Egypt,and more Middle East turmoil

[Lucien]

Apparently Khadaffi is fleeing to Venezuela at present,according to British Foreign Office minister Hague .
Hugo Chavez is an ally of the baboon and about the only place where he can go without being extradited....

Khadaffi's henchmen are fleeing too as more and more cities are taken over by influential tribal chiefs
and opposition.If this is true that would mean an enormous breakthrough,and hopefully an end to a short
but letal period of truly excessive violence.Lybian government ministrs resigned and many of Lybian embassies
staff abroad did / is doing,the same.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12523669

http://english.aljazeera.net/

[Lucien]

Apparently Khadaffi is fleeing to Venezuela at present,according to British Foreign Office minister Hague .
Hugo Chavez is an ally of the baboon and about the only place where he can go without being extradited....

Khadaffi's henchmen are fleeing too as more and more cities are taken over by influential tribal chiefs
and opposition.If this is true that would mean an enormous breakthrough,and hopefully an end to a short
but letal period of truly excessive violence.Lybian government ministrs resigned and many of Lybian embassies
staff abroad did / is doing,the same.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12523669

http://english.aljazeera.net/

Uncertain where the British Foreign Office has the story from that he's off to Venezuela,and Venezuela denies...
not that that should impress anyone...

There are reports of the Lybian airforce bombing Benghazi & Tripoli thus killing their own people by the hundreds,
but as no journalists are allowed in the country,it is difficult to verify these reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12525181

[Lucien]

While Khadaffi is loosing controle over most of Lybia,President Obama,in a speech,
condemmed the crackdownin Lybia without mentioning the name of the baboon
one single time but saying over the uprising; "It is theirs,the Lybians,and no-one elses...
strange...the interests are immens,but for this they're not.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12562574

Meanwhile the UN urged Europe to take in as many refugees from Tunesia and Lybia as possible.
NO!We will not.They have fought for the change in their country,now they should take responsibility
to build up their free nations themselves without holding up hands in social Europe.Basta!!We will
not have any of it,so,useless to flee here.No,not harsh,but a reality bite.I admire them for their perseverance
and courage,but I have no respect in any way for running away and leaving a country,their country,shattered.
Khadaffi,also largely dependent on the support of the tribes and their chiefs,has nearly lost that all too.Just a
matter of less then a few days before he's totally dealt with,then the Lybians,oppressed for decades,should
put their shoulders under the rebuilding of a free nation.Remarkeble is,that the people in the liberated east- and
partially west of Lybia wave the Flag of the former regime from before Khadaffi's coup 41 years ago,
the banner of the Lybian Monarchy!It's everywhere.

Since early this week Europe flew out its nationals from Lybia as that was possible little by little depending on
if controle towers were manned or not.The Royal Dutch Airforce had sent a KDC-10  and had dutch as well as
over 50 other nationals repatriated and flew back to Lybia again yesterday.The US have chartered a ferry to
take Americans out of Lybia to Malta.Several hundreds americans in Lybia requested their embassy for help.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-

[Lucien]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east/

Muammar Khadaffi...:
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?specialid=3240&flush=1

courtesy ANP

[Robert_Hall]

Baboons are extremely clever, vicious possessive and tribal animals. So, Lucien, your continuous   deprecation of the Colonel may  just be the opposite- a complimentary metaphor perhaps.

[Lucien]

Baboons are extremely clever, vicious possessive and tribal animals. So, Lucien, your continuous   deprecation of the Colonel may  just be the opposite- a complimentary metaphor perhaps.

Colonel,my foot...a maniac,and not clever enough to keep pace with reality,so maybe you are right,mr Hall.
and baboons must be insulted enough by now.He's reduced to nothing as is the legitimacy of his terror rule.

[Robert_Hall]

Really, Lucien, your prejudice is unbecoming.  "Colonel" is Gaddafi's legitimate rank.   I do not not know about your foot, but I imagine that he has enough supporters- for whatever reason- to keep him going for a while at least.
 I am by no means defending his rule, I agree, he is out dated and  far too ruthless. However, I do remember reading, some 40 or so years ago, his "Green Book" and his diatribe against colonialism.  That is what got him into power and his "cult" following. He still commands that.  His cleverness and cunning may come into play there, unlike the unlucky leaders of Tunisia & Egypt, who simply were too far out of touch [IMO] to realize that change was needed, and FAST.
 The Colonel is not all that old nor senile.  I would bet that he still haves a few devices at his hand. I would be wary of him, at this point. He is not a maniac, he has a vision, right or wrong, and those with that drive, are the ones to watch out for.

