Libyan Revolution Tweets, Day 4, Part 13 (Horrific bloodbath last night)

[Catherina]

Libyan Revolution Tweets, Day 4, Part 13 (Horrific bloodbath last night)

Previous threads from today: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12


Occasionally, since the people I follow cover Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan also, if I see something really important about those countries, I'll post it here but I plan to mostly focus on Libya because they're having the hardest time getting the word out and Qaddafi's brutality is more systematic and I believe the scale exceeds the brutality in the other country.

They're also the country with the most propagandists on Twitter.

To make sure the Army doesn't swing the revolution to the people, Qaddafi has brought in thousands of mercenaries from Pakistan, Bangladesh and other North African coutries, specifically Chad. There's a Facebook video of a captured mercenary from Chad http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=103697256377254&oid=179449562095105 (Youtube link here) Their confessions are that they've been offered between $12,000 - $30,000 each. Warning that the video is somewhat graphic as man has his head and chest shot up.

Libya protests: 'Terror and bribery are blunt tools now'
Author Hisham Matar pleads with Muammar Gaddafi to hold his troops back

Hisham Matar
guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 February 2011 20.50 GMT

...

The regime became nervous, promising students a large number of generous scholarships abroad. Then it vowed to increase salaries.

...

On the 16th, a day before the planned protests, Libyan's could no longer wait. They went out in Benghazi. There was a palpable fear that the hot-blooded second city was going it alone, that the few thousand protesters were lambs going to slaughter. Their courage seemed unimaginable.

Late that night one of the Benghazi protestors posted a video on YouTube. He looked tired. His voice was hoarse.

"To my brothers in Tripoli," he said, "we can't do this alone."

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2011/feb/18/libya-protest-hisham-matar-comment

MAP of Protests across the Middle East



Please rec if you read these so I know if the effort here is worth it.

[joshcryer]

1. Warning: the video is somewhat graphic (shows in detail a man shot in the face and chest). K&R

Thanks for your efforts yet again Catherina, just wanted to give people a heads up on that video, don't mean to detract from your efforts.

[Catherina]

3. No problem, I appreciate it. Will update the OP with that. n/t

[Turborama]

2. Senior "Libyan diplomat in China resigns over unrest" at home (AFP & Reuters are both using Al Jaz)

AFP are using Al Jazeera as a source, now: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4741288

The Reuters article which used Al Jazeera as a source: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4741168&mesg_id=4741168

[sabrina 1]

6. Libyan diplomat in India resigned also

@nancycasanova
Nancy Casanova
#Libya ambassador to India tells the BBC he has resigned in protest at government's crackdown on protesters via @REUTERSFLASH
42 minutes ago

[aquart]

4. I heard that account on CNN today. Chilling.

Heartbreaking.

[Catherina]

5. Aquart, it's been quite a night! Terrible. Did Cooper cover it? Is there a link?

I've been glued to AJE and livestream, plus no TV in this room. I'd really like to see it.

[aquart]

10. Not Cooper. We were trying to find him but he wasn't on.

It was a regular CNN newscast for the weekend, I think. I didn't click your link so there's a chance I'm referring to something else, but what I heard was a desperately upset woman saying the military pretended to join them and then turned their guns on the unarmed protesters. She was begging the US to intervene.

[Catherina]

17. I remember that tweet with audio. It was terrible. Some of the audios

are heartbreaking. Mona reported about that too, how some military pretended to be on the protesters side, invited them in to a bldg and shot them all.

The barbarity is horrific. I think it was mostly Special Forces that did that and remained loyal to Q.

[Catherina]

7. Gaddafi fears flying over water, prefers staying on the ground floor

ArabRevolution تباً لك ياطاغوت
Muammar #Gaddafi fears flying over water, prefers staying on the ground floor. #Libya #Feb17 #GaddafiLunacy
1 minute ago


That's it! Hang him high over deep water. Make him climb up at gunpoint.

I'm sorry, my comments really aren't seemly.

[Catherina]

8. Tripoli activist, says her father - a US citizen - was detained at peaceful protest yesterday. No co

evanchill Evan Hill
Rahma, Tripoli activist, says her father - a US citizen - was detained at peaceful protest yesterday. No contact since. http://ow.ly/408X2
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

7:48 am Rahma, an activist in Tripoli, spoke to Al Jazeera this morning about the speech given last night by Seif Gaddafi, the son of Libya's longtime leader. He described protesters as "thugs" and "druggies," but Rahma said that protests start peacefully until Gaddafi supporters "hassle" them and become violent.

Rahma's father, a US citizen who joined protests at the Libyan capital's main courthouse on Sunday, has been detained; she has not been able to make contact with him.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/02/17/live-blog-libya

[joshcryer]

9. We need to get in there. If there was any time we could do good, it is this, imo.

[Catherina]

11. Our government's credibility is blown now. They're deeply upset over the poor response

Who? No Western govt has any credibility left with them. What a mess.

