Gaddafi Fires Scud Missile At Rebel Territory As NATO Braces Itself For Final Violent Showdown

[Purveyor]

Source: TELEGRAPH UK

The rebels were attempting to identify the trajectory of the missile which was fired from Col Gaddafi's stronghold of Sirte even as his envoys headed for new talks with the opposition and a United Nations special envoy in Tunisia.

Despite rumours that he is preparing to flee, the opposition fear Col Gaddafi is preparing a desperate last stand in Tripoli and towns still loyal to him in the face of recent rebel advances on two fronts which has cut off his crucial supply routes.

In the early hours of Monday morning, the defiant Libyan leader addressed his people, calling on them to take up arms and "defend their fatherland" and predicting a swift end for "the rats" and the "coloniser" - the rebels and Nato.

But in a further sign of his weakening position, his deputy interior minister, said to be a long-time devoted loyalist, then apparently defected. Nasser al-Mabrouk Abdullah arrived in the Egyptian capital Cairo with nine members of his family claiming he was taking a holiday.

MORE...

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8703041/Col-Gaddafi-fires-scud-

[xchrom]

1. This is gonna be bloody. Nt

[joshcryer]

7. It's already extremely bloody.

If you weren't paying attention the last 6 months. :eyes:

[formercia]

2. Speaking of cornered Rats.....

The Loyalists an Mercs are in a bad spot.

[bemildred]

3. Oh yeah, that will work. nt

[Phoonzang]

4. My sarcastic response to Gadaffi:

[pinboy3niner]

5. That he managed to fire one was a fluke

With NATO around, I picture his SCUD crews saying, "You want us to do WHAT???? :)

[daleo]

6. Which runs out first?

NATO's money or Gaddafi's luck? It'll be close.

Poor people in NATO countries may have to sacrifice their pensions, but such is life.

[joshcryer]

8. The costs so far for this intervention are a rounding error.

We spend more money in two weeks on air conditioning in Iraq than we've spent the entire intervention phase in Libya.

[cqo_000]

9. Captured Libyan brigadier predicts long battle ahead

Source: BBC 16 August 2011

...

The critical question, for the rebels and for Nato, is how long and how hard will Col Gaddafi's men fight.

The answer, according to one senior army officer, is that some remain willing to fight to the death.


...

This long-serving officer is one of the most high-ranking prisoners in rebel custody. He spoke to us in a detention centre in Misrata, in the presence of rebel officials.

...

His predicted that the conflict would drag on.

"From what I saw, this war will last for a long time, because neither side will give an inch."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14538006

[pampango]

10. BBC: Libya conflict: Gaddafi forces 'launched Scud missile'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14538670

Military forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi have fired a Scud missile for the first time in the country's six-month conflict, US defence officials say.

They say it was launched from near the coastal city of Sirte and aimed at Brega - currently held by rebels - but landed harmlessly in the desert.

Pro-Gaddafi forces are believed to have more than 200 Scuds in their arsenal.

The move comes as the rebels continue a push towards the capital, Tripoli.