Twitter Fritters Libya, July 31, 2011

Revolutionary fighters have freed around 150 families on the edges of Zleitan, more on #Libyaupdates, via @al_omari #Libya July31

by Hussein Al-Omari on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 10:22pm

(Sources: Aljazeera)

1. In the Western Mountain, the revolutionary fighters said that they surrounded the last stronghold of Gaddafi forces in the area, the town of Tiji, and they hope to have full control over it soon after having captured Al-Ghazaya, Al-Joush, ad Yatweet, and are ready to move into Gharyan, the largest city in the Western Mountain fro Gaddafi.

2. Capturing Tiji will boost the revolutionary fighters strategically and psychologically. It will also make it easy for them to reach the fast highway leading to Tripoli after having captured several towns in their latest attack that stretch over 200 Km in the barren mountainous area along the Tunisian borders.

3. The revolutionary fighters are now closer than any time before from the center of Zleitan. The revolutionary fighters were able to capture the town of Souq Al-Thulatha on the eastern side of Zleitan, 50 Km west of Misrata.

4. The revolutionary fighters reached the eastern side of Zleitan after fierce clashes after which they entered a military camp for Gaddafi forces and advanced 3 Km to get too close to the downtown of Zleitan.

http://carolv27.tumblr.com/post/8326266806/revolutionary-fighters-have-freed-around-150-families

Interesting:

23. The head of the union of the revolutionary fighters units Fawzi Boukatef said that the battle field leaders receive threats every day from Gaddafi forces using phone calls, SMS messages, or sending messengers.

[pinboy3niner]

104. Libya rebels making steady progress in western mountains

Source: Washington Post

By William Booth, Sunday, July 31, 3:56 PM


JAWSH, Libya — Libyan rebels battling on multiple fronts attacked and held ground Sunday in committed fighting that reached from a besieged oil refinery city in the east to the rugged desert mountain towns in the west.


Revolutionary brigades in the western Nafusa Mountains are fighting on four active fronts, making slow but steady progress — and galloping ahead in search-and-destroy commando operations — in their drive to control vital highways that crisscross the barren hills and desert plains just beyond the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

...


The rebels appear split between their hunger to press forward and the fear that they will beaten back. An exhausted infantry commander, who fought for hours to take the town of Tekut in the western mountains, said “we need to hold this territory and advance slowly.”


But the impatience is palpable. “The important thing is we need to go. Time is running out. We have to liberate our country,” said Salah Matouk, a colonel who defected from Gaddafi’s army in March to fight in the western mountains.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/libya-rebels-making-steady-progress-in-western-mountains/2011/07/31/gIQAvnf3lI_story.html

[pinboy3niner]

106. With rebels in charge, life returns to Libyan town

August 1, 2011 2:41 AM


(AP) NALUT, Libya — For months, this front-line community in range of Moammar Gadhafi's rockets was a town of men — rebel fighters, doctors, drivers and others needed for the war. Women and children were sent to safety in nearby Tunisia.


Now Nalut is slowly coming back to life.


Thousands of refugees, their belongings crammed into the backs of pickup trucks, have returned in the past three days. They were lured by the prospect of safety after rebel fighters, pushing back Gadhafi's men in their biggest offensive in this area after months of military deadlock, freed Nalut from the threat of shelling.


Returnees are coming home to a town with meager resources: only two of 11 bakeries are open, most stores have nothing to sell and electricity is off more than it is on.


But spirits are high after the recent battlefield successes.

...


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/31/ap/middleeast/main20086150.shtml

[pinboy3niner]

107. Report: 25 found dead in boat carrying refugees off Italy coast

By the CNN Wire Staff

August 1, 2011 3:08 a.m. EDT


(CNN) -- Italian authorities found 25 dead bodies in a boat that was carrying refugees and was discovered off the coast of the southern island of Lampedusa, an Italian official news agency reported Monday.


The bodies of the victims -- all males -- were found during an inspection of the boat after it was accompanied ashore, the ANSA news agency said. Officials could not immediately say how the men died nor did they know from where the boat departed.


The boat was also carrying 271 other passengers, including 36 women and 21 children, the news agency said.


Lampedusa, the closest Italian island to Africa, has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter European Union countries.

...


http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/08/01/italy.boat.bodies/

[David__77]

108. Interview with American Couple in Libya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPUve5qZOSI&feature=BFa&list=ULWXhHnutqvCU&index=206

[pinboy3niner]

109. A Gaddafi propaganda video?

You're kidding, right?

[joshcryer]

110. Ties to Susan Lindauer. Not credible.

Nice that she has internet access in Libya whereas the vast majority of Libyans do not.

[joshcryer]

111. It gets better: Avalon International Trusteeship, Petro-connected Libyan Corp

http://directory.ly/company/green-libya-petro-services-inc-4cdfa5c0b50a3.html">GREEN LIBYA Petro-Services Inc., acts as a conglomerate of companies dedicated to perfection and absolute customer satisfaction; namely

TERRA Management Ltd., in engineering services for industrial sector.
ERW Solutions Ltd. (Demining & UXO), Seismic Analysis Ltd., of UK.
The Development Initiative of Zimbabwe.
Avalon International Trusteeship.

The core business of the group-network is to provide excellent services and supplies to oil production and oil field services companies operating within the territory of North Africa.

http://www.nvannualreport.com/entities-DNPC-AVALON-INTERNATIONAL-TRUSTEESHIP.aspx">AVALON INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEESHIP

Status: Active File Date: 10/22/2001
Entity Type: Domestic Non-Profit Corporation File Number: C28328-2001
Annual List Due: 10/31/2011 List Fees Due: $25.00 (Estimate)
Entity Age: 10 Years, 10 Months


Registered Agent: Incorp Services, Inc.

2360 Corporate Circle Ste 400
Henderson, NV 89074-7722

President
Joanne H Moriarty
375 Stephanie St
Suite 1411
Henderson, NV 89014

Director
James R Moriarty
375 N Stephanie St
Suite 1411
Henderson, NV 89014

Nice try David, please fact check next time.