[Lucien]

Really, Lucien, your prejudice is unbecoming.  "Colonel" is Gaddafi's legitimate rank.   I do not not know about your foot, but I imagine that he has enough supporters- for whatever reason- to keep him going for a while at least.
 I am by no means defending his rule, I agree, he is out dated and  far too ruthless. However, I do remember reading, some 40 or so years ago, his "Green Book" and his diatribe against colonialism.  That is what got him into power and his "cult" following. He still commands that.  His cleverness and cunning may come into play there, unlike the unlucky leaders of Tunisia & Egypt, who simply were too far out of touch [IMO] to realize that change was needed, and FAST.
 The Colonel is not all that old nor senile.  I would bet that he still haves a few devices at his hand. I would be wary of him, at this point. He is not a maniac, he has a vision, right or wrong, and those with that drive, are the ones to watch out for.

Prejudice?Towards Khadafi?Prejudice?So you can actually read,and then read the green book...Unbecoming you say?The only thing that is unbecoming is Khadafi,and how's that?" Unlike the unlucky leaders of Tunesia & Egypt,who simply were too far out of touch"....And Khadafi isn't?And; "The Colonel isn't all that old and senile"....Goes on show who's out of touch here,and most unbecoming with verbal diarhea.There must be a cure for that,even on the QE II ... ...

Meanwhile where it really matters:

http://english.aljazeera.net/

[Lucien]

Good!!President Obama has ordered to freeze all assets of Khadafi and his family,great!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12585949

[Lucien]

About 150 British nationals working in the oil industry in Libya were repatriated in a secret mission
when two RAF Hercules aircraft landed south of Benghazi where many were stuck and unable to
reach the coast.

Turkey has 15000 nationals in Libya,working on building contractsmany of them already ferried back
to Turkey and China has picked up 15000 while 21000 Chinese still remain in Libya but will be flown/
ferried out too.

Egypt has opened the Museum and the sites again as of today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12521034

More on the region today:

An interim government in Libya led by a former justice minister gains momentum in the diplomatic world and the UN

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/201122702915408866.html

[Lucien]

Egypt has frozen all assets by the Mubarak family,and issued a travel ban for Mubarak

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12596133

In Libya tension is rising as to how many more days Khadafi sits where he does.He lost controle almost completely,
but it's the "almost" that is worrying.The US sends war ships to Libya,some of them already in the Mediteranean
near Suez.The Royal dutch navy is off the coast of Libya since a few days to help flee as many dutch and foreigners
as possible.A military intervention by the west isn't too far if the situation doesn't change quick enough.
Opposed to Tunesia and Egypt,Libya never had a government in its past that controled all,it was either the old
Monarchy led by King Idris but based on it's colonial past and what it's colonial masters had thought fit,then that it
ever knew a parliament even,or elections,none of that.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12605179

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12603320

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/

[Lucien]

The UN has called for humanitarian aid to the many who flee from Libya to Tunesia and Egypt.Help is on its way
for,ao,the tens of thousands of Asians who worked there fleeing Libya and totally left alone by their governments,
the Filipino's fi,a disgrace.

Tunesia and Egypt can not cope with the enormous amount,over 140000 already,that flee to either one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12616304

Meanwhile in Iran,unrest and riots remain after opposition leaders Moussavi and Karroubi were arrested on monday:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12612133

http://english.aljazeera.net/

[Terence]

Thanks Lucien for keeping everyone informed here, these are historic times, IMO anyone interested in past history should be interested in history being made as we live.

There is a special relevance to this site as it deeply relates to a very tragic revolution.  Here's an interesting post relating revolutions through recent history- http://ericyoungonline.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/revolution-and-the-muslim-world/

I hope the Libyans can prevail in their fight for freedom from an insane dictator.

T

[Lucien]

Khadaffi has lured the Tuaregs into his fight and flies them in from Mali,where they always rebelled against the gov supported by Libya.
Fights flare up near Benghazi.It would be more then terrific that the world would asap dispose of this lunatic,I agree with Hillary,take
him out ASAP,as the jargon says,before he does what he treatens with and that is a massacre among Libyans if foreigners interfere.
Finish the creep!!Get the bastard,and get him fast!!!


http://english.aljazeera.net/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

[kamlowsky]

Thank you Lucien for following this history set in motion. A world that will be changed forever. It amazes me how the desire  of freedom flows through the veins of people who have been ruled with an iron hand. I am not as brave is these people but I have not suffered as they have either. The courage of all the youth is amazing that they would fight to the death for the taste of  freedom    We must never take for granted the life we are blessed to live.  I wish them victory and the ability to form governments of their choosing.