# Libya too?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595 "2011-02-16T16:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 88
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1741 "2011-08-20T20:47:47Z")
[Libya Oil Chief Latest High-Level Official to Quit Al Qathafi Regime](http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6703) > [@](#): > > Libya’s oil chief, Omran Abukraa, is in Tunisia. An official Tunisian source told Reutersthat after making a trip abroad, Omran Abukraa has now decided not to return to Libya, making him the third apparent defection this week of a senior figure associated with Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi’s regime ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1742 "2011-08-20T20:51:49Z")
It is now reported on the other news stations like Arabiya that there is a uprising in Tripoli in many neighbourhoods. They are saying there is much gunfire, they are saying weapons have spread and the revolutionaries are attacking the Kadafi brigades. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1743 "2011-08-20T21:14:52Z")
From [Aljazeera’s Libya Live Blog:](http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya) > [@](#): > > 5 min 59 sec ago - Libya > Tripoli residents receive mobile phone text messages urging them to “go out into streets to eliminate agents with weapons” according to a local resident who spoke to the Reuters news agency. > 41 min 59 sec ago - Libya > Anti-Gaddafi protesters in streets of Tripoli, explosions and gunfire heard from multiple locations, according to local residents. > > Witnesses reported fighting in some neighbourhoods of the Libyan capital after the break of the dawn-to-dusk fast of Ramadan. > 42 min 59 sec ago - Libya > Multiple explosions rocked Tripoli on Saturday night and repeated anti-aircraft fire was seen streaking across the sky, a Reuters reporter in the city said. > > Sustained gunfire and thuds were heard in the distance and residents of Tajoura, on Tripoli’s eastern outskirts, reported clashes were under way. > 52 min 59 sec ago - Libya > Blasts and sustained gunfire heard in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, according to a witness who spoke to the Reuters news agency. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1744 "2011-08-20T21:37:01Z")
Tunisie has declared it has recognized the revolutionary council in Benghazi as the sole legitimate representation of the Lybian people. They must have good informatin it is at the end. Algeria and Tchad are going to regret its support to Kadafi. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1745 "2011-08-20T21:59:48Z")
It is reported that as punishment in Tripoli they are grabbing Tunisians as hostages. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1746 "2011-08-20T22:27:34Z")
And [Tunisia already has reason to be annoyed.](http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/08/2011820205157428613.html) > [@](#): > > As rebels battled for towns on either side of Tripoli on Saturday, fighting spilled across the border into Tunisia, where Libyan infiltrators clashed with Tunisian troops. > > Tunisian security sources said their forces intercepted Libyan men in vehicles with weapons and fought them through the night in the desert. They reported several casualties. > > Gaddafi’s forces west of Az Zawiyah and near the Tunisian border have been effectively encircled and cut off from their supply lines. Tunisia has increased its army presence in the border area. > > Residents of the southern Tunisian desert town of Douz told the Reuters news agency that helicopters were seen overhead and troops had been summoned from nearby towns to subdue the infiltrators, who rode in vehicles without number plates. > > The Tunisian security sources did not say whether the armed men were rebels or supporters of Gaddafi. Residents said they believed they were Gaddafi supporters. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1747 "2011-08-20T23:07:47Z")
[Rebel leader says this was all planned.](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/20/501364/main20095027.shtml) > [@](#): > > Col. Fadlallah Haroun, a rebel military commander in their stronghold of Benghazi said this marks the beginning of Operation Mermaid - a nickname for the capital city - an assault on Tripoli coordinated with NATO. > > Haroun told The Associated Press that weapons were assembled and sent by tugboats to Tripoli on Friday night. > > “The fighters in Tripoli are rising up in two places at the moment - some are in the Tajoura neighborhood and the other is near the Matiga (international) airport,” he told the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera. > > Earlier Saturday, the government organized a trip for reporters to the airport to show them it was still in government hands. > > The head of the National Transitional Council said the date of August 20 was chosen to coordinate with the ancient Muslim Battle of Badr, when Muslims conquered the holy city of Mecca in A.D. 624. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1748 "2011-08-20T23:19:04Z")
Mermaid Dawn. So that’s what it meant. I guess they were smuggling weapons in to Tripoli. I didn’t really believe that. In other news, I found out about that bombing. > **[What really happened in Libya's Zlitan?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14486170)** > > The BBC's Matthew Price visits the site of a Nato air strike in Libya, which Tripoli says killed 85 civilians. It’s… well. NATO says it’s pretty sure it was military, and it appears at least some civilians were hurt and killed. And there were a lot of military age corpses. But there weren’t 85 people there, and there certainly weren’t 33 children, like Gaddafi claims. So… bad info on NATO’s side, or ‘collateral damage’ from bombing a military target? Not sure. Either way, it’s somewhere between a minor tragedy to a horrible misunderstanding, but it’s not really a condemnation of NATO. Know how I found it? It was the only one that wasn’t completely debunked. Update: Tajoura is liberated. Heh. Al Jazeera Arabia reporter found a phone that’s broadcasting Gadaffi’s security forces communications. Forces are claiming to be out of fuel and ammunition, sustaining heavy casualties. Mussa Ibrahim broadcasting that everything is under control, the government forces have won. Waiting for a tank to drive by his studio in the background. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1749 "2011-08-20T23:25:25Z")