Maybe sending IMMEDIATE supplies with no strings attached, doctors, engineers, could do it.

[joshcryer]

18. It would likely need military involvement, too. US could get the UN to use NATO maybe.

But the US would have to do more than stand around as UN peace keepers allow wholesale murder.

[Catherina]

21. Would u trust the UN? That's basically the G-5's army. NATO definitely not.

I think the Arabs are going to rely on themselves from now on.

[joshcryer]

24. Best of luck to them.

[Catherina]

32. Just my gut feeling. I could be totally wrong. n/t

[joshcryer]

41. They gotta get violent is all I'm sayin'.

This ain't Egypt by all accounts.

[Catherina]

43. Funny you should say that as these two tweets just came across

Cyrenaican Libyana Americana
You understand, that if any situation was impossible, it was that of #Libya's. The most brutal regime is nothing against the will of the ppl
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply



Cyrenaican Libyana Americana
This life is temporary, the #Libyan people understand this fully, against the Italians, against the #Gaddafi regime #Libya #Feb17
3 minutes ago



They're prepared to be martyrs if that's what it takes and the mothers, per tweets last night, rejoice at their sons funerals, that they had the honor to be martrys for such a noble cause.

[sabrina 1]

13. Looks like the U.S. is threatening to do that:

@newswatchcanada
NewsWatchCanada
#US threatens intervention; presses #Libya to halt crackdown ~ breaking news and worthy comment updated 24/7... newswatchcanada.ca
8 minutes ago via web

There was a time when I would have welcomed that news, but now, it's probably all about all those billion dollar building projects we read about in the Wikileaks cables, AND to get control of the oil.

[joshcryer]

15. The question then is asked, would more people be killed by the current regime or the corporate one?

And by killed I mean wholesale murder. I saw the young Libyan IT worker calling into the BBC basically pouring his heart out. It's scary shit. :(

[defendandprotect]

23. Libyans deserve a better choice than those two -- !!

[sabrina 1]

33. Good question. We don't go to help people just to be nice.

As the people of Afghanistan have said, the 'liberators' have killed more people than the war lords could ever dream of. They were better off doing their own fighting.

It's about the oil and billions of dollars at stake in all the building projects signed on to about a year ago. That was a big deal according to Wikileaks cables.

[Catherina]

35. Do you have that cable link handy? I'd like to get around to reading it now

Always behind lol.

[sabrina 1]

51. Lol, NO you're not!

I think I still have it open somewhere, among a thousand tabs. I'll go look for it. I think Wikileaks has bee releasing cables relative to each country that is revolting as they happen. They released the Egypt cables during their revolution, Bahrain a few days ago I believe, and I saw the Libya cables yesterday and spent last night reading through some of them. Those building projects were a very big deal.

As I said above, Seid sounded like he was rambling tonight, but my thoughts are that he was NOT talking to the Libyan people but trying to make it seem as if he was. I think he was delivering a message, reminding his Western Business partners that if Gadhafi falls, all those profitable, hard-earned projects will be gone, and the oil.

I think he was responding to calls from the west asking the govt. to stop killing protesters. And he was reminding them that if the GOL did not do some unpleasant things, (which the west normally turns a blind eye to anyhow) look what would happen to THEIR interests.

And, as we all know, we, the U.S. has no qualms killing innocents for our interests. So, it's possible he was pointing that out. Some things require unpleasant decisions! I might be wrong, but after reading those cables I could see how hard and how long they all had worked on those projects. Unfinished business.

I'll go look for the link :-)

[Catherina]

70. Agree with all points. Take your time finding that link. I can read them in the morning

Things seem quiet now and I think I'm going to crash soon. Thank you Sabrina

[sabrina 1]

72. Here's a link to the Libya cables.

http://wikileaks.ch/origin/22_0.html

This one is about Hannibal and his exploits http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/07/08TRIPOLI592.html

A prescient statemen in that one, perhaps:

Hannibal's repeated falls from grace highlight the broad gulf between average Libyans, who view the al-Qadhafi family as unsophisticated upstarts from a historically inconsequential part of the country (Sirte) who routinely embarrass Libya, and senior regime officials, who view the state as an extension of the al-Qadhafi family empire.

The Swedish ambassador, who is based in Tunis but accredited to Libya, told CDA on July 21 that the "deep-seated, visceral" hatred many Libyans feel for the al-Qadhafi family has grown in recent years to the point that he does not expect that one of al-Qadhafi's children will be able to succeed Muammar al-Qadhafi. He was posted in Tripoli in 1986-1990, and said the popular perception of the ruling family has deteriorated considerably since then, in part because al-Qadhafi's sons have comported themselves so poorly as they have come of age. End comment.