[pinboy3niner]

112. Thanks, Josh

I was about to post:

Internet access? They're in a regime studio...
...with a portrait of "Brother Leader" on the wall.

Gaddafi shored up support with dispensations from the Libyan treasury. I wonder what these two got.

You answered my question.

[joshcryer]

113. Global Peace Libya (a pro-Gaddafi propaganda agent) claims they got $2 million...

...and were using Susan Lindauer's name http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/moriarty-nato-is-destroying-libya/#comment-17154">without her permission. Which makes the link even more hilarious.

[David__77]

120. I wasn't "trying" anything.

Actually, I tried to find out more about this Moriarty couple, but didn't come up with anything. It was pretty clear that the couple had an a priori position.

It's useful to document these things. I'll have to look into this Avalon group. But I didn't get the impression this couple was concealing that they had been working in Libya for years. Their site is: http://www.libyanpeopleneedhelp.com/ It is curious, because it would seem they previously worked in oil, which makes sense since it's Libya.

So the woman said she's friends with Lindauer? Are you saying you think Lindauer was an Iraqi or Libyan agent, as charged?

[joshcryer]

161. It's pretty easy to spot propaganda, imo. Lindauer was found mentally unfit...

...I think she's just a pawn, as I feel most people who fall for tyrannical belief systems are. It's the whole reason these two people have exploited her and the Global Peace Libya people, pure exploitation of weak minded individuals.

[Iterate]

143. Oh nicely done.

I had seen it on the 30th but dismissed it because of a personal irritation with American tourists and their belief that a few weeks (or even years) is enough to claim you understand another entire nation and culture. Never imagined there was such a good back story.

If you ever want a third career of sleuthing it wouldn't take long to come up with a list of similar propagandists.

[pinboy3niner]

114. Rebels withdraw from al-Jawash

A fresh update from the Nafusa mountains offensive launched last week by the Libyan rebels – the big push that the rebel National Transitional Council hoped would free up a key supply route from the Tunisian border and prise several towns from Muammar Gaddafi's control.

James Bays, Al-Jazeera's journalist covering the offensive, is reporting this morning that the rebels pulled out of one of those towns, Al Jawsh, last night. Bays tweets:

Opp fighters confirm they withdrew from Al Jawash at nightfall ... Opp fighters say they withdrew because Grad bombardment, ammo truck hit. Death and injuries ... A fighter who was in Al Jawsh until sunset tells me anti-aircraft guns had been seizing up due to sandstorm.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/middle-east-live/2011/aug/01/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest-live#block-10

Some spell this, "al-Josh," which makes me wonder why they named it after you-know-who. :)

[joshcryer]

115. I went into Popeye's awhile back for some chicken livers (oh you and I and our crap diets)...

...and the cashier asked my name, on the receipt she had written "Jawsh." :)

I loves me some chicken livers though I could use less cholesterol. :)

[pinboy3niner]

117. What do you mean, "our" 'crap diets'? Speak for yourself, Jawsh.

You know that I only dine at the finest gourmet restaurants.

The ones that give you free McRefills on your coffee. :)

[pinboy3niner]

116. SYRIA: President Obama's statement on the violence

I am appalled by the Syrian government's use of violence and brutality against its own people. The reports out of Hama are horrifying and demonstrate the true character of the Syrian regime.

Once again, President Assad has shown that he is completely incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate grievances of the Syrian people. His use of torture, corruption and terror puts him on the wrong side of history and his people ... In the days ahead, the United States will continue to increase our pressure on the Syrian regime, and work with others around the world to isolate the Assad government and stand with the Syrian people.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/middle-east-live/2011/aug/01/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest-live#block-14

[Iterate]

118. Ibn Thabit: The Battle for Tikout

The Battle for Tikout
Blog from Libya Aug 1, 2011
By Ibn Thabit
you can follow Ibn Thabit on Twitter @IbnThabit or visit his website at www.ibnthabit.net

I woke up at around 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning and had a couple of glasses of milk and some cookies for suhour. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to fast the entire day, but I made my intentions nonetheless, knowing that since I was fasting voluntarily I could break it at any time.

I arrived at my brigade’s school just as the call for Fajr prayers began. Everyone was already awake, preparing their gear for the day ahead. Our brigade has got to be one of the most diverse in the Nafusa Mountains. We have people from Zuara, Benghazi, Darna, Zliten, Nalut, and even Tripoli–from many corners of Libya. Among them are engineers, cafe owners, high school graduates and some repats. To say that we are all like true brothers is one thing, but to truly live it is another. When food is served, nobody sticks their spoon into the gus’aa until everyone is seated comfortably and ready to eat. You never see anyone standing around while others are eating. We make sure that everyone is fed, even random visitors. If somebody doesn’t have a spoon, we all volunteer to give them our own and either get another one or eat with our hands. We share and give away our clothes. If someone has even a few dinars in his pocket, and one of us is going to hit the road to Tunisia, for example, we offer it to one another. And when our brothers come back from the frontline, we embrace each other with the kind of happiness and relief that you should feel if your own brother escaped death.

Thursday morning at Fajr, everyone seemed even more focused on their salat and devotions. When the iqamah was made, I could feel the sincerity of my brothers in the room. During the second rak’ah, the Imam broke into tears and some wept along with him.

We were supposed to take off right away after Fajr, but it took us a while to gather all of our munitions and even to organize into our groups. Our main commander, who was injured and not taking part in the day’s excursion, made a couple of rounds of inspections and decreed that the least experienced fighters will have to stay and watch the compound. Some accepted being pulled back without any argument, some argued and uttered profanities, and one even cried. The only reason I was allowed to go was because I had a video camera, and my job was simply to record the action, which turned out be no small task.

more, with video... http://enoughgaddafi.com/?p=802

[tabatha]

122. Tweet

Liberty4Libya Free Libya Now
by Tripliano
Documents found at raided #Gadafi loyal brigade camp named Al Nida, includes a hit list. Abdel Fatah Younes is first on the List. #Libya RT
5 hours ago

This has been reported elsewhere in NT (not tweets) - that there was a list of names including that of Younes found. That Younes was first on the list was not reported before. It's a tweet - if other supportive data found, will post.

