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19 Mar 2011 16:20

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World: Hugo Chavez: Nations in airstrikes “care nothing” about Libyans

  • For those who wanted to see Chavez in a hard hat, here you go. Enjoy. The Venezuelan leader, a key ally of Gaddafi, took some time off from his tour of a road-building project in Caracas to let everyone know what he thinks of the Libyan airstrikes: “They want to seize Libya’s oil and they care nothing about the lives of the Libyan people. These are the men of war … what irresponsibility. Behind this is the hand of the United States and its European allies, instead of taking the path that we have modestly proposed.” In case you were wondering, that peace mission Chavez wanted to make didn’t go anywhere because Saif Gaddafi essentially said Chavez wouldn’t have any idea what was going on. source

17 Mar 2011 16:00

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World: UN could be hours from vote on Libyan no-fly zone

  • A critical few hours for Libya: The U.N. Security Council will be meeting (Britain claims at 22:00 GMT, which is a little over two hours from now) to consider a resolution approving the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya. The resolution was drafted by, and therefore obviously receives strong support from the U.K., Lebanon, and France. The U.S. has spoken in support of the measure, hinged on a reluctance to act unilaterally, but China and Russia might not be so keen. It should make for a fascinating scene that will critically change the future of the Libyan people. source

14 Mar 2011 15:47

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World: Libyan rebels to face crucial fight for survival against Gaddafi forces

  • Crucial hours for Libya: A video from euronews that is, how shall we say, rather grim in its assessment of Libya’s rebellion. Reports have been coming out the last couple days that Muammar Gaddafi’s loyalists in the military can, and it seems increasingly likely will, be victorious over the uprising, absent international support. As we mentioned earlier, though, with France on board for a no-fly zone, and the Arab League endorsing the idea to the U.N. Security Council, it seems more and more likely that the international community will converge on Gaddafi- the question is, when? source

14 Mar 2011 13:12

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World: Will Libya’s rebels hold out long enough to see international support?

  • YES France wants a no-fly zone over Libya ASAP source
  • » With expected urgency: Reports out of Libya have suggested that rebel forces are significantly over-matched against the military forces still loyal to dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and this article suggests that by the time the international community makes its move, he may already have reasserted control. It’s hard to topple a strongman who, for all his incoherence, viciousness and bombast, still has enough military willing to shoot and bomb their fellow countrymen. France has lauded the Arab League’s request of the U.N Security Council in support of a no-fly zone, and hopes it will lead to expedient action.

13 Mar 2011 12:21

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World: Pro-Gaddafi official uses phrase “cleansed” to describe victory

  • Brega has been cleansed of armed gangs.
  • A pro-Gaddafi military source • Offering a pretty stark sentiment of the fighting in the Western Libyan seaport of Brega on state television. Al Jazeera says they could not confirm this information, but any time a military figure uses the phrase “cleansed” in any context, it makes us greatly uncomfortable. source

13 Mar 2011 12:11

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World: The Arab League wants a no-fly zone in Libya. But will it fly?

While the U.S. and Britain approve of the latest push, the move needs to be approved by the larger international community at the UN, and it may not even be effective. source

10 Mar 2011 13:53

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World: Libyan opposition continues to gain international legitimacy

  • YES Hillary Clinton will meet with Libya’s opposition source
  • » On France’s heels, the U.S. bolsters legitimacy: The Secretary of State plans on meeting with the head of the opposition council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, a former justice minister who resigned when Muammar Gaddafi’s violent reaction began tearing throughout Libya in February.
 

10 Mar 2011 10:57

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World: France: Gaddafi isn’t Libya’s leader anymore. These guys are!

  • France recognizes the National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. There will be an exchange of ambassadors between Paris and Benghazi.
  • A spokesperson for French President Nicolas Sarkozy • Revealing that France now considers the opposition government, the Libyan National Council, the right one in Libya. This is a big step, considering that France is a major player on the political stage. It hurts Gaddafi further. So, who’s next? source

10 Mar 2011 10:22

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World: Libya: Pro-Gaddafi forces capture Ras Lanuf, a key oil port

  • We’ve been defeated. They are shelling and we are running away. That means that they’re taking Ras Lanuf.
  • A rebel fighter in the Libyan city of Ras Lanuf • Discussing how Gaddafi supporters took over the oil port city. It’s just one front in which Gaddafi’s folks have been trying to gain lost ground. The capture of this town, by the way, completely follows the playbook Gaddafi has been pushing lately. source

09 Mar 2011 13:57

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World: Muammar Gaddafi blames (surprise!) foreigners for uprising

  • Muammar Gaddafi, still horrible: Included in this already striking video showing Libyan rebels firing on a state war plane overhead, Muammar Gaddafi held a press conference of sorts in which he again claimed there isn’t a domestic uprising against him. He said that small groups of dissidents have entered Libya from Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt and Palestine, but rest assured, Libyans are still with him. It’d be amusing, if he weren’t brutally killing his own people. source