[joshcryer]

40. Is it wrong to wish that we did?

[sabrina 1]

46. No, I don't think so ~

[Catherina]

48. Not at all. I wish we did too. Wish any Western Govt did. Or most any for that matter n/t

[sabrina 1]

16. 'Libya is on fire'

@sunshineejc
sunshineejc
#LIBYA IS ON FIRE!~IS ANYONE WATCHING? ~ 200+ protesters killed from helicopters & roof top snipers. #jan25 #egypt #p2 #p21 #sgp #tlot
9 minutes ago

[sabrina 1]

28. Reinforcements coming?

@ishtarmuz
Ishtarmuz dale west
RT @NewsOfMideast: TWO MILLION Cyrenaica People have joined the Protests against Gaddafi in #Libya! http://bit.ly/fuIAHhttp://bit.ly/fuIAHW
14 minutes ago

[Catherina]

34. TWO MILLION. And I don't think they're carrying flowers this time. n/t

[joshcryer]

38. Fixed link:

http://bit.ly/fuIAHW

[sabrina 1]

45. Thanks, should have checked it.

:-)

[defendandprotect]

22. k/r --

[Desertrose]

27. It's always about the oil -I'll never believe otherwise.

Why not speak up before things got to this point??

[joshcryer]

39. Top hit on Google news for US-Libya intervention = worries about Exxon.

Shame they aren't worried about the people.

[sabrina 1]

44. Read the Wikileaks cables on Libya for the answer.

Billions of dollars in business deals were at stake. BP and Shell were there also ... and others. They had worked hard to get those deals, and I think that was the message Seid was delivering, NOT to the people, but to the West 'don't blame us for what we have to do' because 'all those business projects and oil, who will own the oil, if we don't squash this revolution'?

Maybe that's why his speech sounded rambling. He was trying to make it sound like he was talking to the people, but he was really talking to the Business World. He was the one who helped get the deals as the son who was 'more reasonable'. We kill for oil, he must know that, so he was kind of saying, 'we're going to do some bad things if we are going to save all this'. Since the people would not benefit from those deals or the oil, I wondered what he was talking about. So did they. But now that I think about it, he was probably talking to the Western business world.

[Alamuti Lotus]

25. the US gov't has already sold Qadhdhafi weapons, they've done enough

I don't know why there's this perception that a US intervention into any of these revolutions would be a good thing. People on the ground know that the assault rifles, tanks, tear gas cannisters, and helicopters etc come from the US, Israel, Italy, England, etc.. "stay the fuck out FOR ONCE" is the best thing that can be done, since they're bound to back the wrong side anyway if there is further involvement than there already is or has.

[joshcryer]

37. In exchange for ending their WMD programs, typical diplomatic moves.

Trade a bomber a gun in exchange for the bomb, less people die if he uses the gun, etc. That's how they look at these things, sadly.

So how many people must die before involvement happens? Should we have another Darfur?

[Catherina]

50. Have you read the wikileaks cable about Libya's work with us in Darfur

I just read it tonight while trying to understand just who Abdullah Sanussi, head of Libyan Intelligence and Qaddafi's personal security was. I literally got sick. The situation in Darfur is the result of us fighting with China over control for that oil.

We're in no position to pretend to be helping anyone. Wikileaks and our recent comportment, along with the EU, have exposed us to the world.

Abdullah Sanussi


SE GRATION'S MEETING WITH Abdulla Sanussi ON REBEL UNIFICATION EFFORTS TRIPOLI 00000873 001.2 OF 002
Passed to the Telegraph by WikiLeaks 9:32PM GMT 31 Jan 2011
Ref ID: 09TRIPOLI873
Date: 11/1/2009 12:58
Origin: Embassy Tripoli
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Destination:
Header: VZCZCXRO5644OO RUEHROVDE RUEHTRO #0873/01 3051258ZNY CCCCC ZZHO P 011258Z NOV 09FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLITO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5424INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0165RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0179RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVERUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 5973
Tags: PREL,CD,SU,LY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000873 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, AF/C, AND S/USSES E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/1/2019 TAGS: PREL, CD, SU, LY SUBJECT: SE GRATION'S MEETING WITH Abdulla Sanussi ON REBEL UNIFICATION EFFORTS TRIPOLI 00000873 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Gene A. Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

1.(C) Summary: Abdulla Sanussi reiterated his support for Special Envoy Scott Gration's initiatives in Sudan in an October 8 meeting and pledged Libya's support for Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) unification talks, including an offer to host talks in Kufra. Sanussi and Gration agreed that unification was critical to creating opportunities for negotiated peace at Doha, and the current political opening would not last long. Sanussi complained that Libya was "fed up" with SLA leaders who refused to unify and seemed to represent no one but themselves. He said Libya would continue to pressure the governments in Khartoum and N'Djamena to cool the tensions between the two states, and debunked Khartoum's recent assertion that the Chadian army had amassed 286 trucks on the border as unhelpful posturing. Sanussi and Gration agreed to push members of the Tripoli and Addis groups to hold a unification conference in the coming weeks. End Summary.

