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TRIPOLI, Libya – So what has the mercurial Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi been up to while the world has focused on Japan?
One could rightly ask, as did a Swiss reader of the New York Times did in Wednesday’s Opinion section, if some dictators in the Arab World see ‘‘the unfolding catastrophe in Japan … as convenient camouflage to ramp up actions that would otherwise be more widely condemned?”
AHMED JADALLAH / Reuters
Libyan government soldiers celebrate at the west gate of town Ajdabiyah on Wednesday. Note that the photo was taken during a guided government tour.
It’s a tempting idea that might well apply to recent crackdowns in Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. But it really hasn’t applied here. True to himself as always, Gadhafi continues to march to the beat of his own drum.
Gadhafi forces continue steady onslaught
Forces loyal to Gadhafi stopped the rebel advance on Tripoli in a small town called Bin Jawad over a week ago, and ever since, the regime seems to have snapped out of its slumber, or initial confusion, or rope-a-dope strategy. Now Gadhafi’s forces are driving back the rebels with a withering combination of artillery, tank fire, rockets and bombs from the air and sea.
From Bin Jawad, to Ras Lanuf, to Brega and now Ajdabiya – one key oil port after the next – Gadhafi’s forces have moved at a steady, fast pace. They’ve continued their advancement before, during and after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami – both when Libya was the lead story, and now that it’s become the “bumped” story.
As the loyalist juggernaut moves like a freight train along Libya’s Mediterranean coast toward the final rebel stronghold of Benghazi, it’s the unfolding events in New York at the U.N., not Japan that may be driving it.
Gadhafi’s son, Saif, boasted to French-based TV channel Euronews Wednesday that “everything will be over in 48 hours.”
The regime seems worried that the international community might somehow vote for, and quickly impose, a no-fly zone over Libya. That, plus other military options on NATO’s table – a maritime ban, and giving the rebels some $32 billion in frozen Gadhafi assets to purchase heavy weapons – might inspire the rebels to put up a better fight.
PATRICK BAZ / AFP - Getty Images
Libyan rebels load ammunition onto their vehicle in the eastern Libyan coastal town of Tobruk near the border with Egypt on Wednesday.
This is why Libya analysts say Gadhafi’s forces have been building steam – in order to encircle and besiege the rebels in Benghazi before any of those “game-changers” might make a difference.
But, frankly, the regime would likely win this war even with both a no-fly zone and a maritime ban to deal with. Gadhafi’s forces are still trained and disciplined soldiers, while the rebels read weapons manuals on the battlefield.
Government minders glad for the break
None of this means that the current Libya news “blackout” hasn’t come as a boon to our local “minders” – those government handlers and their bosses whose job it is to spout the regime’s line, and make sure no journalist gets too close to the truth, all in the name of showing us the truth.
They have expended Herculean energy in an attempt to “prove” to 130-odd foreign reporters that:
1) There was never a group of peaceful protesters in Libya.
2) Even if there were peaceful protesters, they were never crushed by plainclothes security at the very start of their marches.
3) The rebels are not Libyan freedom-fighters but “rats” – trained terrorists from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other al-Qaida havens.
In doing so, they’ve cut off our cell phones, kept us in our hotel by offering a string of meaningless press conferences and have yet to take us near the actual front lines.
(And some journalists have met tough resistance from local authorities. The New York Times said four of its journalists were missing in Libya on Wednesday. The Times said it had spoken with Libya government officials who said they were attempting to find out more about the journalists).
After three weeks of trying to keep all these probing reporters and cameramen in line, all the minders seem to be exhausted. Now, the tragedy in Japan has bought them a little time, and a lot fewer rockets from their own bosses in Tripoli, who had complained of too much “negative coverage of Libya” … until that coverage effectively stopped, this past weekend.
I happened to break the news of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami – and how the tragedy had literally washed Libya off our broadcasts – to a government spokesman here on Friday. I’ll never forget his reaction. “Thanks, God!” he said, looking to the heavens.
Jim Maceda is an NBC News Correspondent based in London, currently on assignment in Libya.
