Yesterday's crazy, rambling speech by Gaddafi's son Saif ("the modern face of Libya" basically played the threat of civil war card, and blamed all these protests on drug dealers and the BBC last night) put some spark in the average Libyan step, so today's protests are the most intense and dangerous yet. Everyone knew that Gaddafi and the Libyan government were probably going to be more mercenary than some other Mid-East regimes, but this is getting ridiculous.
Reports of the madness include:
-Fighter jets bombing the capital Tripoli on Gaddafi's orders.
-Consequently, some Libyan air force staff have defected to Malta with their planes.
-The navy firing from the harbours into suburban neighbourhoods
-Libyan diplomats jumping ship, including their entire UN delegation. EU nations prepping to pull their businessfolks, too.
-Ban Ki Moon of UN fame does the UN Finger-Wag Hokey Pokey.
-Gaddafi fleeing to Venezuela....maybe.
-Tons of misinformation, due to thoroughly disrupted communications (they even cut the land lines)
-Abject massacres. Estimates of over 300 dead. And helicopters dropping off more ammunition for the army still.
If you (understandably) can't wait for me to actually follow this stuff, the indispensable Al Jazeera and the excellent Guardian are both covering bases. Links go to Libyan coverage.
Hope and bated breath, Tripoli and co.... let's make this three.
No comments:
Post a Comment