REBEL UNIFICATION: SAME CUSHION, DIFFERENT DREAMS

2.(C) In an October 8 meeting with Special Envoy Gration, Brigadier General Abdulla Sanussi (and close Qadhafi confidant) said Libya had no special agenda or competitive spirit on resolving the Sudan crisis, pledging Libya's continued and unlimited cooperation with the SE's initiatives in Sudan. Sanussi agreed that the international community should continue to entice factions of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) to seek unification in preparation for negotiations with the Government of Sudan in Doha and expressed appreciation for the USG's attention and seriousness in resolving the Darfur conflict. Sanussi viewed unification efforts as complicated by unreasonable, intractable demands of certain rebel leaders bent on spoiling the process for personal gain. The leaders, he said, reminded him of a Chinese proverb: though the faction leaders all slept on the same cushion, they all had different dreams.

3.(C) While the Libyan Government had facilitated travel and visas for members of the "Addis group" of SLA factions to come to Tripoli for unification talks with the "Tripoli group," Sanussi complained that several leaders had no interest in Darfur and knew nothing of the situation on the ground there. Saying Libya's chief concerns were the humanitarian and security situation for IDPs and civilians, he derided rebel leaders who "don't feel pain" after years of being ferried from capital to capital hosted in luxury hotels as various mediators attempted to unify the factions. Sanussi urged Gration to listen to the demands made by the rebels and filter out the unreasonable and impractical ones.

LIBYA "FED UP" WITH REBEL SPOILERS

4.(C) Sanussi said Libya was "fed up" after years of attempting to mediate between the various factions, particularly since the "legitimate" factions had few differences between them. In his view, some leaders had vested political interests in maintaining conflict in Darfur. Ahmed Abdel Shafie, for example, held the rank of colonel in the Southern Sudanese army and supported continued fighting in Darfur as it distracted Khartoum from its conflict with Juba. Shafie, he said, carried no weight tribally, militarily, or politically and should be cut out of the unification process to prevent him from becoming a spoiler. Sanussi called Shafie an untrustworthy, unreliable interlocutor who had reneged on every promise he had ever made to Sanussi. Saying, "I have helped him a lot," Sanussi suggested Shafie was the GOSS's problem and not the international community's.

5.(C) Sanussi contended that that the South had "paved the way for Darfur", with John Garang having visited Darfur 7-10 times in the early 2000s. Claiming a strong relationship with Garang from 1985 until his death in 2005, Sanussi said "I trained his troops and ferried him his equipment." Sanussi commented that, while Libya thought Southern Sudan was on track to enter the world as a failed state, Libya nevertheless supported the principle of self-determination and would continue to invest in Southern Sudan regardless of which way the vote went.

UNIFICATION CHALLENGES: JEM, SHAFIE, LOCATION

6.(C) In Sanussi's view, unification was needed to cool the tensions in Darfur and in the ongoing Chad-Sudan conflict. Khartoum was eager to find excuses to continue fighting, recently claiming Chadian President Idriss Deby had personally overseen the movement of 286 military vehicles to the border -- a claim that both Gration and Sanussi said was debunked by their governments. Gration and Sanussi agreed that Khalil Ibrahim's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) was a wildcard in SLA unification efforts, with Gration noting that Khalil's national political agenda could derail SLA unification and the Doha TRIPOLI 00000873 002.2 OF 002 process.
7.(C) Although recent signals from Khartoum and N'Djamena may indicate an opening that would allow for a negotiated peace between the states and the rebels, Gration said that opening would not remain in place long. Rebel unification had a good opportunity for success if it could be effected in October, prior to the resumption of the Doha process. Sanussi suggested that the international community, along with UN/AU Special Mediator Bassole and Qatari Minister of State al-Mahmoud, should tell the SLA factions that only a unified group would be welcome to negotiate in Doha. Gration agreed, but cautioned that mediators needed to take care not to force groups into agreements and alliances that were not supported by Darfuris and commanders in the field. He added that the "Addis group" had agreed to a roadmap whereby a unification conference would take place in the field in Darfur but getting agreement in principle from the Tripoli-based factions would be essential to launching the initiative as soon as possible.

8.(C) Sanussi doubted that some of the assembled rebels would agree to a conference in Darfur, saying "it will be easier for Jesus Christ himself to come back than for Abdel Shafie to go to Darfur." Sanussi noted that security concerns and the fact that the true strength of certain supporter-less "movements" would be revealed in a field-based conference made such a conference virtually impossible. Nonetheless, Sanussi said he saw the reason behind the initiative and agreed that it was important to have field commanders, civil society representatives, and faction leaders all in one location. Sanussi offered Kufra -- a Libyan oasis town approximately 600 miles southwest of Benghazi -- as an alternate site that was secure, with facilities to house the various actors, and relatively close to field commanders and civil society leaders. SE Gration thanked Sanussi for the offer and agreed to support a Kufra conference if rebel leaders would accept it as an alternative.
9.(U) S/USSES cleared this message. CRETZ

[joshcryer]

57. Well from my POV I'd rather see a peacekeeping mission rather than a CIA backed covert mission.

No matter what happens the US is going to want to protect its capital in Libya, for better or for worse, they want it to stay there, through various regime changes. Only recently has Qadhafi allowed significant investment (I think 2004?) so it would be money lost if the US lost that capital.