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I wish things had been different but America can not take the lead in this. I had hoped France or the Arabs would do it. I know there will be mass slaughter when it is over.
There has been mass slaughter and it will continue as Gadhafi regains control. This is so horrible.....the Libyan government will have to answer to those journalists who have died as well as those who are missing.
Strength, courage, and power to the people of Libya!
The latest journalist to disappear were in rebel held areas.
This is what Americans said when they were told the Jews were being slaughtered by Nazis; it was a European problem, we shouldn't have got involved, that it wasn't even a mass slaughter, that nothing was happening. It's worthwhile reading history. It happened then, and it is happening now, as today, Libyans get killed. Soon, as the rebellion is crushed, Gaddafi and his sons will be rounding up the survivors and shooting them point-blank. I am sure some Americans can easily live with that - those who believe that Arabs are sub-humans. But for the rest of us, this will be a horrifying experience.
Looks like all the other countries in the world can live with it also. Why just point your finger at America. Our country has sacrificed enough of our young men. We don't even know who the hell you are.
BUT Freedom's Banner once unfurled cannot be hauled down.
UN axis of evil. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
Well, we don't see any Tunisians and Egyptians, fresh off their chest-thumping, Allahu-akhbaring, dictator-overthrowing successes, assisting their fellow North-African/Arab/Muslim brothers in Libya to do the same.....so maybe the ties of nationalism do trump those of religion and ethnicity after all? I guess it shows that Nasser's pan-Arabism or Hizb-ut-Tahrir's dream of a worldwide Islamic caliphate are truly dead. Meanwhile, see the Saudis helping out Bahrainis, but leaving Libyans out in the cold. And what of the rest of the Muslim world? Malaysia? Indonesia? Iran? Morocco? Jordan? Qatar? Syria? Turkey? They're ALL standing by watching the Libyan rebels get slaughtered....so is THEIR non-involvement also indicative of their belief that Libyans are "sub-human"?
yes, I agree!!! This is an internal con-flick and if the closest neighbors and fellow Muslims do not support interference, then I believe in this case, we should stay out. This is not Egypt, this is not millions of peaceful educated demonstrators asking for specific demands of an increased voice in the own government. This is a tribal waring country, constantly in con flick that started a civil war over the explotation of the oil wealth.
Yup, we can't get into a third war and it's necessary to sit this one out, as unfortunate as it is. We can't afford to be the world's police force and other countries must recognize they need to step up. China and Russia too. And we need to learn to let them.
I agree with pygme1. These ruthless dictators have to fear someone, and the more local the better. It is too easy to tell America to stay out, and then complain that America did nothing. The question of the century is how to stop mass slaughter in another country. The 20th century didn't solve it.
Gadhafi will torture and kill thousands very soon thanks to the week world governments. It should have been the other way a free Libya.
week?
There are about 4 million Muslims in the US. If their nature was to kill everyone in sight, you wouldn't be around to lie about it.
Against 300 million! Your silly Byron.
But those 4 million muslims are very silent about the radicals of their 'religion' [cult] terrorizing the world.
True, we also have to violent racial groups along with the violent christians in our own country. Its not just a Middle East or Muslim thing.
Millions? That's a little strong.
But we do have violent radical christians performing acts of murder and terrorism on domestic soil. Eric Rudolph's nail bomb. The murder of Dr. George Tiller. Both done by christian radicals. Timothy McVeigh was a christian (though his acts were more anti-government than religion fueled).
Radicalism is a negative force in any culture, regardless of race, color, or creed.
FYI Mr Blissful: Anyone who commits acts of terror is NOT a Christian, regardless of how they or anyone else identifies them. To qualify to be called a Christian, a person must follow Jesus. In Matthew 7:21 Jesus says , "Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in."
Why has not a single poster that I've read remembered the 190 Americans Gadaffi had murdered on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in Dec 1988 and asked for justice to finally be imposed on Gadaffi. There is no statute of limitations on murder.
Maybe not an eye for an eye, but Gadaffi's life for the 190 Americans he killed. It is too bad it was during the transition between Reagan and Bush I. All Bush I and Clinton could do is impose "sanctions". All Bush II and Obama could do was normalize relations with Gadaffi.