[David__77]

123. Gadhafi official urges Filipinos to come to Libya

http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.3066466.1312211715!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg

Photo credit: AP | Abdulhadi Lahweej, right, Libya's Undersecretary for Expatriates, Immigrants and Refugee Affairs, and Hussain Masoud, an embassy staff, show photos and videos of alleged atrocities by rebels which he referred to as "Islamic extremist" who are using "Al-Qaida methods" during a news conference at the financial district of Makati, south of Manila, Philippines Monday Aug. 1, 2011. Lahweej urged Filipino workers to return to Libya, saying the capital Tripoli remains peaceful and violence is confined to rebel-controlled areas. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

(AP) -- A visiting Libyan official urged Filipino workers Monday to return to Libya, saying its capital was peaceful and violence was confined to rebel-controlled areas.

Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Philippines is maintaining its policy not to deploy workers there.

...

http://www.newsday.com/news/gadhafi-official-urges-filipinos-to-come-to-libya-1.3066467

(Besides the main topic, I find it strange the the Filipino government "deploys" workers abroad. Perhaps this is a misstatement in the article?)

[tabatha]

124. Lies. Damned lies.

There are no Al Qaida in Libya.
Libya Regime has committed atrocities on a daily basis.
Both ICC and HRW have data on this.
Remember HRW reported on the looting by the rebels - that is they are impartial.

This was written by HRW
Handing Qaddafi a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/opinion/01iht-eddicker01.html

[Iterate]

126. Libya rebels take Zlitan as RAF clears way after two-month struggle

Libya rebels take Zlitan as RAF clears way after two-month struggle
Chris Stephen in Misrata and Richard Norton-Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 August 2011 20.19 BST

Libyan rebels have entered the town of Zlitan after a weekend of heavy fighting in which Nato escalated its bombing campaign in the runup to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
...

Opposition fighters said the town, which they have struggled to capture for eight weeks, was quiet on Monday, with no sign of government troops. We are in the town centre and we have the hospital," said rebel fighter Yunus Al-Haq. "It's good for the spirit."

But securing the town for the opposition depends on clearing one final obstacle – agreement from the elders of the town's Fowater tribe that Misratan fighters can be "invited" to occupy Zlitan.

After that, rebel commanders expect government forces to pull back to Al Khums, 22 miles to the west. Despite the capture of tanks and heavy artillery over the weekend, rebel units are too lightly armed to contemplate a headlong rush to Tripoli. They have evolved a strategy of pressing against government lines, forcing Muammar Gaddafi to deploy forces in concentrations that provide inviting targets for Nato.

more... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/01/libya-rebels-take-zlitan-raf-clears

I don't care if it is the Guardian, I still think of it as "maybe" until confirmed by more sources.

ETA this from AJE, which hasn't been updated for several hours. Most will remember that the discussion of the occupation of Zlitan has bee ongoing for many weeks.

4 hours 4 min ago - Libya
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid has just been reporting live from just outside the western town of Zlitan, where rebel forces are advancing.

"I can confirm that the opposition's fighters are on the outskirts of Zlitan ... from the vantage point where we were earlier, we could see the town of Zlitan a few kilometres away. So they really are on the outskirts of the town. It's still a very fluid situation, Gaddafi forces are putting up a battle. Opposition fighters have told us that yesterday actually several tanks of Gaddafi forces have tried to pierce through their defensive lines. So still we can't say that that area is under control, but they have reached it.

They need to enter the town of Zlitan, they say that is the biggest urban area before Tripoli, that's about 150km west of Zlitan. But it is a risky business. For one, they will admit to you that there are residents inside Zlitan who openly say that they support Colonel Gaddafi. There are other residents who say that they do not want to see the rebels, because they actually don't back either side. So that's one big challenge for them.

The second big challenge is that so far, as they were pushing, most of the battles were in open fields, in open areas. Now that they are at the outskirts of Zlitan, they're actually in an area where there are some residential homes. As far as we could tell, most of the people who are living there fled that area, but they know that there are civilians inside Zlitan and if they go inside Zlitan it could turn into street-fighting, and that's where the NATO mandate comes into question, because NATO is supposed to protect civilians regardless where the fire is coming from. So it is a big problem for them."
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-aug-1-2011-1844

ETA one more:
feb17voices Feb 17 voices
AJA: rebels in #Zliten were able to advance to center of the city in today's fighting #Libya. 58 minutes ago

[David__77]

130. True. Will NATO bomb anyone firing rockets into a residential neighborhood?

If a rebel tank is firing, will it get bombed? If the rebels refrain from taking those steps, they would have difficulty pacifying certain areas.

[tabatha]

127. Nafusa Mountains resist Kadhafi

Libya's Nafusa Mountains were long neglected by Moamer Kadhafi's regime. Home to a large Amazigh population, they were among the first to rise up after the February 17th revolution. To learn more about how the mountain communities are faring in the months-long war, Magharebia spoke to Nalut native Issa al-Nalouti.

He read the town's oath that renounced Kadhafi's control and pledged support to the Transitional National Council. Al-Nalouti eventually escaped the mountains through the Wazen-Dhiba border crossing with Tunisia and then boarded a plane to Benghazi, where he sat down with Magharebia to explain the situation.

Magharebia: What are the conditions in Nalut?

Issa Al-Nalouti: As far as the geography of Nalut is concerned, it is located on the mountain. Kadhafi's battalions are stationed at the mountain foothill. The roads leading to Nalut are under the revolutionaries' control. However, the battalions that came from Tripoli are based at the areas of Tiji and Badr, and most of Jafara plain is also under the control of Kadhafi's battalions.

As to the areas over the mountain, they are all under revolutionaries' control. Nalut has a population of 25,000 people. The city joined the revolution on February 19th through the young people of the area who actually played an effective role. They set fire to the revolutionary committee headquarters and other facilities that were symbols of the former regime. There was no resistance on the part of the internal or external security units. After that, daily marches started to be organised in the city calling for the removal of regime.

