The son of Libyan leader Gadhafi/kadafi claims that the “government” (which is not really true but its complicated) will fight to the last bullet against people engaged there in an uprising.
Even as Seif al-Islam Gadhafi spoke Sunday night, clashes were raging in and around Tripoli’s central Green Square, lasting until dawn Monday, witnesses said. They reported snipers opening fire on crowds trying to seize the square, and Gadhafi supporters speeding through in vehicles, shooting and running over protesters. Early Monday, protesters took over the office of two of the multiple state-run satellite news channels, witnesses said.
The protests and violence were the heaviest yet in the capital, a sign of the spread of unrest after six days of demonstrations in eastern cities demanding the end of the elder Gadhafi’s rule.
Details
In noticed that a lot of people are confused as to where Libya is, or even what it is, so I’ve drawn a map and made a few notes.
Libya is bordered by many different countries. Going from the northwest (upper left) there are Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan (Northern Sudan?) and Egypt. The Mediterranean is to the north.
Notes:
- Libya is not Liberia.
- The capital and largest city is Tripoli.
- Libya is the fourth or third largest country in Africa, depending on the state of Sudan.
- Libya is similar in size to Mexico, Indonesia, Iran and Mongolia.
- Libya is almost exactly the same size as Alaska. (I.e., ten times the size of Florida).
- The population of Libya is about 6.4 million, or about the same as Massachusetts, Indiana, Arizona, and a bit larger than Slovakia but smaller than Switzerland.
- Coastal Libya has been part of Greek and Phenician empires, was ruled by Rome and the Ottomans, and became a colony of Italy in 1911.
- During the 18th and early 19th century the region was better known as part of the the Barbary Coast which ran from Morocco through Libya.
- The Marine Hymn refers to the “Shores of Tripoli” as a reference to the Battle of Derne, in which mercenaries hired by the US carried out regime-change activities along the Barbary Coast. One of the Barbary States was the regency of Tripoli (part of the Ottoman Empire), which is where Tripoli is now. This is not to be confused with Tripoli in the Eastern Mediterranean which figures in earlier history of the region. US Marines formed part of the invasion force.
- Libya gained independence in 1951 and was ruled as a kingdom until 1969, when it was ruled by a dual government of elected officials and a “Revolutionary Sector” lead by Gaddafi.
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What scares me for the Libyan people is that the Army is under command of the dictator. The Egyptian Army was a bit more independent. They will shoot people with extreme prejudice.
The Libyan dictator has shut of communications with the outside world. Internet, phone, everything. Wholesale slaughter of citizens is going on according to the last report I heard before they turned everything off.
The latest(CET 1714) is that the Libyan Armed Forces are falling apart, after the colonel ordered the Air Force to attack anti-government people in Benghazi(eastern part of Libya, 2nd largest city). His Ministers for security and Justice have abandoned him, as has his ambassador to the UN in New York. He has basically lost Benghazi, and a lot of tribal chiefs have come out on the side of the anti-government side. The staff of the Libyan consulate in alexandria(Egypt) lowered the country’s flag outside the embassy and joined the demonstrators outside the building.
To keep up, go to the BBC. They are running live feed.
Both the colonel and his son have spoken on TV. Their speeches are best described as delusional. Both have blamed drugs, foriegners, and in the Colonel’s case, Islamic terrorists. His theory is that the Islamic terrorists want to take over Libya, so that America can then create another Afganistan.
A minimum of 300 people have been killed. This slime is using anti-aircraft guns on his own people.
He is now rambling on, quoting every military suppression of demonstrators in justification of past and future actions. “The people can go to Hell” he said “I am the leader of the revolution, and I cannot stand down”. He also called on the people of Libya to rise up and defend him.
But Kadafi has ordered foreign troops to fight against his own people which shows his true relationship with the military. I think if the people of Libya pushed harder they could finally cooperate with the military to force the president to step down.