The problem is the Arab world is the first to turn to the US and the west when they need something and then they are the first to decry how the US is crusading thru Arab lands. The Arabs are spineless in their resolve to stand up to each other. If other countries in North Africa and the Middle East think a no fly zone is needed and they want to help the rebellion, then build a coalition of Arab/African soldiers/armies to take care of it. Then there is none of this 'the US/West crusaders are taking over Muslim lands' crap that feeds the crazy Muslims and scared the moderate/liberal ones into wetting themselves.
Thank You.
Yep, what with that little wus in the white house all worried about his basketball predictions and packing for Rio it's hard to concentrate on mass murder in a whole nother country especially a MUSLIM one like Libia.
You were right on Den until the last sentence. I sometimes do the same thing but always watch the last sentence as it blows a good thought.
You wait, Obama's handling of Libya is going to prove to be brilliant. If Ghadafi wins, he has no bone to pick with us, no reason to embargo oil or to send terrorists against us. If Ghadafi loses, the rebels similarly have no bone to pick with us. Meanwhile, we save American $$$ and lives by not getting involved in somebody else's war. It's the Switzerland model and has served them well for centuries. Switzerland is well armed and neutral and nobody messes with them. I wish other American presidents could grasp this concept.
The sad part is that no matter what the outcome, it will not be long before they are at it again. Makes you if you better off with the devil you know rather than the one you don't.
send in the French Forgien Legion,and the Arab League, problem solved
Gadafhi hired out of country mercenaries to do his dirty work because his own people weren't interested in protecting him. They will easily cover up the massive massacre that's started and we'll all turn the other cheek. The UN won't say anything (and they'll remain on the Human Rights Commission), the US won't say anything (officially or in the media), it's over. So, while thousands of Libyans are slaughtered in the name of retaining dictatorial power we'll move on to the next story. Great. Thanks.
Americans are probably just finding it easier to relate to a dictatorial way of life these days. No matter how your government treats you while taking your freedoms and quality of life away, it's always more saddening when disaster strikes at this magnitude.
Yea, It must be hell living in Wisconsin these days, with public workers stripped of all of their rights!
forget Libia, let Europe and the (spineless) Arab countries take care of it, let's concentrate on the USA,we need jobs and brand new honest politicians, let's clean house here!!!! Bring our soldiers home!!!!!
I agree that the correct actions are stay out of Libya, but the US government should have make its intentions very clear to the rest of the world like the German did. We should let those damned Muslism killing each others so there will be less of them to terrorize the rest of the free world. I am also against giving those people political asylum because you will be bringing future terrorists to the US.
while I don't disagree with you, about importing people from an area where they predominantly kill everything especially if it is American (Somalia,etc), it is a very dangerous and slippery slope to over generalize and paint every damn muslim as an American hating terrorist.
Hey, superdude, still complaining about our Kenyan born Muslim President? I'm sure you are right that a real leader, like George Bush, instead of a wus would have the 82nd Ariborne on it's way to Tripoli by now. Knowing that you yourself are not a wus, which branch of the service did you serve in? You chickenhawks, like the aforementioned Mr. Bush always amaze me - yell loudly and don't even have a stick!
I hate to ally myself with Qaddafi but after seeing "Our Fearless Leader" Obama and his cohort Hillary get on TV, with the gall to say that "Qaddafi must go", as if it was up to them to decide, I'm feeling better about the way things are turning out. This was an armed rebellion not a peaceful protest at all and it isn't our place to take sides. Take a look at Iran after Carter forced the Shah to let the Khomeini back in, Nicaragua with the Sandinistas and overthrow Batista in favor of Castro. Give me a friendly dictator over an enemy anytime.