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okkhrTR8rjI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okkhrTR8rjI) \<- radio I was talking about. Translation in comments. Tripoli’s nickname is ‘Bride of the Sea and the River’. Mermaid is the closest english word, I guess. Map of current incidents. Main Rebel army is still several tens of kilometers away. [http://i.imgur.com/Qyubk.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/Qyubk.jpg) \<-Static map, current situation. With neighborhoods. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1750 "2011-08-21T00:06:06Z")
Gaddafi’s final speech, roughly translated. > [@](#): > > ``` > Gaddafi: Those who cheer the Nato planes that bomb during Ramadan, God damn their religion. You dirtied the mosques, how can you pray there? > Our country that was happy and comfortable in Ramadan, what have we done to France ans Britain, you want to give them our oil > Sarkozy wants our oil. You will hand over Libya on a silver platter. Sarkozy wants to be elected. He will say he occupied Libya > Libyan men want to kiss the head of Muamar (Gaddafi) What were you before the Fateh Revolution? You were occupied by Italians! > > Go back to your families! Where are you going? You are going to give Libyan oil to France? The Libyans will never accept that > You want France to rule you! You want the donkeys of the Gulf to rule you! > What are we, Palestinians? Somalis! Why have we become this way? Who is standing with these people? Our tribes have been bombed > They call the planes to bomb their country! "Come bomb my country!" Look for who has done this to Libya & take revenge from them > Who has caused this? He is known. The traitor, the rat! He isn't Libyan. Look at the Libyans (on TV) kissing my photo now! > > You're destroying the accomplishments-the airports! The Libyans are now beggars in Egypt & Tunis, take revenge on who has done this > Did we lose our minds or what? Our men were fine! What's this 17 of February, our sons are being wasted. > > Now they will say my speech is recorded from before, the lying channels. Today is Ramadan 21st. And I am watching Bab Al Azizia now > Nato is collapsing, it is its last days. They are killing children. These are infidels, they kill you in Ramadan. It's 1:40 am now > These people want to burn Libya. The roads in the mountains even surprised Europe, you used to go on the donkeys & the great river! > The rebels are fleeing like rats from the mountains. > > The donkeys of the Gulf have given them weapons to destroy our airconditioners A million people will rise to liberate Libya from them. > Look at the fireworks in the Green Square > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1751 "2011-08-21T00:29:51Z")
> [@](#): > > The donkeys of the Gulf have given them weapons to destroy our airconditioners I hate when that happens. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1752 "2011-08-21T01:05:56Z")
Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the donkeys of war! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1753 "2011-08-21T04:50:03Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Gaddafi’s final speech, roughly translated. Couldn’t you have distilled it to the following? > [@](#): > > [batshit crazy]Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I blame everyone except myself! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I have absolutely no grasp on Reality, and never had. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh![/batshit crazy] ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1754 "2011-08-21T05:05:47Z")
BBC is reporting that Ka-Daffy seems to have completely disappeared. One official is saying his “control” now stems from his appearances on TV and that once that channel gets shut down – soon, presumably – it’s over for him. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1755 "2011-08-21T07:30:28Z")
Side note: The roads to the ports all pass through revolting territory. The airport has been captured. Gaddafi has no way out. On the other hand, the government forces are firing mortars into neighborhoods. Ugly. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2011, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1756 "2011-08-21T09:33:20Z")
Americans demonize their enemies by saying “They hate our freedoms.” Libyans apparently demonize their enemies by saying “They hate our air conditioners.” ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1757 "2011-08-21T13:50:14Z")
For the heck of it, have a pro-Gaddafi Libyan tweeter. [https://twitter.com/#!/LibyanLiberal](https://twitter.com/#!/LibyanLiberal) > [@](#): > > Tripoli situation. everything calm. some burned tyres from come rebel cells. nothing more. everything is under control. > zawiyah is pro , zliten is pro. do you want to see the reality on ground? in a video ? > pro G , in the last 5 days more than 500 rebels found death and 1000 wounded. > Reports of fighting between rebels and libya army in Zliten false. its just bombings from nato to break the morale of the heroic people. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1758 "2011-08-21T13:58:29Z")
Just reading a little more on the news and they had a picture of the rebels- I don’t know whether it was posed or not. However, one of the rebels is wearing camos and a bright red bandana. Surely that is not the cleverest idea going around. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1759 "2011-08-21T16:21:28Z")
They are saying there is much fighting within the hearing of the foreign journalist hotel but there was interview of a opposition in Tripoli who said they are having many causalties as the people in the city are not very armed. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595/1760 "2011-08-21T17:52:21Z")
Sanusi has given a very strange press conference claiming that they will prove they financed the French presidency. One can believe Italy, but what a very strange claim he made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595.md?page=87) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-too/571595.md?page=89)