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/07/29/feature-02

[tabatha]

128. Amazigh Culture Finally Recognized in Tunisia

A new association called Tunisian Amazigh (Berber) Culture Association saw the light recently within the Tunisian civil society. It’s the first association ever to take care of Berbers and the Amazigh culture in Tunisia after a period of marginalization and neglect that lasted centuries and intensified under the rule of the two former Presidents.

Berber villages, culture and language have not totally vanished from Tunisia, though they were suppressed for many years. They have always been a vibrant minority, especially in the southern parts of Tunisia such as Matmata, Tamezret, Zeraoua, Taoujout et Toujane.

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/08/01/amazigh-culture-finally-recognized-in-tunisia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=amazigh-culture-finally-recognized-in-tunisia


“Women, Culture of Citizenship and Democracy” (May 13 - but still interesting)
A meeting was held on Thursday in Tunis with representatives of several political parties and officials from the ministries of Women Affairs and Culture discussing the theme of, ” Women, Culture of Citizenship and Democracy.”

Lilia Laabidi, the Minister of Women Affairs said,”This meeting is to foster the opening of the ministry on its national environment and learn more about the various components of the political scene in Tunisia after the revolution of January 14.” She added that restoring confidence between the people and state institutions and raising the culture of citizenship and democracy are a priority.

Representatives of political parties taking part in the occasion highlighted the importance of the principle of parity between men and women on electoral lists for the Constituent Assembly. Moreover, they have called for the creation of a national front to fight against attempts by “reactionary forces” to undermine the gains of women, including the code of personal status.

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/05/13/women-culture-of-citizenship-and-democracy/

[tabatha]

129. Shame South Africa - RamadanMassacre

South Africa suffered through apartheid and it took an international BDS* campaign to liberate it. Also blocking UN vote on #RamadanMassacre

*Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions

[David__77]

132. South Africa will not support anything that could lay a legal framework for military action.

It's that simple.

And during the 1980s, the ANC was not calling on Cuban troops or Angolan troops to march into South Africa.

South Africa was liberated due to the armed liberation struggle of the South African people. With their stones, guns, knives, and matches, they fought the settlers.

[tabatha]

135. You really have a simplistic idea of some events.

I am South African - don't live there anymore, but the rest of my family does.
I supported anti-apartheid activity when I was there.

The boycott and sanctions played a major part in ending apartheid.
And by the way, the action on the part of the black demonstrators was for the most part peaceful.
They were shot and killed when they had no weapons.
"With their stones, guns, knives, and matches, they fought the settlers." is the most ridiculous sentence I have ever read.
One of the most powerful actions they took were work stoppages. Money speaks louder than sticks and knives.

I was at a conference where I heard this man speak.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_van_Zyl_Slabbert
Many public figures in South Africa paid tribute to Van Zyl Slabbert for the role he played in ending apartheid.<5><2><6>
In 2004, Van Zyl Slabbert was voted 82nd in the Top 100 Great South Africans.

I had conversations with people whose friends were the Mandelas.
I know someone who once worked in Mandela's government. She was in my home one evening with relatives, when she visited this country.
I have read many books about what really happened on all sides of the ending of apartheid.

I do believe that Mandela would support a statement condemning what is going in Syria. Even Russia has.

[David__77]

138. It was put simply because I didn't want to write for an hour.

Anti-apartheid may be conceptually very broadly defined. Helen Suzman, for instance, was held up as anti-apartheid by many, but she didn't always advocate one person, one vote. Lots of white liberals were quaking at the thought of a real, popular republic where National Democratic Revolution would play out (as it is). She and Frederik van Zyl Slabbert were useful, to be sure, but never destined to lead after the overthrow of fascist apartheid.

ANC and PAC (and some others too) certainly did fight with weapons. Bombs were planted which killed people, and spies and traitors were killed as well. The armed fight supported the other mass democratic activities like strikes and boycotts. The ANC saw that these were part of the same strategy. It was to make things ungovernable, which meant fighting the state power directly and indirectly.

As for Mandela, I do not believe that he has made a statement regarding Libya. Has he? I do know that he has had a tendency, even in quite recent times, to stand by his historical friends. Gaddafi was one of those, certainly - at least according to Mandela. Mandela's silence could mean something, but who knows? Probably at his advanced age he is basically retired from public life, and it's a rather sterile debate. But I suppose Zuma will decide S. Africa's course on any resolutions, and he Mandela did campaign for his election.

[tabatha]

162. There is something basic that you are missing here:

You have put together a lot of words, without any theme running through them - just a few sentences that may be vaguely correct, or that say nothing.

Consider
Palestine, Syria, Bahrain - violence, uprisings,demonstrations - no democracy
Saudi Arabia - don't even think about it

Egypt - uprising, some violence - ruler out, limited democracy
Tunisia - uprising, some violence - ruler out, possible democracy

Libya - uprising, and revolutionary battles - how will it turn out?

In all of the above, the dominant factor is that democracy does not happen where there is a strong leader backed by money and military strength. Democracy does not happen if the ruling party is not prepared to negotiate.

Bloody war in South Africa was avoided because the people in power were prepared to talk. Was Mandela released by force - no. he was released by people willing to negotiate. Those in power could have stuck to their guns and not budged an inch, much like Assad, Gaddafi, etc. The latter consider themselves rulers for life, and any "citizens" wanting democracy are to be exterminated like rats. Assad has killed more people by a large factor than NATO has in Libya.

That is, for the change to have occurred peacefully in South Africa, meant that the ruling party had to negotiate to end to Apartheid. There was NO OTHER WAY. Otherwise, it would have ended up in civil war much like what happened to Rhodesia.

So, why were the Whites in SA prepared to negotiate.
a) Most White South Africans are sports nuts, and it irked them like hell that they could not compete internationally.
b) Many White South Africans traveled abroad and could not stand being viewed as a pariah country.
c) Sanctions were beginning to bite badly. Black South Africans said they did not care if they suffered - they were the most likely to suffer - because they wanted to get rid of Apartheid.
d) There was an enormous brain drain of Whites who did not like Apartheid and the pariah status of SA.
e) The Rand was sinking fast. The conference that I attended where van Zyl Slabbert spoke --- he basically said that it could not continue like this. Something had to change.