Hey Vern,
Have you ever considered that your cavalier attitude about dictators so long as they're our dictators is one of the main reasons why so many people in the world have come to view America with contempt? "Give me a friendly dictator over an enemy." You mean like Saddam? I remember well the photograph of Rumsfeld shaking Saddam's hand when we gave him lots of weapons to attack Iran during the 80s? You mean Osama bin Laden? We gave him lots of money to expel the Russkis from Afghanistan before we decided to enter that military quagmire. You mean like Qaddafi for about 6 years, when he made gas cheap? You mean like Papa and Baby Doc in the Haiti? You mean like Pinochet in Chile, who murdered tens of thousands of his citizens after the CIA orchestrated the coup that overturned democractically elected Socialist Salvador Allende in 1973? Vern, do you really think we showed respect for the people of Nicaragua, Iran, Haiti, or Chile by supporting these "friendly dictators?"
You lament the return of Khomeini while ignoring completely the CIA- and MI5-orchestrated ouster of the democratically elected Iranian secularist Mossadegh in 1953, which enabled the exiled Shah to return to power in Iran, whereupon he wreaked havoc and torture on his own people until he was kicked out again by Khomeini's kids in the 1979 Revolution. The Sandinistas didn't arise directly from intervention by the United States but rather as a reaction to our decades-long support of another dictatorial family named Somoza, and then we tried to overturn Sandinista rule by dimbulb Reagan's/Oliver North's funding of the Contras with money earned by selling guns to Iran in its fight with Iraq (we wound up funding both sides of that 9-10 year war), and Bautista was on our government's dole, using Cuba as a personal playground for American tourists in Havana before being overthrown by Castro's rebels. Contrary to your unexamined beliefs, Vern, the Sandinistas and Castro were the product of our support for "friendly dictators."
And you don't think that these political debacles haven't undermined American prestige and leadership in the world? Wrap your head around this, Vern: America's support of anti-Communist and anti-Socialist dictators for the last 60 years has meant that United States has sponsored home-grown terrorism throughout the world. Your shallow understanding of history and geopolitics is the only thing exceptional about you, Vern.
I agree entirely. These are Libyan affairs, having absolutely no impact, not even concerning oil, on us. It is Obama who "has to go" for this insolent behaviour. Hillary is even worse...
To me it's more like Bay of pigs ,where the rebels were informed that we were behind them ,then abandoned them due to Bureaucratic B.S . then sit back and let them get slaughtered.
Bama-3190539: You are right it is Bureaucratic BS and it stinks to high heaven.
actually, they were peaceful protests until gaddafi's men started killing people. people fought back for their lives and freedom.
Shame on the world leaders that have allowed government contracts and the thirst for oil to let this happen. I wonder if they will sleep easy wondering how many young men and boys will now be tortured and killed by the Libyan regime or will they find it easy to hide behind the lies that will now spurt out that all is peaceful and back to normal. How long will it be before the leaders of Italy, Germany and Russia are once again smiling beside Ghadaffi proud of the contracts that they have secured with him to boulster their nations economies. Ghadaffi says he is not the ruler and that the people run the country why then does his family have so much control and money. They deny riches in foreign countries but Saif owns a multi million pound home in London. We teach our children that bullies and liars must not be tolerated and yet the world has stood by and proven that this bully and his family can propser from lies and violence. Shame shame shame on the world leaders and their beaurocrats. Ghadaffi is mocking you !
You cry shame:
We have, in the last decade, acted unilaterally in a foreign country to either defend ourselves or the local population, and have been castigated for it, now you and many like here, you want us to enter yet another country at huge expense, in both money and the lives of our young people.
I think not.
For once let someone else be the the worlds policeman, let China, Russia, the EU stand up and lead, let us for once be concerned with us, we have enough problems here at home, where after all charity begins, to get on with.
Lets face it. We have built our interests and security using insane despots who brutally suppress their own people. Like Saddam, Mo is a bulwark against the OTHER terrorists (as opposed to HIS terrorists). Our dirty little secret is that we can't afford for him to go. Just like in Bahrain. Do we really want Shiites to be "Free" to practice radical Islamism? We have to consider that freedom for much of the middle east will mean trouble for the US. So... maybe we shouldn't rush to the aid of people who want to be free to hate and attack us...
The death of democracy in the Middle East
US policy makers, representing big business and finance capital, decided to control world trade, that is, to become the empire of the world, it has had to eliminate dissent, and therefore genuine democracy. But it did so slowly, within its potential, and always when the pliant media was willing to tout its lies as facts.