So either two things happen, US installs a CIA backed dictator or US does a peacekeeping mission and allows the protesters to form their own government (with a nudge here and there to let us keep our oil contracts).

[Catherina]

73. Why are you so convinced they need our help to accomplish anything?

If anything they've proven the reverse.

The US is getting a big kick in the pants right now that the ppl of the world refuse to be dominated to subsidize our lifestyle.

[joshcryer]

74. 173 deaths so far.

How many do you think are necessary to convince you that we should intervene? Do you think that Gadhafi is going to leave without a very bloody fight?

[Catherina]

75. The trouble is we intervened for over 40 years now. No more intervention wanted

They're ready to be martyred and die for this. Since when is our govt so concerned about ppl's lives? We've killed millions and enabled crimes against millions.

173 deaths is nothing to tip the scales in our favor. Especially now as our hypocrisy has been exposed to the world by recent actions and wikileaks.

I'm sure we kill 173 ppl in a single day in all our overt wars.

[joshcryer]

76. Our government will intervene though.

At the minimum they will pay CIA backed rebels to do the fighting and provide them arms assuming this plays out as long as it looks like it will (every Gaddafi-linked murder will never be forgotten). Won't matter if it's a leftist or a rightist. Of course, some may or may not support the CIA giving these rebels assistance, but it'll happen, as is precedence in these countries.

Good old Gaddafi is an interesting example though, he tries to portray himself as a "leftist," has ruled for decades, has been problematic for the US (we'd prefer someone else to deal with), and overall our relations have been mediocre at best. The US wants him out just as much as the protesters do. You couldn't say the same of Mubarak. Gaddafi is friends with Chavez and no doubt any attempts to oust him will be called "imperialist forces." And, if the CIA does what it does best (for small values of 'best'), and provides any rebel groups with assistance, no one can really argue otherwise.

[defendandprotect]

78. Majority of the oil used by US is used by MIC ... making oil "national security issue" --

that's the way US, Israel will look at it --

[joshcryer]

42. Anyway, sorry for disrupting your thread Catherina.

I saw the Libyan IT video and it struck a chord with me. I won't keep arguing about whether we should get involved.

edit: the video I was talking about: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x555942

He seems really really upset, heartbreaking.

[Catherina]

53. Not disrupting at all! This is a great conversation.

They are really really upset and it broke my heart too. I listened to every single audio I posted in these threads and was crying inside, sometimes outside, the entire time.

I wish we could help. I personally want to go myself and help and just may soon but our government won't be of any help. Ghonim tweeted that to the Western govts after Mubarak left, telling them they'd already done quite enough over the last 30 years and to keep away.

It's your heart talking Josh. You're wonderful :hug:

[sabrina 1]

12. I wonder if this is true?

@newswatchcanada
NewsWatchCanada
#US threatens intervention; presses #Libya to halt crackdown ~ breaking news and worthy comment updated 24/7... newswatchcanada.ca
8 minutes ago via web


More tweets reporting 'non-stop gunfire in Libyan capital'. I thought it had quieted down?

[Catherina]

14. Lots of people retweet old stuff without putting an RT in it.

It's been a bit frustrating that way. I had to ignore a lot of good people and stick to a core group for that reason.

News is so slow right now that ArabRevolution has been reading & posting wiki stuff for the last hour now


ArabRevolution تباً لك ياطاغوت
Guys if I am missing anything important in actual news, gimme a heads up. I am not reading tweets, Jazeera is on mute
15 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[highplainsdem]

29. Link to that Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/21/libya-usa-idUSN2014896520110221

US presses Libya to halt crackdown, threatens action

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The United States on Sunday issued its strongest condemnation yet of Libya's violent crackdown on protesters, citing what it called credible reports of hundreds of deaths and injuries and threatening to take "all appropriate actions" in response.

-snip-

The United States would appear to have far less leverage with Gaddafi than it has exercised in recent week with close U.S. allies like Egypt and Bahrain, where autocratic leaders gave ground in the face of U.S. criticism over political rights.

-snip-

Washington's few options in response to Gaddafi's protest crackdown might include reimposing some sanctions, possibly even touching on Libya's oil industry. But such moves would take time, would require a unified Western stand and could also hurt U.S. oil companies' interests.

