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20 Apr 2011 16:53

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World: Pentagon proposal for Libya aid awaits Obama’s approval

  • $25 million in proposed non-lethal aid to Libyan rebels source
  • » The Pentagon’s plan awaits President Obama’s approval. That said, $25 million is a relatively very minor cost to the U.S. in the context of a military action. It would, however, explicitly not go towards arming the rebels with western weaponry, but would rather send vehicles, supplies, medicines, and radios. The Gaddafi government threatened that such supply shipments would extend the bloody battles and “encourage the other side to be more defiant,” which is a pretty difficult quote to read with feeling unbearably angry.

20 Apr 2011 15:35

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World: Western Journalists hit with mortar fire in Libya

  • Tim Hetherington, dead at 40: Here’s Hetherington with Sebastian Junger. The two war journalists co-directed “Restrepo,” the Oscar-nominated documentary for which both men braved being embedded with the U.S. military in the Korengal Valley, the most dangerous battlefield in all of Afghanistan. This tells you all you need to know about Hetherington, and what a serious, dedicated and courageous man he was. It’s intensely sad to report, then, of Hetherington’s death by mortar fire today in Misrata, Libya. Hetherington’s last post on Twitter: “In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO.” His tragic death underlines the dangers embedded journalists face.
  • Three more photographers hurt Chris Hondros, a U.S. photographer and Pulitzer-prize winner, is in critical condition with a severe brain injury; Guy Martin, a British photographer, is also critical after the attack; Michael Christopher Brown was reportedly a third victim, though his status is reportedly not life-threatening.
  • Journalism and danger in Libya International journalism advocacy groups have decried a dangerous state of affairs facing journalists covering the Arab Spring uprisings — with at least 10 killed so far. International Criminal Court prosecutor José Luis Moreno Ocampo says that about 16 journalists are missing within Libya. source

13 Apr 2011 14:28

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World: Telecom executive gives big help to Libyan rebels

  • YES the Libyan rebels have a  mobile phone network source
  • » Welcome to Free Libyana: With international support, in particular the help of a telecom executive in Abu Dhabi named Ousama Abushagur, the Libyan rebel forces now have a hijacked mobile phone network operating within the eastern part of the country. The network, called Free Libyana, was built on the equipment foundations of a Gaddafi controlled network called simply Libyana. Mr. Abushagur, a Libyan who was raised in Alabama, led a crew of engineers and some bodyguards into Benghazi in order to secure the network for the rebel forces located there.

10 Apr 2011 20:34

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World: Jacob Zuma throws himself head-first into Gaddafi dramarama

  • The brother leader’s delegation has accepted the roadmap as presented by us. We have to give cease-fire a chance.
  • South African President Jacob Zuma • Pushing to get folks to back a peace plan that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has agreed to. The plan, which could lead to a cease-fire, may be just what Libya needed. Now we’re sure Zuma, representing the African Union, probably has a better handle on Gaddafi than most, but we’re going to say that this probably isn’t going to be particularly effective. And Zuma has a history of backing a soft-pedal approach to leaders that probably don’t deserve it. Robert Mugabe for starters. We’re sure Morgan Tsvangirai feels pretty good about Zuma’s help in that situation right now. source

08 Apr 2011 11:48

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World: NATO talks about airstrikes like one would discuss a bill collector

  • This is a very unfortunate incident. I strongly regret the loss of life. I can assure you that we do our utmost to avoid civilian casualties.
  • NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen • Expressing regret over an airstrike that likely killed Libyan rebels. That’s not an apology, by the way, but a statement of regret. See, it’s things like this that get those in need of assistance frustrated with NATO. Dudes! They’re on your side! Stop talking about them like they’re an anonymous neutral party. It just pisses them off. source

06 Apr 2011 10:51

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World: NATO, Libyan rebels have war of words over seemingly weak airstrikes

  • All operations are carried out in a very vigilant way. … The ambition and precision of our strikes has not changed. The facts speak for themselves.
  • NATO spokesperson Carmen Romero • Defending the organization from withering criticism by Libyan rebels that the airstrikes have weakened in recent days. “NATO is not doing their job, the airstrikes are late and never on time. NATO is not helping us. Gahdafi still gets ammunition and supplies to his forces, that’s why he is pushing us back,” said current rebel and former Gaddafi official Pvt. Mohammed Abdullah. “We don’t know what he would be able to do if there are no airstrikes.” Ouch. That’s harsh. source

06 Apr 2011 10:39

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World: Hundreds of Libyan refugees feared killed after ship capsizes

  • 200+ migrants, mostly sub-Saharan Africans, were on a ship headed from Libya to Italy
  • 50+ people were rescued off the Italian island of Lampedusa after the ship capsized on Wednesday
  • 150+ people are still missing; “We fear they could be even more than that,” said one official source
 

05 Apr 2011 16:04

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World: Libyan rebels plan to begin exporting oil themselves

  • This is a big deal for the opposition council. The Libyan rebel government’s deal with Qatar to export oil has obvious benefits to their cause, and they aren’t strictly economic. One aspect of the Libyan struggle we can’t overlook is the need for others to perceive their legitimacy — the more the rebellion shows a unified, proactive, and competent front, the more pressure it may put on Gaddafi’s beleaguered allies to desert him. The immediately refused rebel ceasefire offer was a good example, and this follows suit — the practical proof that oil exports can resume despite Gaddafi’s efforts to the contrary is another psychological victory against a regime that’s already reported as suffering key defections by officials. source

05 Apr 2011 13:37

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World: NATO: Airstrikes decimate large chunk of Gaddafi’s prowess

  • 30%of Gaddafi military capacity destroyed by airstrikes source
  • » That’s what NATO says, at least. NATO Brigadier General Mark van Uhm made the claim to a bunch of reporters in Brussels. That said, though, some of Gaddafi’s tactics have made it harder for NATO to attack. “The operational tempo remains, but we have seen a change of tactics (from Gaddafi),” van Uhm said. “When human beings are used as shields we don’t engage.”

04 Apr 2011 22:07

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World: Libyan rebels: NATO forces falling short of expectations

  • There’s a delay in reacting and lack of response to what’s going on on the ground, and many civilians have died and [NATO] couldn’t react to protect them.
  • Ali al-Essawi, foreign policy director of the National Transitional Council • On how things have been going since NATO took control of the no-fly zone. source