Libya: Tripoli residents say civilians being armed

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Residents in the Libyan capital say the embattled regime of Moammar Gadhafi is arming civilian supporters to set up checkpoints and quash dissent.

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Pro-Gadhafi forces opened fire Friday on demonstrations after Muslims prayers, and Gadhafi told supporters he would "open the arms depot so all Libyans and tribes become armed."

Residents contacted by phone from Cairo on Saturday reported trucks of pro-regime civilians patrolling the streets. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022600845.html

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Terror in Tripoli as Gaddafi set for fight
Terrified residents braced for bloody battles in Tripoli on Saturday after a night of gunfire as Muammar Gaddafi said he was ready to arm civilian supporters to defeat a popular revolt.

¬snip¬

"Please, the United Nations, save Libya," Mohammed Shalgham told the Security Council in an emotional speech, in which he raised the spectre of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot.

His intervention helped to jolt the UN Security Council into ordering a special session on Saturday to consider a sanctions resolution against Gaddafi, on top of those ordered from the White House and by the European Union.

"After Shalgham's speech yesterday, people shouted with joy, the mood was very good. But just a few minutes after his speech, the electricity was cut and it hasn't come back since," one Tripoli resident told AFP by telephone.

more:http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/terror-in-tripoli-as-gaddafi-set-for-fight-20110226-1b8vo.html


The Guardian has a great blog with lots of updates from souces all over the net and witnesses inside Libya
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/26/libya-protests-middle-east-gaddafi

[goforit]

1. Gadhafi is pathetic

[joshcryer]

5. Yeah, Saif said there were "200 terrorists" controlling "2 million" people.

So Gaddafi has to arm another million or so to kill those 200 terrorists? :rofl:

[Arctic Dave]

7. Sounds like our reasoning for being in the ME.

LOL.

[leveymg]

2. There are 2 end-points of this: 1) failed state (Somalia); 2) Int'l military intervention. (Bosnia)

1) "Gadhafi told supporters he would "open the arms depot so all Libyans and tribes become armed."

2) ""Please, the United Nations, save Libya," Mohammed Shalgham told the Security Council in an emotional speech, in which he raised the spectre of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot.

[CJvR]

3. Perhaps...

...Gaddafi can be persuaded to hold another 90 minutes speach in an identifiable location, plenty of time to finish what Reagan started.

[David__77]

8. So you think Reagan was so great??

You know, Democrats opposed those illegal raids by Reagan, and rightly so. How about, instead, the US start minding its own fucking business?

[CJvR]

17. Oh yes...

...I remeber the howls of outrage quite well, as well as the crickets whenever alternate solutions were needed.

[TheLastMohican]

15. You like the idea o murdering

leaders of other countries because that suits your politics?
Sounds totally repug-like to me.

[CJvR]

16. If a...

..."leader" wages war on you, undeclared or otherwise, then I think it is alot better to bomb him personally than ripping his country to bits. Particulary if the leader in question is the main reason for the state of hostilities.

[joshcryer]

4. Are you viewing this militarily or politically?

Politically I don't think that he stands a chance since the Libyans appear to be united.

Militarily he may have more forces, the mercenaries numbers are debated.

[bemildred]

6. Giving everybody guns can backfire, or maybe I should say "blowback". nt

[David__77]

9. I doubt there's a concern for that risk at this point.

I'm sure the point is rather to create conditions where a consolidation of a new power cannot occur.

[bemildred]

11. Well, I'd be thinking about leaving.

Although it's true that Ghaddaffi says he wants to die in Libya, so maybe this is his plan to do that.

[joshcryer]

13. The point is to incite division among Libyans, however, Gaddafi has failed so far at that.

Every time, without fail, the protesters win over the hearts and minds of Gaddafi supporters.

[guitar man]

10. I was thinking the same thing

How do they really know who the loyalists are? It could turn out like the scene in Braveheart where the king conscripted the Irish. I just hope it would end better for them...

[bemildred]

12. Yeah, exactly, handing out guns indiscriminately is asking for trouble.

The last thing he should be thinking about is fighting it out with random "supporters", unless he has nowhere to go. Hmmm? Could it be?

[salvinusholister]

14. The Gospel According to Fox: Obama's Mysterious Gaddafi Connection

http://leondsouza.blogspot.com/2011/02/gospel-according-to-fox-obamas.html