-snip-

[highplainsdem]

31. self-delete

[sabrina 1]

52. Thanks, looks like it is.

[Catherina]

19. did u sleep at all last night gaddafi? it was ur last night in libya where will u sleep tonite? No o

elmurabit A. El-Ferjani
did you sleep at all last night #gaddafi ? it was your last night in #libya where will you sleep tonight? no one cares. #feb17 #tripoli
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

20. hospitals in #libya are overflowing with injured/dead people. Pls donate blood

sumyasalem sumya
by rstripolina
hospitals in #libya are overflowing with injured/dead people. if you live in the area please go out and donate blood -- you are needed!
13 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

26. the men of #misrata have arrived to #tripoli -- now the protestors will be stronger than ever.

sumyasalem sumya
by rstripolina
the men of #misrata have arrived to #tripoli -- now the protestors will be stronger than ever. #libya will be free soon iA.
3 minutes ago

[Catherina]

30. Reuters: 100s Attack HQ of South Korea company in Tripoli

EANewsFeed EA WorldView
#Libya: 100s Attack HQ of South Korea company in Tripoli http://tinyurl.com/62mt5u6 #Feb17 #Lybia #Jan25 #SidiBouzid #IranElection
37 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

0610 GMT: Reuters reports that "hundreds" have attacked the headquarters of a South Korean company in Tripoli.

http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2011/2/21/libya-and-beyond-blog-the-end-of-qaddafi.html

[Catherina]

60. wounding 3 Korean workers & causing standoff b/w police & rioters

MitraCNN Mitra Mobasherat
by bencnn
100s of Libyans stormed S. Korean-operated construction site near Tripoli wounding 3 Korean workers & causing standoff b/w police & rioters
17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

36. Audioboo: LivePhoneCall: "From #Tripoli, from east to west, EVERYONE is against #Gaddafi."

feb17voices Feb 17 voices
Audioboo: LivePhoneCall: "From #Tripoli, from east to west, EVERYONE is against #Gaddafi." #Libya #Feb17 http://boo.fm/b283852
55 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

LivePhoneCall: "From #Tripoli, from east to west, EVERYONE is against #Gaddafi." #Libya #Feb17
2 minutes ago
play

AUDIO in clear English

http://audioboo.fm/boos/283852-livephonecall-from-tripoli-from-east-to-west-everyone-is-against-gaddafi-libya-feb17

Says "#Gaddafi supporters in Green Square were brought in on buses."

[Catherina]

47. CNN Article for Day 4: Witnesses describe violence, chaos in Libyan cities

SaeedCNN Saeed Ahmed
by bencnn
Sporadic gunfire continue to ring out in parts of #Libya. Here are witness accounts of violence, chaos Sunday http://on.cnn.com/dITH07
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Witnesses describe violence, chaos in Libyan cities
By the CNN Wire Staff

February 21, 2011 -- Updated 0620 GMT (1420 HKT)

(CNN) -- While state TV bounced between scenes of serene concert footage and orderly rallies in support of leader Moammar Gadhafi, eyewitnesses describe a far different, far more chaotic Libya -- one with arms-toting mercenaries, demonstrators ramming stolen tanks into a military base and masked men firing guns and blasting pro-government tunes from their sport untility vehicles.

...

Gunfire rang out in the capital's streets, some of it coming from the barrel of masked men driving through the streets, said one witness -- who, like many others, isn't identified for safety reasons.

A woman said she saw demonstrators running down a Tripoli street outside her window, chased by apparent mercenaries in pickup trucks. The men were firing at the demonstrators and throwing tear gas at them, according to the witness. Many families have closed their windows and turned off their lights out of fear, she said.


...

Protesters later Sunday packed at least one car with explosives and sent it crashing into a compound wall at a military camp in the eastern city, eyewitnesses said. Security forces then fired on the protesters as they attempted to breach the camp.

...

CNN's Brian Walker, Ben Brumfield and Amir Ahmed contributed to this report.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/21/libya.protests.scene/index.html

[Oilwellian]

49. Catherina

I'm cutting and pasting you into AnonOps Libya chatroom. They're finding it very interesting.

[Catherina]

54. Thanks. I apologize to them for not posting there since I'm registered

but between these threads, retweeting stuff, Facebooking, and some other stuff, just couldn't add that on.

[Catherina]

55. Aljazeera confirms that all of Nafusa Mountains area (W & SW of #Tripoli) are out of regime control

iyad_elbaghdadi Iyad El-Baghdadi
Aljazeera confirms that all of Nafusa Mountains area (W & SW of #Tripoli) are out of regime control #Feb17 #Libya
17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

56. how can Libya keep denying foreign mercenaries allegation when 1 of their ambassadors agrees?!?

nolanjazeera Dan Nolan
Hard to see how Libya can keep denying foreign mercenaries allegation when 1 of their ambassadors agrees?!?! http://goo.gl/r1KpS
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Libya's ambassador to India resigns in protest against violence-BBC
Mon Feb 21, 2011 5:06am GMT

LONDON Feb 21 (Reuters) - Libya's ambassador to India has resigned in protest at his government's violent crackdown on demonstrators calling for the ouster of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Monday.

The BBC, on its Arabic service website, said Ambassador Ali al-Essawi also accused the government of deploying foreign mercenaries against the protesters. The BBC confirmed to Reuters it had spoken to Essawi.

...