There never was an established free press in America; it was always a free-enterprise press, owned mostly by the same business and finance capitalists who controlled the government.
Which explains why every US newspaper and journal of the times heralded "Manifest Destiny" by which god himself had proclaimed that the Caribbean must become "an American lake" Nor did the establishment object when the US imposed on Cuba total tutelage through the Platt Amendment, took over the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and various other Spanish colonies which lusted for independence.
When it came to Europe, it had to act more slowly, less belligerently, always within its strength and potential. During World War I for example it had to be certain that the European powers were too exhausted to object, and hence waited until 1917 to enter the war. And when it did, it claimed to side with the democracies, forcing the press to mimic its pronouncements that England and France were the good guys and Germany the bully, when in fact it was the allies who started the war to stop Germany's rapidly expanding industrialization.
Nor did our media tell Americans that there was much more democracy in Germany than in the so-called allies. In fact Germany then, with its legal Socialist parties, its massive union movement and its workingmen's bill of rights (including three weeks paid yearly holidays), was much freer in 1914 than England is today.
The US constitution correctly defines the fundamental prerequisite for democracy: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But no country can be democratic if all of its people do not have access to life that is health. Nor can a country be free if its citizens do not have easy access to choices, the result of free, equal education. And no people can pursue happiness, unless they are healthy and educated.
In other words, said this great American statesman, forget democracy. We don't have it, we don't want it. And let's stop pushing it on our totalitarian friends. Death to democracy!
If you're going to spout conspiracy theories, at least have the common sense to get the basic facts correct. The protections of "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are not explicitly in the U.S. Constitution. They are in the declaration of independence, which didn't directly address democracy, but were rather a diatribe against the British Monarchy. Furthermore, the constitution itself didn't even provide the original guarantees either, but were added on as part of the Bill of Rights.
And as for democracy? The framers thought it would be a good idea, but were elitists insofar as they didn't trust the people to make the best decisions. That is why the only national elected office in which the people had a direct voice was the House of Representatives, which was to be close to the people. Senators were selected by their state legislatures, while the president was (and still is) elected by the Electoral College.
Gerald: Your little diatribe was more interesting before I saw that you had cross posted it everywhere. sigh... I had given you the benifit of the doubt that you were more than just a troll. You can post this 100 more times but it will not make it more factally accurate. As Michael pointed out your error about the origin of "Life, Liberty & the persuit of happiness" please allow me to point out a few more for you.
1: US is not now, and never has been a Democracy, neither has any other large society in the history of the world. LL&PoH has nothing to do with getting an education and healthcare. It means that the government can't kill you for no reason. It means that the government can not imprison you for no reason. It means that the government can not take away what you enjoy for no reason. It does NOT mean that the government has to GIVE you anything. LL&PoH are declared as God given rights, not government given.
2: WW1 was started by a single assassination. Multiple treaty obligations were then invoked creating a large scale war. The US was not a part of ANY of those treaties so we stayed out of it for a long time, and became arms merchants. We eventually joined the war in europe opnly AFTER we were asked to do so, and public opinion here "joined a side". There was no conspiracy. If it was all about "big business" the US would have satyed on the sidelines and sold guns to both sides. The US sided with England & France becasue we have historical ties with them, the US has always liked the plucky guy with his back against the wall, getting his butt kicked, & because germany was the aggressor.
3: Manifest Destiny: Too bad,get over it. There was a colonial expansionistic metality in all of the major contries of the world. If the fledgling United States did not grab the land, then someone else would have. Personally I am quite happy they did as I would really not like to have the modern French and Spanish governments as neighbors. At least we didin't travel half way around the world plant our flag somewhere and decalre it ours. We usually negotiated with someone who had some sort of lagitimacy. Did we always negotiate in good faith, nope. Did we always pay fair market value, nope. However, if you aren't Apache, Comanchee, Cherokee, Creek, etc, you really don't have a justifiable complaint to make either.