That is, "Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions" worked on changing the attitudes of most White people (because it affected their self interest) more than any violence by the ANC. See note at end of article.

And as for "van Zyl Slabbert" being useful -

"His efforts led to the Dakar conference of 1987, which took place between the anti-apartheid movement and leading (mainly Afrikaner) politicians, academics and businessmen in Senegal.<3> This conference represented the first step towards dismantling apartheid and informed subsequent negotiations (CODESA) which changed the course of South Africa's history."

- something that changed the course of history of South Africa's history, is hardly just "useful". It is highly significant; being described as useful is an insult.

So what I am saying is that democracy only occurs in countries where the rulers are prepared to negotiate with all of the citizens, to relinquish autocratic power. South Africa did. Libya is not. Syria is not. Iran is not. Saudia Arabia would not. Bahrein would not.

Get the picture?? You seem to be on the wrong side of democracy. Why don't you try and persuad Gaddafi to be like the Whites of South Africa to negotiate democracy with the Gaddafi clan stepping down?

NOTE - and this will apply to statements by Gaddafi about Tripoli being safe.

During Apartheid, I used to walk the streets of Johannesburg alone, catching buses in the morning and at night to and from work. I used to catch the train from Johannesburg to outside suburbs, walking along with hundreds of African workers, usually going to the same place. I never heard of anyone being shot.

After 1994, I personally know three people who were shot - one is paralyzed for life, another died, another nearly died but has fully recovered. I was heartbroken to hear that Lucky Dube, despite helping the anti-Apartheid movement, was shot to death in front of his children. I attended a lecture in the Cape where the violence in South Africa was discussed - the people most affected by it are the people in poverty in townships. White citizens have lots of burglar alarms, dogs, high-fences and gated communities. Do I think the residents of the townships are bad because of the violence. No. I understand that where there is a desperate shortage of jobs and income, crime usually results. It would happen no matter what one's color.

To me,
Libya = old South Africa = Iran = Syria = Bharein = North Korea,
where the wishes of the citizens mean diddly squat.

At least, those in power in South Africa took into consideration the wishes of the citizens, and hence there is a new South Africa. Gaddafi why don't you follow that example?

[pinboy3niner]

131. LIBYAN REVOLUTION DAY 166: CURRENT TIME IN LIBYA = 12:01 AM TUESDAY, AUGUST 2

Libya time = EDT +6 hours, PDT +9 hours, UTC +1 hour, GMT +2 hours

[pinboy3niner]

133. Turkey does not intend to halt actions of Libyan Embassy in Ankara

Monday, August 1, 2011

Sevil Küçükkoşum

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News


Turkey does not yet plan to sever bilateral relations with the Libyan regime and will thus not work further to halt the actions of the current Libyan Embassy in Ankara, a Foreign Ministry official said Monday.


“Since we have not broken off state-to-state relations with the Tripoli administration yet, the Libyan Embassy in Ankara remains functioning,” the official told the Hürriyet Daily News.


Though there are not “any issues to communicate through the Libyan Embassy right now,” the official said Turkey did not rule out making contact with the Tripoli administration to reach an agreement to solve the Libyan crisis.


Ankara is meanwhile open to the establishment of a representation office in Turkey for the Libyan opposition’s Benghazi-based administration. “They asked us to open a representation office in Ankara and we positively responded to that,” the official said. “We have been expecting the Benghazi administration to notify a name for their representation office.”

...


http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey-does-not-intend-to-halt-actions-of-libyan-embassy-in-ankara-2011-08-01

[pinboy3niner]

134. France - $259m to Libya rebels

2011-08-01 21:06


Paris - France is to hand over $259m in funds confiscated from Muammar Gaddafi and his inner circle to Libya's opposition Transitional National Council (TNC), the Foreign Ministry in Paris announced on Monday.

The TNC would be able to use the funds "for purchases of a humanitarian nature," the ministry said in a short statement following a meeting between Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and the TNC's newly-appointed envoy to Paris, Mansour Seyf al-Nasr.

...


http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/France-259m-to-Libya-rebels-20110801

[pinboy3niner]

136. Slain Libyan rebel's family demand progress on probe

Mon Aug 1, 2011 10:08pm GMT


By Rania El Gamal

BENGHAZI, Libya Aug 1 (Reuters) - The family of the Libyan rebels' slain military commander said on Monday little effort was being made to find out who had killed him in what they called an act involving conspiracy, treason and betrayal.

...


"Unfortunately, the Transitional National Council is acting very negatively with this case until now," Muatsem Abdel Fattah Younes told Reuters in an interview at his late father's ranch.


He said if a committee formed to investigate the killing made little headway, the family would turn for help to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which has issued an arrest warrant for Gaddafi over alleged crimes against humanity.

"This is a clear and direct warning: if this committee fails or drags on, we will refer the case to the international tribunal," he said.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE7701D620110801?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

140. Family of Gen. Younis demands open investigation of murder, speedy trials of killers

Family members of Abdul Fatah Younis, the Libyan rebel commander assassinated last week, have demanded an open investigation and speedy trials for this killers.

Confusion still hangs over the murder, which the rebel leadership says was the work of pro-Gaddafi forces; others say Younis was killed by a faction within the rebels.

Younis's son and nephew blamed "traitors" in Libya's rebel-held east, according to the Associated Press. His son, Moatasim Abdul Fatah, told the news agency he believed "individuals among us" carried out the killing, "first to stop this revolution and secondly to incite violence in liberated cities".


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/aug/02/syria-libya-and-middle-east-unrest-live-updates#block-5

[CJvR]

137. Chavez backing his buddy again.

Chavez also reiterated his support for Moammar Gadhafi, reading a letter he recently received from the embattled Libyan leader.

In the letter, Gadhafi said he was praying for Chavez's health and decried what he called a global conspiracy against Libya.

