# BREAKING: Libya **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 14, 2014, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317 "2014-02-14T09:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/1 "2014-02-14T09:37:53Z")
Reports that **all communication has been cut** in Libya. Parliament and Government suspended and ex Military general has taken control. Waiting for news out of Libya ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/2 "2014-02-14T09:41:36Z")
The US and French Military Coup against Gaddafi left Libya with no army, and militias and Al Qaeda in control. Not sure which side the ex general is on??? 😕 waiting for reports to get across the border to Tunis or Egypt for further details ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/3 "2014-02-14T09:50:34Z")
I’m sure Fox News is already trying to figure out whether this is Obama’s fault for doing too much, or Obama’s fault for not doing enough. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/4 "2014-02-14T09:58:52Z")
I take it the Fox issue is the debate here? ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/5 "2014-02-14T10:01:08Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > I take it the Fox issue is the debate here? Or why there haven’t been dropped any motorcycles yet, from loitering F-16’s. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/6 "2014-02-14T10:06:57Z")
Links? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/7 "2014-02-14T11:03:29Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Links? [Here’s one.](http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/uk-libya-crisis-idUKBREA1D0CO20140214) It appears to be much ado about nothing on the OP’s part. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/8 "2014-02-14T12:33:49Z")
> [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > The US and French Military Coup against Gaddafi left Libya with no army, and militias and Al Qaeda in control. ISTR it was a coup by _Libyans_ with military support (largely air and advisors) from the US, France and Britain. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/9 "2014-02-14T12:39:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Tripoli was calm, with telecommunications normal, and Reuters witnesses said there were no immediate signs of any extraordinary troop movements or activity outside the parliament, the prime minister’s office or any ministries. Enough with the **histrionics** , **Marmite Lover**. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/10 "2014-02-14T12:53:18Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m sure Fox News is already trying to figure out whether this is Obama’s fault for doing too much, or Obama’s fault for not doing enough. I’m sure if Romney had been elected he would have done the right thing, sprinting to a microphone to utter the word “terrorism!” Somehow, that’s what presidents are supposed to do. While interesting, I’m not seeing that this is necessarily a good development or a a bad one. Let’s see how it shakes out. Hard to see how they’ll be worse off in any event than under Khadafy. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/11 "2014-02-14T12:55:32Z")
Yeah, if there’s a crackdown on communications and the country is being sealed off, it strikes me that giving interviews to Reuters is a mistake. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![NotfooledbyW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f475e1/32.png) [@NotfooledbyW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotfooledbyW)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/12 "2014-02-14T12:58:18Z")
> [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > Reports that **all communication has been cut** in Libya. > > Parliament and Government suspended and ex Military general has taken control. > > Waiting for news out of Libya Not even Fox News has blamed the laughable you-tube video on Obama. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/13 "2014-02-14T13:06:28Z")
If nothing else, maybe this will lead to some sorta agreement on how to spell Muammar’s last name. ---
**Author:** ![NotfooledbyW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f475e1/32.png) [@NotfooledbyW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotfooledbyW)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/14 "2014-02-14T13:10:31Z")
See previous … > [@](#): > > In the video, posted to YouTube, Hifter appeared in uniform and read a five-point plan to “rescue the nation,” including the creation of a presidential committee representing the country’s political factions and a national defense council under his command. > > Prime Minister Ali Zidan described the statement as “laughable,” accusing Hifter of spekaing “with the language of a coup.” [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/14/libya-former-army-chief-calls-for-government-to-be-disbanded/](http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/14/libya-former-army-chief-calls-for-government-to-be-disbanded/) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/15 "2014-02-14T14:32:40Z")
So Libya isn’t breaking after all? ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/16 "2014-02-14T14:57:56Z")
Since the overwhelming majority of Libyans live within 100 miles of the coastline and there are only 6 million people in the entire country (which is 2 1/2 times the size of Texas) “cracking down” really wouldn’t take that much effort. And if it is a _coup_ then as long as they are friendly or pragmatic about their relationship with the US, then this isn’t something over which I would lose any sleep. ---
**Author:** ![NotfooledbyW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f475e1/32.png) [@NotfooledbyW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotfooledbyW)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/17 "2014-02-14T15:00:12Z")
Libya has a different set of challenges than those faced in Egypt. The opposition in Libya became a temporary unity of militias which fought against Gadhafi’s army. The opposition fhave retained their weapons. The opposition fighters have not given their consent to be governed by the new government. I have not heard what’s become of the rank and file from Gadhafi’s army. Mubarak was forced out of power by mass protest not armed conflict between government and anti-government forces. Egypt has an advantage over Libya now that the mass protest and the army have become unified. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/18 "2014-02-14T15:10:46Z")
[Apparently a general called for a coup but it didn’t happen.](http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/uk-libya-crisis-idUKBREA1D0CO20140214) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/19 "2014-02-14T15:19:47Z")
Is anyone else wondering if communications with the OP have also been cut off? It seems to happen after he posts something alarming and critical of US foreign policy (whether or not the US is actually involved), then it turns out to be not that alarming, and then there always seems to be some sort of technological problem which prevents him from following up. I bet the OP blames the problem on the NSA… ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317/20 "2014-02-14T15:33:33Z")
On the bright side, at least this isn’t [news from 2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=715351). > [@NotfooledbyW](#): > > Egypt has an advantage over Libya now that the mass protest and the army have become unified. If one decides that the Muslim Brotherhood was never a legitimate part of the glorious revolution so deposing the elected president in a military coup and effectively banning the MB as a political party don’t count as acts of disunity, sure. The mass protests and the army are totally unified. Then again in your world Morsi wasn’t removed in a military coup, and his election was somehow invalid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-libya/681317.md?page=2)