Libya: Benghazi unrest, to Civil War, to a new government and Gaddafi's death.

[phk]

OMG

On 21st Feb. 2011 during the Libyan awakening movement against the dictatorship of Gaddafi it has been claimed by a Libyan opposition activist Mr. Sami Al Masrati that Imam Musa Al- Sadr is still alive. He added Eyewitnesses have seen today a man resembling Imam Musa Al-Sadr who has been transferred in a small aircraft to an unknown place. Before this the Libyan opposition leader and the founder of Tabo Tribal Liberation Front Essa Abdulmajeed Mansoor had told that Imam Musa Sadr is still alive and was seen in the jail of Sabha.

[afleitch]

I like the Guardian; it's a good paper. It's columnists are on a different planet but the commenting public are nuts

So some light relief. While the rest of the world is gripped by the Arab revolutions let's take a look at the reactions of the Guardian's loyal readership;

-------------------------

"Muhamed GHadaffi is one of the last real African Leaders. He is not a puppet like most of the rest. Thats why people are being incited. Foreigners are trying to colonise us! AFRICA, LetS not celebrate the fall of one of our LAST TRUE KINGS! ALUTA CONTINUA GHADAFFI ! WE AWAIT THE UNITED STATES OF AFRICA !"

"Solar cycle starting right now is due to be a big one, ANOTHER earthquake in Chile, one in NZ, the ring of fire appears to be waking up. The only one who has got away so far is the west coast of the USA, are they ready? does printed money rebuild cities? Shaky bum time!
looks like question time for our species, shall we continue to ignore the hemp plant or get more shovels to dig faster into hell?"

"and Trotsky was but a disciple of Vlad Ilych even if he turned on him eventually"

"Then through the Governments and their spies they took our money and gold that families from across the world donated to build the Temple Of Understanding to save this Earth and our Species. We held on to faith and recollected enough for Seven Temples On Seven Hills."

"I think Gaddafi's car is for a disabled person. (No offence to genuine physically disabled people of course)."

"And Trotsky never 'turned' on Lenin. I presume you have plucked that bit of nonsense from the same dark, smelly place as the rest of the sh**te."

"And what is David Cameron, the NON-ELECTED prime minister of this island doing in Egypt? ? ? ? ?  ? ?  ? ? ? ? ? ? He wants to be another Lawrence of Arabia ? ? ? ? ? ? What is going one here? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?"

"What about that stupid wedding coming in April? Was not Gadaffi and other Arab "kings" invited to the show? Now the lists have changed slightly eh? like the "british" diplomacy?

WAHT IS THE POSITION OF THIS NON-ELECTED GOVERNMENT WITH REOSECT TO ALL THIS?"

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The morons who comment on comment is free aren't exactly typical of the paper's actual readership, though (sigh) there are those towards the top of the paper that don't get that...

I do sometimes wonder whether comment is free is an elaborate joke; an attempt to prove C.P. Scott right about the quote it gets its name from.

[Silent Hunter]

This from another forum I frequent; one poster spotted that those two Libyan fighters were armed with rocket pods, leading credence to the pilots' claims.

[Silent Hunter]

Gaddafi's making a speech; it's a bit of a rant to put it mildly.

[Middle-aged Europe]

He basically said that he won't give up power and rather die a martyr. He then went on to refer to the protestors as "cockroaches".

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Impressive speech by its pathetic level. Would pretty much show what an over-panicked human being who has nothing to lose can display to try to gain support.

Well, he basically called for a totally new dreaming country indeed, and in a total civil war in the same time with his 'committees of protection', hopefully he won't find a lot of support.

The guy wanna appear tough and martyr and all, but, unlike Mubarak who seemed actually tough, I would wonder whether he would be actually as brave as that, that being said as stated yesterday foreign destinations for him would be tiny. I wouldn't see him able for suicide as well. The guy will certainly need to be caught by someone, he could try to flee in his own country too, in a Saddam Hussein way, somewhere in his tribe, and why not posting videos/messages in a Bin Laden way till he be caught (from where was he speaking here by the way?? seemed like an half-burned building). Hope he be caught, the soonest possible, an international trial would 'something' with him though.

[afleitch]

An epic speech. It easily surpasses Ceausescu in it's vapidness. He's going to die like Ceausescu too; it's what he wants. I think there are enough who will oblige.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Lol, France24 stopped the broadcasting of the speech for about 10 mins now and he's still speaking.

[afleitch]

Best Quote;

"It's impossible for the youth to follow anyone else. If not Gaddafi, who else would they follow? Somebody with a beard?"

[minionofmidas]

Iam offended by that.

[afleitch]

Iam offended by that.

So am I Even if it is beginning to itch somewhat.

[The Mikado]

His speech lasted over an hour.  He included a bit where he declared death sentences on...everyone.

[afleitch]

Ceausescu's last speech with English subtitles. Notice the 'pasted on' crowd doesn't match the genuine shots

"Hallo, Hallo, Hallo?"

It all goes wrong at 2:45

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWIbCtz_Xwk&feature=related

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'd say that he's lost it but that would imply something less than entirely true.

[2952-0-0]

We'll be talking about this "speech" in 100 years, folks.

[SvenssonRS]

Looks like Gaddafi's sanity is well on its way to go down with Gaddafi.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Have I missed the administration's outrage?

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

We'll be talking about this "speech" in 100 years, folks.

I agree, it could reach an historical level.

Also, about news, a France2 (2nd French TV channel) journalists team has apparently been the 1st journalists to enter in Libya, by the east, monarchy flags everywhere from the Egyptian border to Tobruk, and Tobruk is apparently fallen in the hands of protesters.

[opebo]

I'd say that he's lost it but that would imply something less than entirely true.

You mean you hold out hope that he hasn't lost the battle yet?

[Хahar 🤔]

Does anyone have a link to the speech?

[Verily]

We'll be talking about this "speech" in 100 years, folks.

I agree, it could reach an historical level.

Also, about news, a France2 (2nd French TV channel) journalists team has apparently been the 1st journalists to enter in Libya, by the east, monarchy flags everywhere from the Egyptian border to Tobruk, and Tobruk is apparently fallen in the hands of protesters.

You mean no more mono-green flag once democracy comes? I think I support Gaddafi now.

[Insula Dei]

Can anyone here see a Lybian Hama in the next few days? Or is Gadaffi already past that point of authority and are his mercenaries the only things left between Lybia and the end of his regime?


EDIT: Am I he only one hearing rumours about Italian mercenaries?

[Stranger in a strange land]

We'll be talking about this "speech" in 100 years, folks.

I agree, it could reach an historical level.

Also, about news, a France2 (2nd French TV channel) journalists team has apparently been the 1st journalists to enter in Libya, by the east, monarchy flags everywhere from the Egyptian border to Tobruk, and Tobruk is apparently fallen in the hands of protesters.

You mean no more mono-green flag once democracy comes? I think I support Gaddafi now.

monochromatic flags = fail

[The Mikado]

Does anyone have a link to the speech?

Apparently, the only network that bothered to broadcast the entire thing was Libyan state TV, and they didn't have English translators (for obvious reasons).

Here's the first ~hour or so of the speech with subtitles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FstrPo1X7S8 (First 15 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh9O4rq1o1A (Next 10 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9MQD38nmOs (Next 6 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8WO9BrXA3Q (Next 8 minutes, this is the part where he talks about drugs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlEBDT-gaew  (Next 12 minutes)

So, there you go.  1 hour of the speech.  It's still missing another 20 minutes or so.