Chavez and Gadhafi have a close relationship, having bonded partly over shared opposition to the United States' global influence. In 2009, a new football stadium in Libya was named after Chavez.

The Venezuelan leader has spoken out numerous times since unrest erupted in Libya, accusing the United States and other countries of blowing the situation out of proportion to justify an invasion.

On Monday, Chavez applauded with his Cabinet ministers as they chanted, "Long live Moammar Gadhafi."

"Brother, we are with you and we are with Libya," he said, saluting toward the camera.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/08/01/venezuela.chavez/index.html

[pinboy3niner]

139. Western allies move cautiously on Libyan assets

U.S. and other nations are eager to help the Libyan rebel council gain access to Kadafi's funds frozen abroad. But they want to make sure his regime can't also get to the money.

By Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times

August 2, 2011


Reporting from Washington— The Obama administration and allied governments have begun a quiet effort to prevent their latest move to strengthen Libyan rebels from backfiring and delivering a huge cash windfall to Moammar Kadafi.


This month, the United States and dozens of other governments recognized the dominant Libyan rebel group as the legitimate government of Libya. The move was intended to open the way for the Transitional National Council to collect billions of dollars that have been frozen since March under United Nations Security Council resolutions.


But U.S. officials, allies and the rebels now fear that lifting the freeze to give the rebels access to the funds could also allow the Kadafi government to get its hands on some of the money that oil-rich Libya has invested around the world. If so, the cash could give an important boost to the Kadafi regime at a moment when it appears to be running out of funds to pay its mercenaries and other costs of the 5-month-old civil war.


"It's important to keep the money under close control," said Ali Aujali, the rebels' envoy to Washington. "This is a very delicate issue; we can't afford to let Kadafi and the regime have access to the money."

...


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-money-20110802,0,6266261.story

[pinboy3niner]

141. War to go on even if NATO bombing ends -Gaddafi camp

Tue Aug 2, 2011 10:18am GMT

• Gaddafi son pledges to fight on, irrespective of NATO

• NATO drops leaflets, bombs at start of Ramadan


By Missy Ryan and Mussab Al-Khairalla


TRIPOLI/ZLITAN, Libya, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's camp has vowed to push on with its war against rebels whether or not NATO stops its bombing campaign, leaving little room for diplomacy to end the five-month conflict.


The rebels and their Western backers kept up the pressure on the veteran leader as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began, with NATO bombing military targets and dropping leaflets over the capital calling on loyalists to give up.

...


"Fasting has only increased our determination and resolve to defeat the brigades of the tyrant (Gaddafi) to liberate Zlitan entirely, God willing, and make our way to our capital Tripoli, God willing," said frontline rebel commander Husam Hussein.


Hussein and his men were preparing late on Monday to break the first day of fasting after consolidating gains made in recent days on the eastern outskirts of Zlitan.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7710D520110802?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

142. NATO airstrikes Monday, August 1

Key Hits 01 AUGUST:


In the vicinity of Bir Al Ghanam: 2 Military Facilities, 2 Anti Aircraft Systems.


In the vicinity of Gharyan: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility,


In the vicinity of Tripoli: 1 Military Facilities, 2 Surface to Air Missile System, 1 Military Storage Facility, 1 Radar.


In the vicinity of Waddan: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility.


In the vicinity of Zlitan: 1 Command and Control Node, 1 Military Facility .


http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_08/20110802_110802-oup-update.pdf

[Iterate]

144. Irishman swaps Dublin's nightlife for Libya's frontlines

Irishman swaps Dublin's nightlife for Libya's frontlines
By Michael Georgy
NEAR TIJI, Libya | Mon Aug 1, 2011 2:14pm EDT

(Reuters) - As Libyan rebels braced for more desert fighting in the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, one of them explained battlefield dangers - in a thick Dublin accent.

"They have ammunition to burn while we are running out of ammunition," said Irishman Husam Najjair, who, after a decade abroad, is taking part in a new offensive against government forces in the plains below Libya's Western Mountains.

Once a building contractor who partied hard in Dublin's lively pubs after work, he now belongs to The Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade, one of the rebel forces struggling to end Muammar Gaddafi's decades-old autocratic rule.

The son of an Irish mother and Libyan father, he decided to give up the good life after reports alleging that government troops were committing atrocities to quell Libya's uprising.

more... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/01/us-libya-rebels-irishman-idUSTRE77042120110801

[pinboy3niner]

145. Rebel forces say they pushed into the centre of Zlitan in a pre-dawn attack earlier today

Rebel forces say they pushed into the centre of Zlitan in a pre-dawn attack earlier today, sparking clashes with Gaddafi's forces in the town.

"The rebels advanced today inside Zlitan to control the centre. Now there is a vicious fight with Gaddafi's forces," said Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani, a military spokesman based in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

Zlitan lies about 120km east of Tripoli, the capital


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-aug-2-2011-1548

[pinboy3niner]

147. Gaddafi forces counterattack at Zlitan today--Al Jazeera

35 sec ago - Libya

Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid has just been on with us from outside a hospital in Misrata which is dealing with the wounded from fighting in Zlitan between rebels and pro-government forces.

"(The hospital) is coping, (it's) very difficult, because there was a really amount of wounded that have been coming here throughout the day. It is a little bit calmer now ... I spoke to some of the fighters who have just arrived from the front line. (...)


"Apparently, early this morning, when the fighters were off guard really, they admit to that, the Gaddafi forces, with tanks according to what they say, flanked them in a sort of a way to isolate them. And that's when they came under attack. They were taken by surprise, it was an all-out offensive according to several of the fighters I spoke to, along the entire line they had on the outskirts of Zlitan.


"At this particular moment I can't tell you how much they pulled back. Earlier, several fighters told me they had pulled back - the situation is still extremely fluid. It is also a time of the day where usually the fighting sort of slows down a bit because of the heat, and I think it's expected that in a couple of hours it will pick up again.