I am so angry at our govt. The French did recognize the freedom fighters in Eastern Libya. But then did nothing. SOO Brave! And the Arab league? Wjhat was that all about. Most of there delegates are from despotic countries. What did anyone expect. OB said he would impose a now fly zone on maybe tuesday. Opps, missed it. Anyone remember Clinton and Kosovo. The entire province was emptied before anyone really liftee a finger. The Egyptians hate GD, but yet have not lifted a finger to help. There military could have so easily sent help but as far as I know they did not. How about Tunisia, They could have helped too. All these countries have mountains of weapons and ammo. what are they waiting for. If Sarkozy is so tough, where is the F., Legion. Where are a few ships to sink GD's ships that are bombarding with impunity. Makes me sick! Tom.
The absolute solution to curret world problems is to use the old nukes we pay to destroy and take these PAGAN religious idiots OUT!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Trust,
Exactly which pagans did you have in mind? All Muslims in every country or just countries where the majority of the population is Muslim? Do you have any idea how many countries that would be? Have you noticed the problems Japan is experiencing with nuclear fallout since the earthquake/tsunami? Can you say that nuking those "PAGAN religious idiots" wouldn't cause nuclear fallout that would irradiate millions of innocent people? Do you think that no other nuclear power would respond to our use of the bomb? Pakistan has a number of nuclear weapons. Don't you think one of the Muslim countries would try to get a bomb from Pakistan to blow up Israel if we bombed Iran? What would that provoke, Trust?
This is your solution? Do you really want Armageddon, you moron?
Lord help me.......this sounds reasonable!
I haven't heard any updates from Egypt on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, or fixed noise, (FOX), at least as front page news items. It seems the Libyan crisis is over and Bahamian must be just an inconvenience as well.
What's so inconvenient about the Bahamas? Nassau is just a short plane ride from Miami.
add on to my comments.Just A quick add on to my comments. Most Americans are not aware that without Massive help from the French Moarchy our revolution would most likely have failed! Or to be honest it would have failed. The English would have hanged many. The hammer would have come down on the founding father's. Washington would have been first on the list. Then maybe 30 years later we would have tried again. No one really knows. My point being is that we are not very gratefull and big oil rules the world. We need in this country a collective memory boost. Democracy should always be supported over any other form of government. Churchill said that all forms of government are a mess but democracy is the best of the group. The Greek's are turning over in there grave's. Tom
The fascist Gadhafi regime must remain an international pariah for so long as it exists. The international community must never again accord this "government" any recognition. The time for appeasing tyrants is long over!
I posted my lengthjy comment where is it?
Post a comment you say? Perhaps mine was "lost" because it spoke the truth. No more time to waste here........ just remember the stink is coming from Washington, D.C. where the leadership gap is widest at the White House. No more B. O. in 2012.............. POWER TO THE PEOPLE !! Charles J. Brown citizen, planet Earth
To compare what is happening in Libya with what happened to the Jews in Germany is ludicrous. Two totally different situations - one a genocide, the other the stopping of a rebellion. I am no fan of Kadhaffys, but those rebels are guilty of high treason, and in most countries that is punishable by death. So what will the international community do if he executes several hundred rebels? Protest that he is upholding the same laws the rest of the world has? If Britain had won the American Revolution, all those who signed the Declaration of Independence would have been hunted down, tried and hung most likely if not beheaded. I feel sorry for the rebels, but the international community cannot say much about it!
Are you seriously suggesting that people who went out to peacefully protest, who were then shot at by snipers, many of whom died, should be killed? Things got violent immediately when gaddafi's men started killing peaceful protestors. People then had to defend themselves.
Does anyone seriously think all these countries (middle east) awoke one morning and decide they suddenly wanted FREEDOM. There's a concerted effort on the part of someone to stir the pot. I have no proof, but my guess is the little MOUSE FACED creature in Tehran... I think the little ba---rd has made it pretty plain what their END GAME is, unless you're either to DUMB to understand or so EDUCATED that you find it necessary to ANALYZE it for twenty years before accepting the obvious. The RADICALS are driving the agenda for the Muslin's, so if you're NON-MUSLIN its time to remove your head from the sand or posterior and do some serious thinking about what kind of world you want your children and grandchildren living in. If you don't care, continue your nap and pleasant dreams !!!!!!