(Reporting by Miral Fahmy, editing by John Chalmers)


http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL3E7DL07S20110221

Plus we have all the film, ID cards and visas of these Qaddafi hired mercenaries.

[Catherina]

58. As Libya Kills Protesters, Gadhafi Daughter is UN Ambassador, UNDP Silent

biladee P D
As Libya Kills Protesters, Gadhafi Daughter is UN Ambassador, UNDP Silent http://dlvr.it/H7kt8
12 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

As Libya Kills Protesters, Gadhafi Daughter is UN Ambassador, UNDP Silent
February 21, 2011 - 07:30

http://humanitariannews.org/20110221/libya-kills-protesters-gadhafi-daughter-un-ambassador-undp-silent

[Catherina]

59. Sudan: President Bashir to step down at next election says official quoted by Reuters.

ITwitius Tim Marshall
Sudan: President Bashir to step down at next election says official quoted by Reuters.
10 minutes ago


Mubarak Redux

[Catherina]

61. These are the weapons being used against the unarmed #Libyan people

Cyrenaican Libyana Americana
These are the weapons being used against the unarmed #Libyan people- اسلحة القناصة المرتزقة youtube.com/watch?v=93kS-f… #Libya #Feb17
12 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93kS-fqzHCw
Benghazi youth showing some strange weapons captured from mercenaries


I distinctly heard accusations of "American, Jewish, Algerian"

[joshcryer]

67. Looks like an M16 with a drum mag.

Can't tell if it's a clone or a US made variant though.

[liam_laddie]

77. Think it's a US M4 "carbine" w/grenade launcher, maybe also a spotlight

[Catherina]

62. Q's son offers 2 change flag & natl anthem 2 appease ppl. Today every1 who stays home gets a pony

MattMcBradley Matt Bradley
Qadaffi's son offers to change flag and national anthem to appease protesters. Today everybody who stays home gets a new pony. #Benghazi
57 seconds ago

[Catherina]

63. Confirmation that RPG's were used against civilians in and around Al-Birka camp in #Benghazi yesterd

iyad_elbaghdadi Iyad El-Baghdadi
Confirmation that RPG's were used against civilians in and around Al-Birka camp in #Benghazi yesterday before it fell #Feb17 #Libya
49 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

64. "If there is a leader for this revolution, it's Shaykh Sadiq al-Gheriany."

feb17voices Feb 17 voices
Audioboo: LPC #Tripoli man: "If there is a leader for this revolution, it's Shaykh Sadiq al-Gheriany." #Libya #Feb17 http://boo.fm/b283874
2 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

LPC #Tripoli man: "If there is a leader for this revolution, it's Shaykh Sadiq al-Gheriany." #Libya #Feb17
3 minutes ago
play

AUDIO in clear English

http://audioboo.fm/boos/283874-lpc-tripoli-man-if-there-is-a-leader-for-this-revolution-it-s-shaykh-sadiq-al-gheriany-libya-feb17

[Catherina]

65. Translation of Shaikh AsSadiq Al Gheryani’s statement to the People of Libya

earlier today

Translation of Shaikh AsSadiq Al Gheryani’s statement to the People of Libya
Posted on February 20, 2011 by admin


VIDEO


Translation:

In the name of God, Most Gracious Most Merciful;

I thank Al Jazeera for giving me this opportunity, I say that what is happening in Libya now cannot be tolerated, cannot be bared, cannot be kept silent about. A heavy war machine is confronting protesters who are bare chested, raising their hands above their heads as a sign of peace, peaceful, and the regime is shooting them with anti-aircraft artillery, we have not seen this except in Israel’s attacks against Gaza. We cannot believe this happens in our country. The majority of those doing this are thugs and mercenaries from Africa and from Libya who have sold their honour for money. We cannot remain silent about this now, the country is being attacked by foreigners right now. Therefore, I extend a call, and would like to ask our brothers from army officers, technicians and those who are providing logistical transport to these weapons and ammunition about the bridge that is connecting Tripoli to Benghazi via airplanes carrying these weapons and mercenaries. I want to ask these people who are offering this logistical service, how do they plan to face their Lord? Where is the Honorary oath of service to the Army? Where is the honour of being part of this land? Where is the brotherhood? Where is your faith? Selling your religion in exchange for these mercenaries.

When you send this ammunition and weapnary to John and Johnson so he can go and kill your brother Mohammed and Abdullah. I tell you fear your Lord! For you will most certainly meet your Lord. Your Lord says: “And every one of them will come to Him on the day of resurrection alone”. You must stop doing this, for Allah on the day of judgement will judge everyone based on their actions, there is no excuse for those who say: I was following orders! Remember when God says “When those who were followed shall renounce those who followed (them), and they see the chastisement and their ties are cut asunder.” And remember when God says: And when they shall contend one with another in the fire, then the weak shall say to those who were proud: Surely we were your followers; will you then avert from us a portion of the fire? Those who were proud shall say: Surely we are all in it: surely Allah has judged between the servants.

