So how many mercenaries are fighting for Gadhafi

[Prometheus Bound]

Pick any number. Depends who you believe. As far as I can see, all the "experts" just pull numbers out of their ass.

150,000

Hadi Shalouf, a member of the International Criminal Court expanded this to 50,000 mercenaries to Tripoli, and about 150,000 mercenaries throughout Libya, as reported by Al-Jazeera.
http://www.linktv.org/scripts/episode_transcript.php?episode=mosaic20110223

50,000
Iran's Press TV says there are 50,000 mercs paid for by Israel.

50,000 again
The Jerusalem Post reports that Iran's Press TV reports that Al-Jazeera reports that Egyptian sources have revealed that the Israeli company has so far provided Gaddafi’s regime with 50,000 African mercenaries to attack the civilian anti-government protesters in Libya. (a rather breathless line of hearsay wouldn't you say)
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editorials/Article.aspx?id=210907

6,000 to 30,000

Libyans, Black-Africans and Gaddafi’s divisive power struggle
Reportedly from diverse countries, including Chad, Mauritania, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Liberia… and estimated to number around 6,000, by the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), and 30,000 by Human Rights Solidarity, these mercenaries are said to be comprised mostly of veteran rebels of wars that have been financed by the Libyan "Guide" in Sub-Sahara Africa since his ascension to power in 1969. Kenyans, Ethiopians and Burkinabe are also suspected to be in their rank and file.
http://www.afrik-news.com/article19079.html

25,000
Ali Zeidan, of the Libyan Human Rights League, is quoted in this report by World News as saying Libya has 25,000 merc.

Gaddafi is said to have attracted 25,000 mercenaries to fight the insurgency of his people who oppose his authoritarian regime. Head of the Libyan Human Rights League Ali Zeidan said, Chad led the mercenary group, which includes residents of Niger, Mali, Zimbabwe, and Liberia who are paid between 300 to 2,000 U.S. dollars a day.
http://www.worldnewsco.com/3780/mercenary-army-muammar-al-gaddafi-paid-usd-300-day/

6,000

Ali Zeidan again cuts the nember from 25,000 to 6,000 in this interview:
"there were thousands of mercenaries deployed in Libya, including 3,000 in Tripoli and 3,000 just outside it, allegedly being commanded by officers from Libya's southern neighbour, Chad."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jnlCLQDdFD56NUFgWMJSgKy4ZjYQ?docId=CNG.ea7b815a328e15bd3f976d83c0320c57.c51

Hundreds

Libya recruited hundreds of mercenaries from Sub-Saharan Africa to help quell a popular uprising that is threatening to unseat veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi after more than 41 years in office, witness told Al Arabiya from the eastern city of Benghazi on Sunday.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/02/19/138351.html

Hundreds
Voice of America on March 1 quotes a knowledgeable African analyst suggesting the number is at least in the hundreds, though he used them mainly for conflicts outside Libya.

Experts Disagree on African Mercenaries in Libya
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Experts-Disagree-on-African-Mercenaries-in-Libya-117156253.html

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. How many baby incubators did Saddam unplug?

Blame it on The fog of war".

[JoseGaspar]

2. Most of the confusion is because of a conflation of...

...recently recruited "mercenaries" with the Pan-African Legion, sometimes because of ignorance, but mostly for the purposes of propaganda.

One of Qaddafi's long term objectives has been to integrate Libya with the African continent, and not just the "Arab World". In the late 1970s, he created a Pan-African Legion of 7 to 10,000 soldiers who were eventually incorporated, as a unit, into the Libyan Army.

Whether these were "mercenaries" has always been a source of controversy. They were recruited mainly among rebel peoples in the Sahel who were in opposition to the governments of the (mainly) French-aligned former colonies (and thus explain the enmity of the French to Qaddafi). They certainly are not "mercenaries" in the sense of the French Foreign Legion or the Blackwater-style mercenaries used by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, combining political motives with military employment.

In addition to these, after the beginning of the Libyan uprising, apparently some numbers of additional "mercenaries", amounting to dozens to hundreds, were recruited in the same areas in which the PAL recruits. These plus the existing Legion are combined to produce "thousands".

[Lithos]

3. Thanks

There was a French/Libyan conflict point in Chad and this sounds like it revolves around that as well. Your explanation helps with the bigger picture.

L-

[David__77]

4. At least 1.76 billion.

That's what a panel of experts said on Onion News. And they are definitely the most authoritative on the subject.

[Runework]

5. .

How many mercenaries are fighting for the western Oil companies?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/23/us-gaddafi-oilcompanies-wikileaks-idUSTRE71M5Y420110223

[old mark]

6. Many members of his airforce are paid outside contractors, not military...

There are probably no accurate numbers to be found and wars generate propaganda by all sides.


mark