"It's so hard for several reasons. First of all, Zlitan is strategic. Not only for the opposition fighters but for the government forces as well. It is the last major urban area I would say before Tripoli, 150km away from Tripoli. And after that there are really small towns. So Gaddafi forces are there in big numbers. We are told that actually the 32nd Brigade of the Gaddafi forces are there, and that's a brigade that comes under direct control under one of sons, Khamis.


"It is also very difficult for the opposition fighters for the very simple reaosn that they've been getting very mixed messages from the residents of Zlitan. Some of them clearly support Col Gaddafi, and have told the opposition fighters. Others have told them that if come closer to Zlitan - the suburbs of Zlitan, which is where they had reached until this morning - then there are rebels inside Zlitan that will rise and help you. Well that did not happen. And so the fighters of Misrata are very reluctant to go into Zlitan more at this stage, because they could be perceived by many of the people inside that town as invading their town, and bringing the fight to their town. So unless they get an invitation, as they call it, from the tribes of Zlitan it's very difficult for them to go in."

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-aug-2-2011-1650

[pinboy3niner]

148. Libya rebels say forces enter Kadhafi-held Zliten, fight 4-hour battle at Brega

(AFP) – 2 hours ago


BENGHAZI, Libya — Libya's rebels said on Tuesday they launched a post-dawn attack on the western town of Zliten, punching through to the centre and sparking fierce clashes with forces loyal to Moamer Kadhafi.

...


Zliten has long been held by Kadhafi's forces, and was suspected of being a base for multiple rocket attacks on Misrata that have killed scores of civilians.


Meanwhile in the east, Bani said rebels fought for hours with Kadhafi forces at the oil hub of Brega on Tuesday, with a small unit of 45 troops entering the town's eastern residential district.


"There were clashes with Kadhafi's forces and it went on four hours and then they had to retreat back," Bani said.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jzILZ7944t9GF8pUGQwZpxvvVNOw?docId=CNG.5279263134ca22f6eb101cc7b093b284.6c1

[pinboy3niner]

149. Seven rebels killed in Gaddafi counter-attack--Reuters

Tue Aug 2, 2011 2:03pm GMT

MISRATA, Libya Aug 2 (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's Muammar Gaddafi killed seven rebels and wounded another 65 in a counter-attack in the town of Zlitan on Tuesday, hospital sources in Misrata said.

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7710YC20110802

[pinboy3niner]

151. Rebel forces hold positions after govt. counterattack at Zlitan

(Posted on The Guardian's news blog by Paul Owen.)

My colleague Chris Stephen sends this from Misrata, Libya, on the ongoing battle for Zlitan. He says six rebel soldiers have been killed there and 41 wounded.

Libyan rebels in Misrata were dealt a blow in their struggle to break out of their besieged city today as they were attacked by government forces as they tried to take control of the western town of Zlitan.

Intensive fighting over the weekend backed by three days of air strikes by RAF jets saw rebel forces enter the Gaddafi-controlled town yesterday morning.

But an early morning attack today by pro-Gaddafi forces and volleys of rockets left six rebel soldiers dead and 41 wounded.

Opposition forces, reinforced by a brigade shipped in from the rebel capital Benghazi, say they have held their positions, and there is no word on casualties on the government side.

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/aug/02/syria-libya-and-middle-east-unrest-live-updates#block-30

[Iterate]

146. NATO over Tripoli - Air Strikes in the Age of Twitter

NATO over Tripoli - Air Strikes in the Age of Twitter
Mon Aug 01, 2011 at 02:03 PM PDT
by Clay Claiborne

I had an revelation Friday about the Internet and especially Twitter as the tweets about that day's NATO bombing of Tripoli came in. The first ones noted large explosions but didn't know how they had been delivered.

Explosion in #Tripoli right now, unclear if it's @NATO or some sort of clash. #Libya #Feb17

more... http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/01/1001378/-NATO-over-TripoliAir-Strikes-in-the-Age-of-Twitter

Way good, must read. He really has three stories here, any one of which could be expanded to several thousand words. Like the best of Chivers, the story of how the information is gathered and understood is as important as the conclusion.

With two of the stories -the Brega pipe plant and the Nato dish attack - I have far more collected here than he published. Debunking those stories is not difficult, but the question soon becomes this: How much time do you want to spend doing it when tomorrow will bring another bogus claim and Gaddafi apologists/Nato foes will repeat them just the same?

Much of this claim/counter-claim could be avoided if UN RtoP enforcement simply included limits on weapons and tactics and a provision requiring observers.

[pinboy3niner]

150. Rebels killed, Gaddafi camp says NATO can't stop war

Tue Aug 2, 2011 3:18pm GMT


TRIPOLI/ZLITAN, Libya Aug 2 (Reuters) - - * Seven rebels killed in Zlitan attack - sources

• Gaddafi son pledges to fight on, irrespective of NATO

• NATO drops leaflets, bombs at start of Ramadan


By Missy Ryan and Mussab Al-Khairalla


TRIPOLI/MISRATA, Libya, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's Muammar Gaddafi killed seven rebels in a counter-attack in a key town on Tuesday, hospital sources said as the leader's camp vowed to push on with a war to crush a five - month uprising.


Gaddafi's son said the conflict would continue until the rebellion was wiped-out, whether or not NATO stops its bombing campaign, leaving little room for diplomacy to seek an end to a war that has killed thousands and divided Libya.


The rebels and their Western backers kept up the pressure on the veteran leader as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began, with NATO bombing military targets and dropping leaflets over the capital calling on loyalists to give up.


The rebels, who have seized about half the country but frequently lose ground to counter-attacks by better armed and trained Gaddafi forces and remain dogged by their own internal divisions, had been seeking to consolidate gains around Zlitan, a town 160 km (100 miles) east of Tripoli.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7710D520110802?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

152. Libya rebels up for fight but where are the bullets?

Tue Aug 2, 2011 3:48pm GMT


• Poised for assault on key town, but lack bullets

• Rebels pass time cleaning guns waiting for ammunition


By Michael Georgy


KABAW, Libya, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Libyan rebels surrounding Muammar Gaddafi's last major stronghold in the Western Mountains region are hungry for the kill. There's just one problem -- not enough ammunition.