They should fear God and the weakest action of faith that they can do is to stop providing this logistic service, because the blood is flowing like rivers, deaths that cannot be counted! It is an national obligation for every citizen who has an ounce of zeal for his country, and for the people of Tripoli and its outskirts and all the libyan cities to come out to make a single unified stance of protest so that this blood can stop flowing. It is a RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION for every Muslim citizen to do what he can to stop this blood spilling. it is a vicious massacre.

I also want to extend my message to the Libyan tribes, whom I have heard are spreading weapons amongst their youth so that they can reiginite in them the tribal extremism so that they can fight and that they can demonstrate that it’s about one tribe fighting another, and to resurface old scars between tribes. I want to warn the tribes and the fathers to NOT slip into this dangerous valley, for they are responsible for their children are killing the innocent and weak. They are responsible and should disown themselves from this massacre. Every tribe leader, every guardian, they should all disown and distance themselves from this massacre! Before it is too late! We are at a cross road, there is no choice. Either everyone dies or oppression and darkness prevails. This is the chance of a lifetime to repent and return to God. O people of tribes, do not recline to this massacre.

I want to also direct my words to those who go on the LibyanTV stations and invite these speakers who say that these people (protesters) are small in number and have been paid to protest etc. I want to ask them a question: if you are really truthful, then why do they not allow the news services to come in to report and broadcast the evil footage? Why do they kick out the journalists? Why do they ban the TV stations? between us and them is the truth. Hearing a report is not like seeing the visual truth!

They should let the truth come out to the world. What I see happening in libya right now is most certainly a tragedy! Libya is now considered an afflicted nation! Where are the arab nations? where are the muslim nations? Where is the Organization of the Islamic Conference? What is happening in Libya requires a UN meeting! Where is the Arab League? Where are the Arab nations? Why don’t they request a sitting in the UN? Should there be a peaceful nation who raise their hands above their hands and then get shot by helicopters? We should not be silent about this.

I also have some blame to lay on the TV stations, and especially on Al Jazeera, even though it has opened up a lot today and yesterday also. But what has been happening in Libya, a week since last Tuesday, and Al Jazeera is reporting things on its Live channel which are only being watched by 5% of people, it reports a small portion about Libya and then moves on to other news. And also the martyrs who have fallen in Libya are FAR MORE than those who fell in Egypt and Tunisia combined! And Al Jazeera dedicated a 24 hour non-stop coverage for these two previous revolutions, and whenever your signals were jammed, you announced new frequencies quickly to resume your coverage! And now there are opportunities for journalists to come in via the Egyptian borders! Why don’t you go in and broadcast live pictures to the world? The matter is a tragedy! The matter is horrific! the Libyans need to stand, the Libyans need to come out a RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION to stop this bloodshed. This must not be accepted!

News Anchor: We are trying with what is available to us. We want to ask while you are present in Tripoli. We heard about attack and retreat in some areas of tripoli, but there still remains the fear of the Security’s grip and the huge presence of security on the whole. Do you expect that we will see huge demonstrations in Tripoli and that the fear barrier will be broken?

The fear barrier must be broken! Like you said, the security grip is colossal in Tripoli. In every 100 meters, there are armoured trucks and army officers. And every time a small group comes out to protest, they do not start with anything smaller than anti-aircraft artillery! But this does not do anything but to make people more determined and explosive! And the people cannot be crushed like this! The principles of law state that the people are leaders of all. We are seeing the people coming out now! What are these empty statements? The people need to see the truth and stop this bloodshed. And this bloodshed cannot be stopped unless people come out as one unit. Big and small, old and young, women and men. There are so many who died who have not even reached the age of puberty!

News anchor: Thank you so much Dr Al Gheryani for your contribution!

http://www.libyafeb17.com/?p=1266

No sooner had he finished that broadcast than Qaddafi's thugs nabbed him, beat him and dragged him off by the beard to God only knows where.

[Catherina]

66. Yemen's pres says demands 4 regime change r unacceptable, says protest mvmts in region r a disease

biladee P D
Yemen's president says demands for regime change are unacceptable, describes protest movements in region as disease - Al Jazeera English
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Saleh declared that "regime change is unacceptable" and said the pro-democracy movement is a "contagious disease" which spread from Tunisia: "It's a flu."

http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2011/2/21/libya-and-beyond-blog-the-end-of-qaddafi.html

[joshcryer]

68. Yemen's president needs to watch what he says...

[Catherina]

71. This gets as comical by the minute as it gets tragic.

Did these guys all graduate from the same charm school?

[Catherina]

69. Part 14 here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x469907

[Manifestor_of_Light]

79. 14.5 mm ammo, according to a man on Aljazeera.

I don't know what kind of ammo splits bodies into chunks, but a man on AlJazeera said it was 14.5 mm rounds.

I noticed the bodies were split horizontally in a straight line, and also there was some vertical damage up and down, in a line, like the forces were split into an X with four limbs at 90 degrees.

:shrug: