Jump to content

Egypt and the Middle East Thread 6


zollo

Recommended Posts

Well, here is another round of going over what might just be a world-defining era in our lifetimes.

Colonel G. showing no sign of giving up (no surprise there): BBC.

The Yemeni security forces are now to protect all demonstrators, as per presidential decree: link.

Saudi Arabia dishes out benefits in grand style. Can't solve it? Throw money at it.

And in an attempt to stay relevant - lets shoot a rocket at Israel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you elaborate?

He was just on Al-Arabiya, highlights follow:

"The world is conspiring against Libya"

"Nilesat has cut the signal of Libyan TV"

"Why don't these TV channels show the pro-Gaddafi demonstrations?"

"Tripoli is very calm except for one incident"

"This is all silly talk of bombing cities. Tomorrow journalists from all over the world will come to see the truth"

"Even from a military point of view, how do you bomb people?. Life is normal here, all life is normal here"

"I challenge anyone to give me the numbers of those killed"

"The conspiracy against Libya started with our Arab brothers"

(via)

All of which suggest he's been taking PR advice from 2003's favourite walking punchline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He was just on Al-Arabiya, highlights follow:

Heh. Forgot about that guy in Iraq. :)

The BBC is saying that a city west of Tripoli has fallen to the protestors. That's very interesting. And battles going on in another city Zawiya.

Libyan TV has said that they are offering an amnesty to protestors. Obviously scared. :) But also offering money to people to betray protestors.

Tunisia That was interesting.

Tunisians are eager for information about the experience of transition and political development elsewhere around the world, but again and again they told me of their strong pride in what their country achieved without outside help.

It would certainly be better for Libya to get Gadaffi out without outside intervention. They seem to be moving in that direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A map. Finally. Gives an idea of where the focus is on. Sirte is Gaddafi's home town. That's why its still under his control. The fighting in Zawiya and Misrata on either side of Tripoli is key right now.

Interesting that there was a meeting in al-Bayda today of the anti-Gaddafi protestors. The former Justice Minister was prominent. Perhaps we have finally a face of the possible new regime.

There seems to be stalemate in Bahrain. 100,000 protestors on Tuesday. Given the population is supposed to be 600,000 that's just ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting that there was a meeting in al-Bayda today of the anti-Gaddafi protestors. The former Justice Minister was prominent. Perhaps we have finally a face of the possible new regime.

The former justice minister has also stated that Gadaffi was behind the Lockerbie bombing, so he's clearly aiming for the jugular (though I note only The Sun seems to be reporting that at the moment, so take that with a grain of salt for now).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

North Korea is now seeing unrest, with several reported killed in demonstrations yesterday.

....

Commodities are skyrocketing, meaning everything is getting more expensive by the day. Libya's oil issues are exacerbating that problem (every cent rise in oil prices is 600m in US citizen spending).

That recovery, "Win the Future" garbage is going nowhere, friends. We are totally, completely fucked.

Kind of surprised that unrest has spread even to N. Korea, if there was one country on Earth that I though wouldn't be wired into the rest of the planet it would be N Korea. I know that the picture is probably several years old, but I recall the Earth from orbit shot where most of N Korea didn't even have electric lights.

Not sure why on the commodities front we aren't drilling more in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, fracking more in the Dakotas, and building more nuclear plants everywhere. Makes me think that whatever Obama's conception of the national interest is doesn't include economic prosperity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True, but one way or another he's killed or been responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. That takes the shine off his entertaining angle. Though Charlie Brooker did a great summary of Gadaffi's ludicrous career tonight on 10 O'Clock Live, which I daresay will be YouTubeable in the near future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's surely only a matter of time until Gaddhafi buggers off to some safehold outside Libya and the people there can begin restructing post-dictatorship. All these defections and the constant fighting is probably going to sap the will of all but his most zealous supporters to kill their own countrymen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...