After weeks of planning, the rebels launched a new offensive in the region, capturing several towns and villages. But the biggest prize, Tiji, remains elusive for a simple reason fighters like Jumaa Muhammad are all too familiar with.

"We could not go any further. We ran out of ammunition," said Muhammad, who took on soldiers with heavy weapons with only 28 bullets for his AK-47 assault rifle.

...


"It's taking too long to get ammunition. Units from different villages have to borrow ammunition from each other because there is not enough to go around," said Tarek Zanbou, a former intelligence officer under Gaddafi who joined the rebel movement.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE77112X20110802?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

153. Latest developments in Libyan conflict

Tue Aug 2, 2011 5:16pm GMT


• Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi killed seven rebels in a counter-attack in the town of Zlitan, hospital sources said as the government vowed to push on with a war to crush a five-month uprising.


• Libyan rebels surrounding Gaddafi's last major stronghold in the Western Mountains region are keen to move in but they do not have enough ammunition.


• Morocco is allowing firms partly owned by Libyan authorities to conclude current transactions that would keep them in business but without transferring dividends, selling their stakes or paying back debt.


• Libyans entered the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with no let-up in the conflict after Gaddafi sought to divide a rebellion threatening him on several fronts.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE77116X20110802?sp=true

[pinboy3niner]

154. Libyan Rebels Wage 'Mad Max' War In The Mountains

Source: NPR

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

August 2, 2011


The sleepy towns in the Western Mountains of Libya come to life right before the country's rebels engage in a fight with the forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The mostly deserted roads suddenly fill with pickup trucks. The rebel fighters bristle with the makeshift weapons that they rely on. The vehicles, some monster trucks, then peel off into the front lines deep in the desert, covered in dried mud that serves as camouflage.


The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have often featured large, well-trained armies facing off against insurgents who also have modern weapons. But Libya is a "Mad Max" kind of war.

,,,


The fighters themselves are also a motley crew. Professors, students, lawyers, engineers, doctors, laborers and taxi drivers have all taken up arms and headed to the front lines. They've become battle hardened, but still lack discipline.


The rebels in the Nafusa mountains have made gains in recent weeks, using their bravado and their rusty guns to lethal effect. But the fighting is still far from over.


MORE w/ photo gallery:
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/02/138900885/libyan-rebels-wage-mad-max-war-in-the-mountains

[pinboy3niner]

155. Libya: Gaddafi regime rallies after rebel turmoil

Source: The Telegraph

Col Muammar Gaddafi's son issued the regime's boldest threat of defiance against Nato on Tuesday in state TV broadcast that heralded a concerted drive by loyalist officials to demonstrate it has weathered the opposition uprising.

By Damien McElroy, Tripoli
5:23PM BST 02 Aug 2011


Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the dictator's heir apparent, used a meeting with Libyans displaced by fighting to declare the regime had blunted the five month bombing campaign.


"No one should think that after all the sacrifices we have made, and the martyrdom of our sons, brothers and friends, we will stop fighting. Forget it," Saif declared. "Regardless of whether Nato leaves or not, the fighting will continue until all of Libya is liberated. Let me say to you that the battle will not stop. Every one of you: return to your homes and farms and villages and jobs with peace of mind. We will not stop."


The broadcast was one of a series of signals from the Gaddafi family inner circle exhibiting its confidence in its stronghold.

...


Behind the scenes there are indications that the inner circle is ready to depose Gaddafi by force. "The regime is not internally strong, it knows the end is coming closer and it will be bloody," a Whitehall official said.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8677577/Libya-Gaddafi-regime-rallies-after-rebel-turmoil.html

[pinboy3niner]

156. AFP: Rogue militia had 'hit list' of 60 rebel leaders

AFP reports that Libya's rebels have uncovered a 'hit list' of 60 rebel leaders that a pro-Gaddafi militia was keeping on hand in Benghazi.

"There were around 60 people (on the list)," deputy interior minister Mustafa al-Sagazly told AFP, including "members of the (National Transitional Council), the military council, the cabinet of the NTC executive."

"There were names and addresses," he said, "some of the addresses were correct."

The list was found during an operation against the al-Nidaa Brigade.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-aug-2-2011-2109

[pinboy3niner]

158. Link to AFP story:

Libya rebels push on, cell hit list found

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/libya-rebels-push-on-cell-hit-list-found-20110803-1ia95.html

[pinboy3niner]

157. Doctor in Misrata tending to a wounded rebel fighter...

(Photo: Reuters)

Al Jazeera reports that, "According to the latest figures, at least seven rebel fighters were killed and 50 wounded after clashes with pro-Gaddafi forces in nearby Zlitan today."

[pinboy3niner]

159. Slain Libyan commander's tribe warns rebels over probe

Tue Aug 2, 2011 8:19pm GMT


• Tribal justice looms, barring full rebel investigation

• Younes tribe complains rebel leadership dragging feet

• Killing smacks of internal betrayal -- Younes son


By Rania El Gamal


BENGHAZI, Libya Aug 2 (Reuters) - The powerful tribe of the Libyan rebels' slain military commander vowed on Tuesday to find justice themselves for his suspicious killing last week if rebel leaders failed to investigate it fully.


General Abdel Fattah Younes's death, apparently while in the custody of fellow rebels bringing him back from the front line for unspecified questioning, raised fears of deep divisions in the rebel camp, something the tribal ultimatum only underlined.


"The way he was killed looks like a betrayal, so until now we are trying to calm and control the youth of the tribe, but we don't know what could happen," one of Younes's sons told foreign reporters when asked if rifts could turn violent.


He declined to be named but was speaking on behalf of the family gathered around him, following a crisis summit of 90 leaders from Younes's Ubaideyat tribe, one of Libya's biggest, at the family ranch in the rebel stronghold Benghazi.

...


"If the council (TNC) doesn't bring us justice, and if the (international) judiciary don't bring us justice, then we will leave it to the tribe to bring us justice," the son said.

...


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE77119620110802?sp=true

[joshcryer]

160. Week 24 part 2 here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1647393